Yuta Watanabe is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. Watanabe's basketball journey began at Jinsei Gakuen High School in Kagawa, Japan. In late 2013, he decided to move to the USA and attended St. Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut.
In high school, he earned recognition as a three-star recruit. Although he wasn’t a big name in the US at the time, young Watanabe was already a prominent figure in his home country, Japan. The land of Samurai placed its hopes on this young talent, and The Japan Times even gave him the title of "The Chosen One.”
After high school, Watanabe committed to George Washington University for college. Even in college, he was a raw talent and it showed that he is a “work-in-progress”. Over four years, Watanabe left a mark on the school's history, ranking second in blocked shots (147) and games played (134) by the conclusion of his college career.
Despite going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, Watanabe signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he appeared sparingly in two seasons. In 2020, he joined the Toronto Raptors, and as he gained a bigger role, he quickly became a crowd favorite. His journey continued with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, where he surprised everyone and became a 3-point sharpshooter out of nowhere, delivering some clutch performances.
Currently with the Phoenix Suns, Watanabe is adapting to the role of a stretch four power forward. In 14 games so far in the 2023/23 season for the Suns, Watanabe is averaging 5.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game off the bench.
Yuta Watanabe Contract Breakdown
| Year | Base Salary | SigningBonus | Cap Hit | Dead Cap | Yearly Cash |
| 2023-24 | $2,346,614 | - | $2,346,614 | - | $2,346,614 |
| 2024-25(Player Option) | $2,654,644 | $2,654,644 | $2,654,644 |
How much is Yuta Watanabe getting paid?
Yuta Watanabe is set to earn $2,346,614 for the 2023/24 season.
According to Sportrac, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Phoenix Suns, worth $5,001,258 guaranteed, an annual salary of $2,500,629.
How much does Yuta Watanabe make in a minute?
Yuta Watanabe’s salary for the 2023/24 season is $2,346,614. One year is known to have 525,600 minutes. If his total salary is divided by the number of minutes available in a year, then Watanabe is making around $4.46 in a minute.
Yuta Watanabe Career Earnings
After the end of the 2023/24 season, Watanabe would have earned over $6.3 million from his NBA contracts.
What are the terms of Yuta Watanabe’s contract?
Yuta Watanabe’s current contract has a player option at the end of the 2023/24 NBA season. He can either opt in for the 2024/25 season with the Suns or opt out.
How much of the Yuta Watanabe Contract is guaranteed?
Yuta Watanabe's entire $5,001,258 is guaranteed.
Yuta Watanabe Contract History
These are all the contracts that Yuta Watanabe has signed in his career till now.
April 18, 2021
Yuta Watanabe signed a two year, $2.01 million contract with the Toronto Raptors.
August 28, 2022
Yuta Watanabe agreed to sign a one year, $1.9 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets.
July 3, 2023
Yuta Watanabe signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Phoenix Suns.
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FAQs
A. Yuta Watanbe signed a two-year contract worth $5,001,258 with the Phoenix Suns. He will receive an average annual salary of $2,500,629. He will receive a base salary of $2,346,614 in the 2023/24 season.
A. Yuta Watanabe is 6 feet 9 inches tall.
A. Yuta Watanabe weighs 215 lbs (97 kg)
A. Yes, Watanbe is a good defender with a defensive rating of 117.8.
A. Yuta Watanbe is married to Akiko Kuji, a former Fuji TV announcer.
