Unfortunately, a Toronto Raptors player was on the receiving end of what is probably the dunk of the year so far, when Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards posterized Yuta Watanabe last month.
It’s always tough to be on the receiving end of a play like that, especially when you know that basketball fans will be looping this one for months to come... at your expense.
Still, Watanbe has a great perspective about it. In response to a question asked by a Japanese interviewer, Watanabe said that he had no choice but to challenge the shot, and that he would go up 99 times out of 100 if he had the chance to block it once.
The only thing that Watanabe regrets is fouling on the play, allowing Edwards to convert an and-one at the line.
Raptors fans will love to hear this answer from Watanabe, and it’s just part of being a big man in the NBA to get dunked on — but by the same coin, they’ll turn away their fair share of shots, too.
Especially for Watanabe, as a young player still trying to establish himself in the NBA, the fearlessness to go up and contest the dunk is something that coaches will look at positively... even if we’re going to be replaying the Edwards dunk for some time still.
