Kenichi Sako
Kenichi Sako (佐古 賢一, born 17 July 1970) is a Japanese former basketball player and current coach.[1] Nicknamed "Mr. Basketball", Sako played as point guard and is widely regarded as one of the best Japanese players in history,[2] having won twelve Emperor's Cup titles and nine JBL championships. Representing the Japan national team, Sako played at one FIBA World Cup in 1998, and won one silver and one bronze medal at the FIBA Asia Cup. He was enshrined into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2020, becoming the first Japanese player to be inducted.[3]
Sako in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Levanga Hokkaido | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Head coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Japanese B.League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 17, 1970 Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 172 lb (78 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Hokuriku | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Chuo University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1993–2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Point guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2002 | Isuzu Motors Giga Cats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2011 | Aisin SeaHorses Mikawa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Hiroshima Dragonflies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2021 | Japan national basketball team (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–present | Levanga Hokkaido | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
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| FIBA Hall of Fame as player | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Playing career
After leading his high school team to the national championship in 1998, Sako began his career with the Isuzu Motors Giga Cats, where he played for nine seasons. His second team were the SeaHorses Mikawa.[4]
Head coaching record
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | 2014-15 | 54 | 21 | 33 | .389 | 3rd in Western | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 5th |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | 2015-16 | 55 | 17 | 38 | .309 | 9th | - | - | - | – | |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | 2016-17 | 60 | 46 | 14 | .767 | 2nd in B2 Western | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 3rd in B2 |
References
- "Profile". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "History of Japan basketball". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- "FIBA Hall of Fame - Kenichi SAKO (Japan)". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- "2020 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Kenichi Sako". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 13 June 2024.