That the Japan men's national team won eight games in a row after a 0-4 start in the Asian Qualifiers to secure a spot in the FIBA World Cup was one of the best things that have ever happened to the country's hoop scene.
But without veteran big man Fazekas, this accomplishment probably wouldn't have been achieved.
The 211-cm center, who became a naturalized Japanese citizen in April 2018, helped turn the table for the Akatsuki Five by playing in six contests during the eight-game winning streak in the continental preliminaries.