Despite facing an expected suspension from FIBA, Japan Basketball Association acting president Mitsuru Maruo insisted that the country¡¯s governing body would not stop trying to address and fix its problems, including the unification of the nation¡¯s two men¡¯s top leagues.
Such strong words. But many of Japan¡¯s loyal hoop fans would have wanted to hear that long before, before it was too late ¡ª before Friday¡¯s deadline issued by FIBA, basketball¡¯s world governing body, to the JBA for a merger plan to be finalized.
Maruo confirmed that JBA executives had a meeting with Patrick Baumann, FIBA¡¯s secretary general, in Sendai a few weeks ago during the FIBA 3x3 world final events. According to Maruo, although the deadline was approaching, Baumann told JBA leaders to not rush into making a new pro league, which the association is looking to launch in 2016, if it¡¯s not good enough for Japan¡¯s entire hoop landscape.
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