![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Wat_Misaka.jpg/640px-Wat_Misaka.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Wat Misaka
American basketball player (1923–2019) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Wataru Misaka?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Wataru Misaka (December 21, 1923 – November 20, 2019) was an American professional basketball player. A 5-foot-7-inch (1.70 m) point guard of Japanese descent, he broke a color barrier in professional basketball[1][2] by being the first non-white player and the first player of Asian descent to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), known then as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[3][4][5]
![]() Misaka in college with Utah in 1946–47 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | (1923-12-21)December 21, 1923 Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
Died | November 20, 2019(2019-11-20) (aged 95) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
Listed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
Listed weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Ogden (Ogden, Utah) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 1947: 7th round, 61st overall pick |
Selected by the New York Knicks | |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 15 |
Career history | |
1947 | New York Knicks |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats ![]() | |
Stats ![]() | |
Wat Misaka | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japanese name | |||||
Kanji | 三阪 亙 | ||||
| |||||
Misaka played college basketball for the Utah Utes and led the team to win the 1944 NCAA and 1947 NIT championships. He took a two-year hiatus between these titles to serve in the United States Army in the American occupation of Japan.[6][7] Misaka subsequently played three games for the New York Knicks during the 1947–48 season.