Stars from Asia who could take on the NBL

• The Special Restricted Player rule is a rule which allows NBL teams to sign players from an Asian market without any impact on the salary cap
• Some of the top talents who have starred under this rule include Yudai Baba, Hyunjung Lee and Zhou Xi
• Yudai Baba (Melbourne United) and Hyunjung Lee (Illawarra Hawks) have both won NBL championships

The Special Restricted Player rule is one of the more unique and fascinating wrinkles within the NBL’s salary cap rules.

Allowing NBL teams to sign players from a specific designation of ‘big market’ Asian basketball countries without any impact on the salary cap, the rule was put in place to encourage the recruitment of high profile Asian players as to improve the NBL’s exposure and engagement from within the Asian market.

As we’re currently seeing, the intersection of players that find themselves attracted to the platform of the NBL at expense of often much larger salary offers within Asia, whilst being talented enough to be difference makers within the league, is a slim one. Some players, such as Amritpal Singh and Makato Heijima, struggled to adapt to the NBL, but others such as Yudai Baba, Hyunjung Lee and Zhou Qi made quality contributions.

So what players could potentially fit the bill? Here’s some names that would do some serious damage if they put their pen to paper in the NBL.

Keisei Tominaga

Those that tuned in to the Boomers playing in the FIBA Asia Cup in 2022 may remember the green and gold getting lit up by Japanese guard Keisei Tominaga. The shooting guard dropped 8 three-pointers en route to a 33 point game, and it was no one off.

Tominaga spent three years in the Big 10 for Nebraska playing under Fred Hoiberg, during which time he became one of the deadliest shooters in college basketball. In his senior season, Tominaga led Nebraska in scoring with 15.3 points per game while shooting 37.6% from the three point line.

He may be undersized, but Tominaga’s percentages don’t do his shooting gravity justice - he can take and make incredibly tough looks from well beyond NBA range and off the dribble. His addition to an NBL team would make him a dangerous sparkplug. It’s a skill-set that gained him the moniker ‘Japanese Steph Curry’ in his homeland.

After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Tominaga spent a season with the Indiana Mad Ants, though he only appeared in eight games, utilised sparingly. For the 2025-26 season, Tominaga has signed in the Japanese B League with Levanga Hokkaido. As always, Japan is where his market is likely the richest, but one season removed from the G League, there are clearly bigger aspirations at play. Could Tominaga seek to leverage the NBL’s platform to make another run at the NBA?

Lin Wei

One player whose connection to the NBL actually led to public rumour this off-season was Chinese point guard Lin Wei. At 21-years-old, Wei tore up the Chinese Basketball Association for Nanjing Monkey Kings averaging 20.9 points and 5.1 assists per game on a team that featured imports such as Kendric Davis, Willie Cauley-Stein, Tacko Fall and TJ Leaf throughout the course of their season. His scoring was so prolific that Wei finished as the top non-import scorer in the CBA across the 2024-25 season.

An auto-entrant into the 2025 NBA Draft, Wei worked out for numerous NBA teams last month, though was not ultimately selected, instead entering the NBA G League International Draft, where he was picked 8th by the Texas Legends, two spots behind the New Zealand Breakers wing Carlin Davison. Like Davison, this does not guarantee that Wei will play in the G League next season, so Wei’s options are still technically open, so it’d be fascinating to know if he’s still in conversation with NBL teams.

There may be some concern about Wei’s ability to guard at the NBL level, but as far as his offensive production is concerned, his performances in China so far in his career suggest he would be a major scoring sparkplug. The Illawarra Hawks have yet to sign a point guard this off-season - could Wei be a potential target?

Jun Seok Yeo

There are two upcoming faces of South Korean basketball. One, we’re very familiar with; Hyungjung Lee, the former Hawk and NBL championship winner who has been a lethal shooter over the last couple of seasons for Illawarra. The other is Jun Seok Yeo.

Yeo, a 6’8 forward, is a talented scorer, about to enter his senior year of college basketball with Seattle after two seasons as a Gonzaga Bulldog. While he never truly cracked Gonzaga’s rotation, he should be set for a big final year post-transfer if his junior resume is anything to go by. Notably, Yeo’s production at the Under 19 World Cup was phenomenal - his 25.3 points per game were an event high and 6.9 points per game better than second best in an event populated by talents such as Victor Wembenyama, Benedict Mathurin, Chet Holmgren, Kenny Lofton Jr, Dyson Daniels, Zach Edey and many, many more.

Of course, going by that alone, you would think Yeo would’ve been destined for the bright lights of the NBA, but of course being a volume scorer for a weaker nation is some important context. Yeo also spent several years going to university in South Korea before making the jump to the NCAA, which potentially stagnated his development.

Nonetheless, Yeo still appears set to be a world-class scorer in the professional game beyond his graduation, and as an upcoming talent, the NBL may have appeal as a platform to continue to test his game. Indeed, like Lee, Yeo also has ties to Australia through his time at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, which he attended prior to COVID-19.

Having been hidden away in Korea and subsequently at Gonzaga towards the end of their bench, Yeo’s lack of a recent track record may mean his market is less of a king’s ransom than some of the other players on this list. Big wings with the ability to make shots like Yeo can be a rare commodity in the NBL, and next off-season it may be pertinent for teams to put the feelers out and gauge Yeo’s interest in returning down under.

Yuki Kawamura

Those keeping an eye on Lachlan Olbrich at Summer League would’ve undoubtedly been distracted by the point guard prowess of Yuki Kawamura, the point sized floor general creating highlights all week for the Chicago Bulls.

After a year with the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-way contract across the 2024-2025 season, Kawamura was back on the open market, but after a sensational week with the Bulls, Kawamura would end up off the table with another two-way deal.

He may be off the table for this off-season, but Kawamura might be a target to watch for future recruitment. Supremely skilled but far away from the NBA’s trending of bigger and bigger guards, Kawamura’s long term outlook feels destined for overseas basketball. As Japanese B League’s Rookie of the Year and MVP simultaneously in 2023, Kawamura is one of Asia’s most coveted talents, meaning financial offers within Asia would far exceed NBL’s teams capacity, but with clear NBA aspirations, he may be a long shot to take the pay cut and want to cut his teeth in the NBL’s pathway.

Far beyond the talent of any Asian player that has competed in the NBL to date, it would require Kawamura being targeted as a true lead of an NBL team. With little security for teams that could expect him to stay in the league long term, there’s less incentive for teams to prioritise their budget towards him compared to a local, but as an alternative to an import, there would be cap benefits to be gained through the Special Restricted Player exceptions.

In very specific circumstances, his availability in the market could make him an attractive option. For example, if Perth were not able to get over the line with Jo Lual Acuil and their marquee big man options were exhausted this off-season, pivoting to an import big and chasing Kawamura at the point guard spot could’ve been an out of the box pivot.

Like many on this list, Kawamura feels like a pipe dream, but knowing the success of small, skilled guards in Australia, coupled with his particular speed and flair for open court play-making, Kawamura is a player that could absolutely shine in the NBL if the stars ever aligned.

Yuta Watanabe

It was as recently as the 2023-24 season that Yuta Watanabe was playing a pivotal role for the Brooklyn Nets, setting the pace as one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA, knocking down 44.4% of his three point makes.

Fast forward to 2025, and the 6’9 sharpshooter has called time on his NBA career, citing the challenges of fluctuating playing time, multiple trades and subsequent mental health challenges as the biggest reasons to return to Japan. The 30-year-old veteran joined the Chiba Jets for the 2024-25 season, playing a key role alongside some familiar names to NBL fans including John Mooney, Chris Smith and DJ Hogg.

Content with his NBA career and now seeing out his time back in the B League, it feels unlikely that Watanabe would venture back out of his comfort zone to the NBL, but if he did, his size and shooting would be a sought after combination.

David Muoka

Of Nigerian and British descent, Muoka may appear out of left field on this list, but the big man was born and raised in Hong Kong, making him eligible as a Special Restricted Player.

After two years of college basketball at Lavar University, followed by two years at UNLV, Muoka spent the last seasons in the G League, most recently with the Windy City Bulls, where he averaged 11.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.

Muoka is offensively limited, but has plenty of capability doing the dirty work inside, proving to be an athletic finisher in the paint, and defensively at 2.2 blocks per game is a highly impactful rim protector. This past season saw him take a step forward as a passer, as well, bumping up his average to 2.2 assists per game.

Having yet to sign a contract in Asia, Muoka’s options appear wide open, and with a lack of truly impactful local bigs on the market, Muoka may be a perfectly helpful target for a team looking for an extra centre.

Where are they now

Yudai Baba

Since his most recent stint with Melbourne United in the 2021-22 season, Yudai Baba has returned to Japan, where he’s played a key role for Nagasaki Velka. Clearly benefitting from his time in the NBL, Baba’s stats on return to the B League have been much improved, the wing averaging career highs of 14.6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game.

An effective three point shot continues to elude Baba, who shot 31.4% from three this past season, but his speed and slashing ability continue to make an impact on the offensive end, whilst he remains a handy defensive playmaker.

Suiting up for the New York Knicks in Summer League this year, Baba appears insistent on wanting to crack the US market, and we saw him make one return to the NBL after a break before, so it’s probably not worth ruling out another stint in Australia. Now married to Japanese actress Kanna Mori, he may be more settled in Japan these days, but he will continue to be a fan favourite for Melbourne United supporters.

Kai Sotto

Two time fan-MVP Kai Sotto had a mixed impact in his two seasons for the Adelaide 36ers, but would he prove to be a bigger impact player in the league today?

Since returning to Asia, Sotto has spent three seasons in the Japanese B League, most recently with Koshigaya, where he averaged 13.8 points and 9.5 rebounds. Statistically, the now 23 year old has iterated on his game every year while improving his passing, outside shooting (11-22 from 3 this past season).

The rim protection, at a modest 1.1 blocks per game, still doesn’t feel impactful enough to off-set the mobility disadvantages of being 7’2 on the defensive end of the floor, but Sotto has probably evolved enough to the point he could be a starter on the right NBL roster.

Clearly an asset in terms of eyeballs, it would always be intriguing to see his name back in Australia, but with Japanese money on the table, it’s hard to imagine the NBL making much sense for Sotto going forward now that his lustre as a potential NBA prospect has worn off.

Zhou Qi

There was a time when Zhou Qi’s name brought excitement, even among NBA circles, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft at a time where not many Asia players had seen NBA opportunities beyond the retirement of Yao Ming. The seven footer with a 7’4 wingspan had plenty of allure as an NBA rim protector, but a changing NBA landscape saw Qi quickly fall out of NBA interest.

Signing in the NBL in 2021, Qi’s signature brought plenty of allure, and was the biggest name Special Restricted Player to enter the league in the initiatives history. A lack of physicality probably hurt Qi’s impact, but in his first season in particular, his averages of 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in only 21 minutes made him an incredibly useful big man for the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Since returning to China for family reasons in December 2022, Qi has not returned to the NBL, despite there being reports of a potential return in NBL24. Instead, Qi played the 2023-24 season with the Guangdong Southern Tigers, followed by the Beijing Ducks last season.

Since his return to the CBA, Qi’s production has remained pretty consistent with his career form - the only notable change being his three point conversion rate - knocking down 36/94 (38%) from three in his last two seasons.

It’s unknown what interest Qi would have in returning to the NBL, but he’s still one of the premier Asian bigs in world basketball and would be a difference maker for an Australian team under the right circumstances.

Makoto Heijima

Heijima feels like a case study on what makes a player suitable for a transition to the NBL. After five seasons in Japan, Heijima became a pioneer joining the Brisbane Bullets for the 2018-19 season. A proven shooter with a career average of over 40% from behind the arc, Heijima felt like a proven international contributor, but his season with the Bullets never really took off, appearing sparingly in only three contests for the Bullets.

Despite great performances against the Boomers in FIBA competition up to that point, a lack of athleticism and defensive aptitude, combined with limited English skills, made the move to the NBL an incredibly challenging one.

Despite the failed experiment, Heijima returned to the B.League, where to this day he continues to be one of the league’s most reliable role players. Last season playing for Link Tochigi Brex, Heijima was ever reliable, scoring 12.8 points per game on a typical 42.8% from the three point line, all at 34 years of age.

Principal Singh

After coming through the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, and a season in the NBA G League Ignite, Principal Singh was one of many experimental signings for the Breakers under the Matt Walsh era, and Singh was one of many that failed to pan out.

Signed to a two-year development player deal, it quickly became evident that Singh wasn’t up to the NBL standard, and mid-way through the first year of his deal, Singh and the Breakers would part ways.

Not long after, Singh sustained a serious back injury in the weight room that jeopardised his basketball career, but after a long rehabilitation process, restarted his career in the shortly lived Elite Pro Basketball League in India for the Mumbai Stars. Last season, he played in the newly former Indian NBL, averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

To add to his winding journey, Singh was a part of the dysfunctional Indian Panthers roster this past NZNBL season. Due to the Panthers organisational issues, Singh was not able to debut before the team folded mid-season.

Amritpal Singh

Now we’re truly winding back the clock. After impressing in the 2017 NBL combine, Amritpal Singh became the first Indian player to receive an NBL contract after signing with the Sydney Kings. Once again, it was not a successful venture, with the 6’11 big man getting limited on-court opportunity.

Terry Li

Another out of the box move from the Breakers that ended up feeling more like a PR stunt than a practical move was the signing of Terry Li, who signed a three-year-deal with the team back in 2019.

Li, also out of the NBA Global Academy, was an exciting young athlete, but didn’t quite have the overall game to impact at the NBL level at the time of his signing and ultimately parted ways with the team after one season.

Since his departure, Li has actually made a solid name for himself in the Chinese CBA. Spending the last four seasons with the Shanghai Dongfang, his last season was a bit of a breakout for the young guard, with averages of 14.6 points a game including 44.8% from the three point line.

Liu Chuanxing

Big Liu, the 7'4" man mountain, turned heads when he signed with the Brisbane Bullets for the 2021-22 season. Unfortunately he didn't turn out much production.

Chuanxing entered the league as one of the NBL's biggest players ever, but unfortunately a lack of mobility made him unsuitable for the fast pace of the NBL. Chuanxing appeared in 23 games for the Bullets, however averaged only 6 minutes a contest, and was largely trotted out in non-essential garbage time.

Since returning to China, Chaunxing enjoys more generous opportunities, and in fact started in 30 games for Shanxi Zhongyu last season, with averages of 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds. Still only 27, there's plenty of basketball ahead for Big Liu.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.