Kenzo Maeda Appointed Head Coach of Taiwan Women's Basketball Team, Prepares for Jones Cup and Asian Games

Kenzo Maeda, currently 43 years old, is young but boasts rich coaching experience. He previously served as the head coach for the Akita Northern Happinets in Japan's professional basketball league, the B.League, during the 2019-20 and 2025-26 seasons.

The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) stated in a release that following the departure of former coach Michael Olson, the association actively contacted and interviewed several candidates. On January 15 of this year, the 13th Chinese Taipei Women's Basketball Selection Committee approved the decision, officially hiring Kenzo Maeda as the next head coach of the women's national team on March 12.

The CTBA noted that Maeda's history of long-term dedication to a single team, where he continuously built up the team's system and culture, was a major reason for his selection. Additionally, between 2019 and 2021, Maeda joined the coaching staff of the Japan men's national basketball team several times, serving as a support coach and translator during the 2019 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

Through the CTBA's statement, Maeda expressed: "I am very happy and excited to have the opportunity to coach the Chinese Taipei women's basketball team. I will continuously emphasize team defense, flexible tactical execution, and timely rotations. I also plan to cultivate young talent over the long term, building a culture unique to the national team together with the players."

Kenzo Maeda is expected to arrive in Taiwan in mid-April to commence his duties as head coach. He has already been studying Mandarin diligently and reviewing training and game footage of all the players. Going forward, he will focus entirely on preparing for the Jones Cup this summer and the Nagoya Asian Games in September. (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150410