After decades of stagnation and instability, Japan men¡¯s basketball is finally headed in the right direction.

As the B. League marks the third anniversary since its founding, the nation¡¯s interest in one marquee game on May 11, the last day of its third season, highlighted the progress that the sport has made in a relatively short period of time. As a result, the B. League Championship final symbolizes what this new era represents: a sport governed by unity and a commitment to improving the product at all levels.

To reach this point, bold, painful steps were needed.