Machida’s absence opened the door for an emerging talent to step to the fore in Mai Yamamoto. The 24-year-old guard first found international success as a member of Japan’s 3X3 team, winning the FIBA 3X3 Under-23 World Cup in 2019—Japan’s first world title in basketball. After helping the 3X3 team finish 5th at the Tokyo Olympics, Yamamoto garnered further recognition as part of the 5-on-5 senior team that won gold at the FIBA Asia Cup two months later in Jordan.
Yamamoto truly demonstrated her budding stardom at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Sopron, Hungary back in February. The Toyota Antelope finished as the tournament’s leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists per outing while shooting a scintillating 62 per cent from the field. Yamamoto was rewarded with the Most Valuable Player award for her efforts as Japan secured qualification for a fourth consecutive Olympics.
Assuming both Yamamoto and Machida are selected for the Japanese team for the Games, the Akatsuki Five would possess one of the top offensive backcourts at the competition. With Japan playing a high-octane brand of basketball, look for this dynamic duo to push their team deep into the knockout rounds.