Why isn’t China producing more NBA stars? Which Asian country could become basketball’s next global powerhouse? And what really happens inside the NBA’s development system across Asia?

In this revealing episode of Pacific Rims, NBA analyst Ric Bucher and Greg Stolt sit down with former NBA China technical director and Asia development specialist Craig Brown to break down the real state of basketball across China, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

Brown shares behind-the-scenes insight into NBA academies in China, why Chinese player development faces structural challenges, why the Philippines could emerge as Asia’s basketball superpower, and how cultural differences shape global hoops success. From talent pipelines to coaching pressure to the importance of fun vs. discipline — this is a deep dive into how basketball is growing across the Pacific Rim.

They also discuss global scouting, youth development challenges, NBA talent pathways, Japan’s national team changes, and a shocking gambling scandal connected to Chinese basketball.

If you want to understand the future of global basketball — this episode is essential listening.

Pacific Rims is presented by New Air Club — luxury door-to-door private jet service.

Visit: newairclub.com

0:00 — Welcome to Pacific Rims

0:56 — Sponsor: New Air Club private jet service

1:46 — Craig Brown’s basketball and NBA Asia background

3:05 — Inside NBA Asia & youth development programs

4:00 — State of basketball in China today

5:44 — Why Chinese players may be falling behind globally

7:00 — Cultural pressure vs player development

9:00 — Hong Kong vs China basketball experience

9:58 — Why the Philippines loves basketball most

11:04 — NBA academies & global scouting pipeline

13:03 — Which Asian country could become a global power

15:02 — What China must change to reach NBA level

16:02 — Why “fun” matters in player development

17:24 — How NBA grassroots programs work in Asia

20:21 — Cultural barriers to basketball growth

22:03 — Why China hasn’t produced another Yao Ming

23:09 — Japan coaching change & national team impact

30:14 — Gambling scandal tied to Chinese basketball

35:02 — Why CBA style makes players vulnerable to betting influence

37:21 — NBA gambling partnerships & risks

40:30 — Future of global basketball integrity

#PacificRims #RicBucher #CraigBrown #NBAGlobal #BasketballAsia #ChinaBasketball #PhilippinesBasketball #NBADevelopment #InternationalBasketball #Hoops #FIBA #CBA #UnitedWeCast

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What’s it really like coaching basketball in South Korea—where the league runs on efficiency, hierarchy, and zero patience for underperforming imports?

On this episode of Pacific Rims, Ric Bucher and Greg Stolt sit down with Tyler Gatlin (assistant coach, Goyang Sono Skygunners; former NBA/G League coach and international scout) to break down the Korean Basketball League (KBL) from the inside: the lifestyle, the food, the communication grind, and the tactical priorities that look nothing like what NBA fans assume.

Then it gets deeper: Korea’s mandatory military service doesn’t just shape careers—it can derail them. Tyler explains how the “military team” works, what happens if a player doesn’t make it, and why medals can become a real-life basketball motivator. Plus: the truth about Korea’s best prospects—Ha Seung-jin as the NBA precedent, the rise of Lee Hyun-jung, and why Junseok Yeo (Seattle U) still faces the same national obligation.

And in the second half, Ric and Greg zoom out to the bigger Asia hoops business: Greg’s AUBL plans (including the Philippines), why scheduling across countries is a nightmare, and what it takes to build a truly cross-border college basketball ecosystem.

Presented by New Air Club (door-to-door private jet service).

• 0:00 Pacific Rims intro: Asia-Pacific hoops, explained
• 0:50 Tyler Gatlin joins + résumé (KBL / G League / scouting)
• 1:02 Sponsor: New Air Club
• 2:05 “Korea is awesome”—daily life, safety, efficiency, work culture
• 4:07 Food talk: why Korean BBQ is “unrivaled” (and what makes it real)
• 5:53 The hardest part as an American coach in the KBL
• 6:42 Japan vs Korea: staff structure, concepts, and what’s valued on-court
• 8:39 Film culture: watching full games, fewer pauses—different priorities
• 9:10 Building relationships + introducing NBA ideas without resistance
• 10:02 Language barrier + why speaking Korean changes everything
• 11:14 AI + communication tools (helpful—but not “on the fly”)
• 12:07 Import player rules: how the KBL keeps evolving (and why pressure is brutal)
• 14:16 Why Tyler chose Korea (and why he came back)
• 17:19 The KBL’s international ambition + the military reality hits
• 18:59 Mandatory service explained: timelines, tryouts, military team vs no-play reality
• 22:27 “Has a Korean-born player made the NBA?” Ha Seung-jin context
• 23:15 The next wave: Lee Hyun-jung + Junseok Yeo and the NBA pathway
• 24:33 Medal = exemption: why international tournaments carry extra stakes
• 26:09 Why top Koreans leave (hint: not money—competition + growth)
• 29:03 Korea’s college-to-pro timing: draft after season, rookies joining mid-semester
• 33:10 Greg’s takeaway: Tyler’s rare value as a true cultural “bridge”
• 36:03 AUBL expansion: why the Philippines is the key market
• 40:04 The biggest obstacle: scheduling across Asia’s mismatched calendars
• 43:15 Logistics reality: refs, staffing, visas, operations
• 44:32 Why Greg’s doing it: college hoops is Asia’s missing development/business link
• 46:39 Wrap + where to follow Pacific Rims

#PacificRims #RicBucher #GregStolt #TylerGatlin #KBL #KoreanBasketball #GoyangSonoSkygunners #AsianBasketball #JapanBasketball #BLeague #GLeague #NBA #FIBA #HyunjungLee #JunseokYeo #HaSeungJin #PhilippinesBasketball #AUBL #NewAirClub

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What happens when an old-school Aussie hoops lifer drops into Japan, Korea, and China and realizes the basketball is the easy part?

On this episode of Pacific Rims, co-hosts Ric Bucher and Greg Stolt welcome legendary coach Bruce Palmer to pull back the curtain on coaching across the Pacific Rim: why Japan demanded direct commands (not questions), how Korea’s league plan was executed “perfectly,” and why China’s basketball ecosystem can swing from NBA dreams to “who paid for the certificate?” in the same breath.

Palmer shares the cultural landmines translators can’t save you from, the behind-the-scenes truth about player development, and a wild personal story from the 2011 Japan earthquake—including the moment he realized Fukushima had blown up… after he’d gone golfing.

If you want the real story of Asian basketball, this is it: structure vs. volatility, development vs. politics, and coaching when everything is out of your control.

00:00 — Pacific Rims intro & episode setup

01:31 — Introducing Coach Bruce Palmer

01:58 — Coaching across Japan, Korea & China

02:20 — Japan: no irony, no questions, direct commands

03:31 — Cultural clash: “Just tell them what to do”

05:49 — Japan leagues merge → foundation of today’s B.League

07:08 — Why Japan’s development model worked

07:45 — Korea: tough play, big crowds, executed plan

09:23 — NBA school in China & grassroots development

11:16 — China tryouts: instant NBA expectations

12:46 — “If the water’s too clean, the fish will die”

15:00 — Coaching across cultures: what really matters

20:17 — 2011 Japan earthquake experience

22:13 — “Fukushima blew up” realization

24:25 — Imports, NBA experience & raising local talent

28:06 — China owner story that defines the chaos

31:49 — Legacy, impact & coaching beyond basketball

35:09 — Final takeaways & closing

#PacificRims #RicBucher #GregStolt #BrucePalmer #AsianBasketball #JapanBasketball #BLeague #ChinaBasketball #CBA #KoreaBasketball #NBL #InternationalBasketball #BasketballCoaching #HoopsCulture #GlobalBasketball #UnitedWeCastNetwork

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An NBA player opting out to go home is rare — but Yuta Watanabe did exactly that, walking away from his NBA player option to join Japan’s B.League (Chiba Jets). Ric Bucher and Greg Stolt break down the real reasons: the grind of “NBA glamour,” the pull of stability and stardom at home, and the B.League’s rapid evolution from corporate teams to a modern pro league — including the looming salary-cap era (and why Watanabe’s timing may be the smartest move of all).

Then the conversation goes deeper: Japan’s OG trailblazer Yuta Tabuse (and why his path might’ve hit differently in today’s NBA), the “marketing tool” narrative attached to Asian players, and the unresolved tension around Rui Hachimura and Japan men’s national team coach Tom Hovasse at a critical moment for qualification.

• 00:00:11 Pacific Rims intro: Asia hoops, pro + college + national teams
• 00:01:00 “We were too China-heavy” → shifting focus to Japan’s B.League
• 00:01:39 The shocker: Yuta Watanabe opts out of the NBA to return to Japan
• 00:03:40 Why “NBA caliber” players leave anyway: role vs. freedom, stability, joy
• 00:07:33 Giving flowers to Yuta Tabuse: the original grind story
• 00:12:04 Greg’s first Japan game: “Packed for Tabuse… then half-full without him”
• 00:16:40 How Japan’s league transformed: corporate model → pro structure (FIBA pressure)
• 00:20:44 Money talk: what Watanabe gave up + why B.League timing matters (cap coming)
• 00:24:15 “Asian player = marketing tool?” Reality check (and why roster spots are too valuable)
• 00:29:55 Japan national team tension: Rui Hachimura vs. Tom Hovasse — what happens next?
• 00:36:55 Tease: the media’s role in shaping basketball perception across Asia
• 00:40:19 Outro + call to rate/review + hit the show on IG/X

#PacificRims #RicBucher #GregStolt #YutaWatanabe #BLeague #JapanBasketball #ChibaJets #NBAGlobal #AsianBasketball #RuiHachimura #TomHovasse #FIBA #BasketballPodcast #InternationalBasketball #UnitedWeCast

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China had the population, the passion, and the Yao Ming moment—so why didn’t the “funnel” to the NBA ever truly open? In this introductory episode of Pacific Rims, NBA analyst and Yao Ming biographer Ric Bucher and former overseas pro / former NBA China executive Greg Stolt trade first-hand stories from the early days of the CBA to the league’s modern, professional era—then dig into the toughest question: why Asia still hasn’t produced NBA-caliber guards at scale.

Ric shares what he saw the first time he scouted Yao in Shanghai (and the cultural shock of Yao’s fame back home), while Greg explains how China’s basketball ecosystem matured fast—foreign coaches, global connections, and higher-level imports—but still faces major barriers in development, language, and consistent elite competition. They also spotlight Joe Tsai’s scholarship pipeline and the emerging Asian University Basketball League (AUBL)—a potential bridge between high school hype and pro basketball across the Pacific Rim.

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@UnitedWeCast

• 00:00:11 — What Pacific Rims covers: China, Korea, Japan, Australia & beyond
• 00:01:10 — Why this is an “intro” stretch + global guest plan
• 00:01:47 — Ric’s Yao Ming origin story: Shanghai Sharks scouting + first impressions
• 00:04:33 — Yao’s celebrity in China: airports, hotels, stampedes (no crowd control)
• 00:06:14 — The promise that didn’t happen: why the “next Chinese NBA wave” never arrived
• 00:08:02 — Greg’s “walk in like you belong” CBA era → today’s security/pro evolution
• 00:10:05 — Training culture, sports science, and the delicate “outside influence” dance
• 00:15:37 — The biggest barrier for foreign coaches in China: language + trust in interpreters
• 00:20:42 — The guard problem: why Asia produces bigs more than point guards
• 00:21:52 — NBA Academy lessons: exposure, English, and why elite reps come “too late”
• 00:33:39 — Evaluating Yang Hansen: stretch-5 skills vs modern NBA athletic demands
• 00:40:12 — Joe Tsai scholarship program: how it works + who it’s producing
• 00:44:18 — AUBL explained: filling Asia’s “empty college basketball space” + 2026–27 launch plan
• 00:47:05 — Next stop: Japan + the broader Pacific Rim pipeline

#PacificRims #RicBucher #GregStolt #YaoMing #CBA #ChinaBasketball #AsianBasketball #NBAGlobal #NBADraft #BasketballDevelopment #PointGuardPlay #NBAAcademy #JoeTsai #AUBL #InternationalHoops #HoopsCulture #UnitedWeCast

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Asia is already a basketball superpower — so why doesn’t the NBA have a steady pipeline of Chinese stars after Yao Ming? In the inaugural episode of Pacific Rims, Ric Bucher and Greg Stolt (former overseas pro + longtime NBA China basketball ops exec) pull back the curtain on the CBA, KBL, Japan’s B.League, and Australia’s NBL—from how imports are pressured to put up video-game stats, to why the best teams are built on elite local talent, to the surprising truth about Japan’s transformation from “company teams” into a legit modern pro sports business.

Stolt explains how Japan went from “people thought I was an English teacher” to packed arenas and NBA-style marketing, why Korea’s distinct style is underrated (and under-monetized), and why Australia might be the top hoops product in the Asia-Pacific right now. Plus: the emerging markets you should be watching next (Indonesia and Mongolia)—and why 3x3 basketball could be the accelerator.

• 00:00 Pacific Rims launches: China, Korea, Japan, Australia — and beyond
• 00:52 Why Greg Stolt’s Asia path started with Japan (and culture shock)
• 04:00 From Florida + Billy Donovan to overseas pressure: “numbers or you’re replaced”
• 08:50 The real cheat code: elite local talent beats import “hero ball”
• 10:30 Japan’s business energy and why Asia became the long-term play
• 12:40 Europe vs Japan learning curve — and why Japan felt more “player-ready”
• 15:20 Shanghai life + what the NBA’s mission in China really was
• 18:30 “Where are the next Chinese NBA players?” and why the pipeline flipped
• 21:30 CBA evolution: from 70-point imports to stronger Chinese impact
• 23:00 KBL scouting report: style, funding, and unrealized potential
• 25:00 How ownership works: corporate teams vs pro clubs (Panasonic story)
• 33:50 Japan’s B.League fanbase: 5K–15K arenas, sellouts, community-first
• 35:15 Australia’s NBL: the region’s best top-to-bottom product
• 38:10 Next wave: why Indonesia + Mongolia matter (and 3x3’s role)
• 40:00 Why Greg joined Pacific Rims + what’s coming next

#PacificRims #UnitedWeCast #RicBucher #GregStolt #AsianBasketball #CBA #KBL #BLeague #NBL #NBAGlobal #NBAsia #InternationalBasketball #OverseasBasketball #BasketballScouting #BasketballDevelopment #FIBA #3x3Basketball #GlobalHoops #ChinaBasketball #JapanBasketball #KoreaBasketball #AustraliaBasketball

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