![]() Perhaps Townsend's biggest contribution was helping conceptualize Filipino Heritage Night for teams around the league. He went on to play three seasons with the Warriors and the Indiana Pacers. Townsend was an accomplished collegiate player, winning the 1975 NCAA title with the UCLA Bruins, before being selected in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. Townsend was the first Filipino-American player in the NBA and only the second player of Asian descent. You've probably heard his name from one of your tito as a fun fact. Coincidentally, Misaka entered the league in the same year that American sports pioneer Jackie Robinson entered Major League Baseball as its first Black player. Misaka was a brave soul to have entered the league and become its first non-Caucasian player during such a tumultuous time. Post-WWII was a tough era for a lot of Asian Americans, especially those from Japan. He wound up playing only three games for the New York Knicks before being cut. When he was discharged, he opted to enter the NBA Draft. Misaka faced a lot of discrimination when he was a staff sergeant for the US during the World War II. His time in the league was short but significant. ![]() ![]() Wataru Misaka doesn't always get mentioned when listing past Asian players. With calls to end racial oppression continuing in the United State – specifically with the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic – it's all the more important to remember those that have and continue to represent us in the NBA. Here’s a list of some notable Asian players that we've fallen in love with, as well as some of the pioneers of the game. Now, the league pulls massive revenue numbers from the continent, and Asians have been pretty well-represented on the court in the NBA. David Stern innovated the league in many ways, but probably his biggest contribution was marketing the league to Asian countries like China. One region that has seen the most growth in viewership is Asia. This season, the NBA boasts an impressive 107 players from 41 different countries, thanks no doubt to the league's numerous initiatives such as Basketball Without Borders, a joint program with FIBA that gives an opportunity to players all over the world to showcase their skills. That international reach has turned into a pool of talent that have slowly trickled into the league. Among the major sports in North America, no league can boast of having a wide and growing international audience like the NBA. The NBA has prided itself in being a true global league.
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