From humble beginnings growing up in a town of 900 people in North Carolina, Brian Rowsom defied the odds by making it to the NBA.
Those life lessons should serve him well as he works to return the Oita HeatDevils, who were a mediocre team two seasons ago and then became the bj-league's worst club in 2008-09, to respectability.
The HeatDevils went 8-44 last season under Tadaharu Ogawa, the Rizing Fukuoka's new floor boss.