TOKYO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Japanese basketball fans should get used to reading about another top talent with the Watanabe surname as 18-year-old Hyu Watanabe has gained his first exposure with the senior national team ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers.

The younger Watanabe - not related to 23-year-old Yuta Watanabe - was invited to Japan's national team training camp in Kumamoto last week.

"It is a great honor for me. I've had special feelings towards Japan and to play for Japan would be a dream come true," said Hyu Watanabe, who was born in Hawaii to an American father and a Japanese mother.

Watanabe recently met with Japanese national team coach Julio Lamas at a December game of the University of Portland, where the 6ft 9in (2.07m) forward is enrolled.

The 18-year-old Hyu Watanabe working out at Japan's senior national team training camp with coach Julio Lamas ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers.

"Watanabe is 18 years old and still young, so I think he can step up little by little. I am very happy to have found him, a very new and big player. I hope he will play in the national team in the long run," Lamas said of Watanabe, who has not yet played for the Pilots in his freshman season.

Watanabe, who goes by the name Hugh Hogland in the United States, was the tallest player at Lamas' camp ahead of the Asian Qualifiers along with fellow 6ft 9in center Joji Takeuchi. And the coach likes his physical tool set.

"He has great physical abilities and he is very quick despite his height," Lamas said. "He is an important talent for Japanese basketball."

It is unclear if Watanabe will be playing for Japan in their next Asian Qualifiers at home against Chinese Taipei on February 22 and at Philippines on February 25.

Watanabe's mother reached out and contacted Japanese basketball officials and Hyu was quick with his answer to Lamas' question about coming to national team camp.

"I said 'yes' right away. It is such a great honor to be selected to the national team and I am so happy about that," Watanabe said.

When asked for a scouting report for those who might know him, Watanabe offered up: "I can say I have good jumping ability as I played volleyball for years. Also I think my good points are dunks, rebounds, block-shots and post moves."

Watanabe almost never made it to basketball. He started playing volleyball and baseball when he was about 6 years old. He gave up baseball because of an injury and started playing soccer and basketball for fun. His focus shifted more towards volleyball in the eighth grade and his team finished fifth in the United States.

"IT IS A GREAT HONOR FOR ME. I’VE HAD SPECIAL FEELINGS TOWARDS JAPAN AND TO PLAY FOR JAPAN WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE" - Hyu Watanabe

Watanabe says he wanted to go to university with volleyball but could not make it, so he changed to basketball. And that volleyball experience has helped him with his basketball - especially with his leaping ability with a vertical jump of 32in (81cm).

Watanabe comes from a sports family. His brother plays volleyball while his paternal grandfather Doug Hogland played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions from 1953-58.

Japanese fans already know Yuta Watanabe well, and chances seem high that they will get to know Hyu Watanabe soon as well.

FIBA