Saudi Arabia vs Japan – Preview & Prediction (Sep. 11, 2026)

Saudi Arabia have brought a very serious team with all of their main stars to Nagoya. In the entire Asian basketball, they are an average team, but with their roster in these Asian Games, they are an above average side that can take down heavyweights if they get underestimated. With their star center Mohammed Alsuwailem, who is one of the best centers in Asia, and also one of the best scorers in Asia, who plays in Europe, Muhammad Abdur-Rahkman, the Saudi team looks very solid, especially when we add experienced veteran scorers and point guards Khalid Abdel Gabar and Mathna Almarwani. In the recent FIBA window, the Saudis faced one of the best teams in Asia, a Japanese side with names like Hawkinson, Hachimura and Kawamura, and they didn´t stand a chance expectedly because the raw NBA power of Japan is simply too much for everyone except for Australia with their top team. Now, they are facing a team that is the B version of Japan´s basketball with no big domestic names and a second-choice import Alex Kirk. Japan look very vulnerable and we feel that the Saudis should even be the favourites with their experience. It will be very interesting to see how this game goes as it will be heavily affected by the results of the opening games.

Saudi Arabia have a couple of stars and certified bucket-getters. They have enough quality and especially experience as they will try to secure progression to the knockout stage. They have a big chance for that since they will be facing a shorthanded Japanese B team.

With the start of NBA duties and with the domestic Japanese B League preseason starting, Japan have decided to field a completely undermanned B squad at the Asian Games. That is shocking for us because they are the hosts and should throw everything they have at this competition. However, they will be playing with a lot of unproven players with Alex Kirk, who isn´t even their first-choice import and is below in class compared to Hawkinson. It will be very interesting to see how they react in their opening match against a very powerful Indonesian side. That match will show everything and expose their true firepower, which is questionable in our opinion. Japan could have enough to maybe scrape progression to the knockouts, but there, we feel they will go out early and that they will not fight for a medal. It is very hard to expect that this Japanese team beats heavyweights as they should bow out maybe even in the group, but most probably in the early knockouts.

With home-court advantage, Japan had a big chance to at least bring in the biggest names from their domestic league, but it did not happen as the preseason has begun and the Asian Games are not a FIBA-sanctioned competition. That is a huge hit for Japan´s ambitions as they should be contending for a medal with their best B League selection, even without NBA names. With their current roster, they are not even among the top 6 strongest teams and we feel they don´t have what it takes to handle the main title favourites.