Kemp Soars, McMillan Scores In Sonics’ First Games In Japan

Quotes and research came from the archives of the Seattle Times and Seattle P-I.

“I don’t know where Nate McMillan plays.”

That would be an entirely reasonable thing for a curious basketball fan in Japan to say. The all-purpose McMillan and his Seattle Sonics were about to meet the Houston Rockets for two games in Yokohama to start the 1992-93 season.

Only the comment about McMillan wasn’t said by a curious basketball fan in Japan. It was made by Sonics coach George Karl. And he meant it as a compliment, not in confusion. “All I know is, wherever he plays, we seem to win.”

In a pair of “Japan Games” promoted by the NBA, sellout crowds at Yokohama Arena saw confirmation of what Karl was talking about. McMillan at various times deployed at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward, as Seattle won both contests.

A Road Trip Unlike Any Other

“It’s Sake, Sushi and Sonics” was one Seattle P-I headline.

Two years earlier in 1990, Phoenix and Utah had been the first NBA teams to travel to Asia. “They called and said they would like us to play in Japan,” explained Sonics general manager Bob Whitsitt. “We said we’d be happy to if it’s good for the league. From a business standpoint, we were a natural. Japanese fans are already interested in Seattle because of the Mariners and Pacific Rim trading.”

“Personally, I think it’s great,” Karl said. “It challenges us to stay focused and conquer the difficulties of the trip. We’ve been treated special here, and I always like going places where I’m treated special.” The coach had wisely scheduled pre-trip practices to start at 6 pm Seattle time to get his players used to the 17-hour time difference.

The Sonics made time for sightseeing, like taking a team photo in front of the Imperial Palace. Durable center-forward Michael Cage was thrilled. “I’ve always wanted to come to Japan. It was culturally interesting. A real chance to broaden some horizons.”

Actually “durable” might be selling Cage short. In six Seattle seasons, he never missed a game, regular season or playoffs. That’s right: 82-82-82-82-82-82, plus 46 career postseason appearances in a Sonics jersey. Clearly, he never heard the term “load management.” Cage averaged 8.1 rebounds in those six seasons, earning the nickname “Windexman” (see, he cleaned the glass). In a 1991 victory over Minnesota, he grabbed 23 boards.

Game 1, Nov. 6, 1992: Sonics 111, Rockets 94

Shawn Kemp spoke a language that transcended any cultural barrier: dunks. No wonder the Reign Man had his own rooting section, as fans displayed a dozen different signs. One read, “Just dunk it, Kemp.”

From the Times’ game story: “A slam on an alley-oop from Nate McMillan in the first half, induced the usually quiet Japanese fans to yell and even wave a few green-and-yellow banners. ‘The style we play is fast-break and exciting, and that’s what the crowd likes to see,’ Kemp said. ‘They like to see different people doing different things, like my dunks.'”

No wonder Shawn was introduced at a pregame event by a Japanese translator as “extremely fashionable.” (The English version had been “young and talented.”) Kemp dominated at both ends, with 29 points and 20 rebounds in the Seattle victory. A 23-2 4th quarter run secured the win.

Game 2, Nov. 7, 1992: Sonics 89, Rockets 85

One game and one half into his Japan trip, McMillan’s experience had alternated between quiet and painful. The painful came in the final minute of the first Seattle victory. Driving to the basket, McMillan received a clothesline from Houston’s Vernon Maxwell. (The NBA would levy a $7,000 fine for Maxwell’s flagrant foul.) It took a full minute for McMillan to shake off the cobwebs and rise from the floor.

Nate finished that game with nine points, and at halftime of game two had taken just one additional shot. It was then that McMillan fulfilled the pronouncement of that same Japanese translator we mentioned earlier. Relaying a comment made by a local, she said, “”Wow! I know that you are high, but I didn’t know you are so large.”

McMillan sure played large in the 2nd half. From the P-I game story: “Nate McMillan cranks in a three-point shot from the right corner. Next, he buries one from the top of the key. Then comes a three-pointer from the left corner and, to cap off the scoring barrage, a 20-footer.” His spectacular stat line read a career-high 24 points (9-11 shooting), seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.

“I’ve never felt like that, offensively,” said McMillan. “I never had the confidence to just look to shoot like that. Before, if I wanted to make things happen, I would look to make a pass or a steal, or something like that. I was looking to shoot.”

Karl said, “It seems like he recognizes what he has to do, before I even get to talk to him.” The makings of a successful NBA coach McMillan would become after his playing days.

Like McMillan, Yokohama Crowds Needed Time To Rev Up

Not initially certain how their product would be received, the NBA chose the 10,000-seat Tokyo Metro Gym as the venue for the 1990 Suns-Jazz games. Based on their popularity, the Sonics-Rockets contests were moved to Yokohama’s 15,640-seat arena. All available tickets were sold within days.

But any resemblance to American NBA crowds – well, there weren’t any. 15 thousand people managed to make almost no noise during halfcourt play, and stayed even quieter during free throws. They did politely applaud for a made FT. Cheering was reserved for made shots, and noise for during timeouts.

Perhaps it was a mistake for all the public-address announcement to be made in English. Japanese sports crowds are used to being prompted to respond, either by the scoreboard or cheerleaders. By the second game, the crowd was much more lively and spontaneous.

Did Sonics Really Leave Japan?

Tony Schenk in the P-I wrote this trippy sentence. “The Sonics flew back immediately after yesterday’s game and, with the time and date change, arrived home at Seattle time before the second game started at Yokohama time.”

Despite strong ticket and merchandise sales, pro basketball in Japan was still thought of more as a curiosity than a passion when the Sonics returned for two more games in 2003.

“We need to have some type of trigger,” Hideki Hayashi, NBA Tokyo-based executive, said at the time. “Whether a Japanese player in the NBA or another mega-superstar who can become an international star, that has to happen if we are going to see a big jump.”