Point guard Takanori Goya was the No. 1 pick in the bj-league's 2006 draft. After two losing seasons, he was traded to the Osaka Evessa.
On Saturday, Goya, a native of Okinawa, begins his quest to help the Evessa win a fourth consecutive championship. Osaka opens the 2008-09 season with a pair of road games against the expansion Shiga Lakestars in Otsu.
In a recent interview with The Japan Times, Goya said he's confident his new team can win another title.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.