[VELTEX Shizuoka] Announcement Regarding the Retirement of #41 Seiya Kanou at the End of the 2025-26 Season
VELTEX Shizuoka has announced that veteran player Seiya Kanou will retire at the conclusion of the 2025-26 B.LEAGUE season. Kanou, who has been with the club for six seasons, expressed his commitment to finishing the remaining games with full intensity. Club President Kota Matsunaga thanked him for his dedication and leadership since the team's early years.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (1h 55m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 13:02 (1526h 6m after Collected)
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support of VELTEX Shizuoka.
We are writing to announce that VELTEX Shizuoka player #41, Seiya Kanou, has decided to retire from professional basketball at the end of the Resona Group B.LEAGUE 2025-26 season.
As we enter this season—his 6th with Shizuoka and his 15th as a professional player—there are only 5 away games and 4 home games remaining. We ask for your continued passionate support for Seiya Kanou until the final buzzer sounds.
【#41 Seiya Kanou】
◼︎ Jersey Number: 41
◼︎ Position: PF
◼︎ Date of Birth: April 9, 1989
◼︎ Height: 196cm
◼︎ Weight: 95kg
◼︎ Birthplace: Owariasahi, Aichi Prefecture
◼︎ Alma Mater: University of Tsukuba
◼︎ Career History:
2011-13 Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins (JBL)
2013-14 Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins Nagoya (NBL)
2014 Tsukuba Robots (NBL)
2014-15 Chiba Jets (NBL)
2015-16 Passlab Yamagata Wyverns (NBDL)
2016-20 Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka
2020-26 VELTEX Shizuoka
【Message from Seiya Kanou】
To everyone involved with VELTEX Shizuoka, to all the boosters who have always supported me, to all the coaches I have worked with throughout my career, and to everyone who supported me at other teams:
I, Seiya Kanou, have decided to retire from professional basketball at the end of this season.
I apologize for causing various emotions by making this announcement while the season is still ongoing. I also sincerely apologize to those whom I could not inform or greet in person.
Although I have made this decision, there are still games left to play. With determination and resolve, I intend to fight and run until the very end as a player for VELTEX Shizuoka.
I would be happy if you could watch me on the court one last time.
Thank you for your support.
#41 Seiya Kanou
【Comment from President and Representative Director Kota Matsunaga】
Seiya Kanou, who has walked alongside VELTEX Shizuoka since our second year of existence, has decided to retire at the end of this season.
I would like to express my heartfelt respect and gratitude to him for choosing this club, continuing to fight in this region, and playing through to the end throughout his career.
From the launch of this club to the present day, I have shared countless joys and hardships with Seiya. He has always continued to fight for the team regardless of the situation, and he has continued to take on challenges no matter what walls he hit.
That attitude is the very symbol of VELTEX Shizuoka and the style of this club that will continue into the future. The time I have spent with Seiya is special to this club. The foundation he has helped build will certainly remain with us forever.
I am truly grateful for everything he has done for Shizuoka.
Seiya, thank you for your hard work.
Let’s fight together until the very end.
We are writing to announce that VELTEX Shizuoka player #41, Seiya Kanou, has decided to retire from professional basketball at the end of the Resona Group B.LEAGUE 2025-26 season.
As we enter this season—his 6th with Shizuoka and his 15th as a professional player—there are only 5 away games and 4 home games remaining. We ask for your continued passionate support for Seiya Kanou until the final buzzer sounds.
【#41 Seiya Kanou】
◼︎ Jersey Number: 41
◼︎ Position: PF
◼︎ Date of Birth: April 9, 1989
◼︎ Height: 196cm
◼︎ Weight: 95kg
◼︎ Birthplace: Owariasahi, Aichi Prefecture
◼︎ Alma Mater: University of Tsukuba
◼︎ Career History:
2011-13 Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins (JBL)
2013-14 Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins Nagoya (NBL)
2014 Tsukuba Robots (NBL)
2014-15 Chiba Jets (NBL)
2015-16 Passlab Yamagata Wyverns (NBDL)
2016-20 Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka
2020-26 VELTEX Shizuoka
【Message from Seiya Kanou】
To everyone involved with VELTEX Shizuoka, to all the boosters who have always supported me, to all the coaches I have worked with throughout my career, and to everyone who supported me at other teams:
I, Seiya Kanou, have decided to retire from professional basketball at the end of this season.
I apologize for causing various emotions by making this announcement while the season is still ongoing. I also sincerely apologize to those whom I could not inform or greet in person.
Although I have made this decision, there are still games left to play. With determination and resolve, I intend to fight and run until the very end as a player for VELTEX Shizuoka.
I would be happy if you could watch me on the court one last time.
Thank you for your support.
#41 Seiya Kanou
【Comment from President and Representative Director Kota Matsunaga】
Seiya Kanou, who has walked alongside VELTEX Shizuoka since our second year of existence, has decided to retire at the end of this season.
I would like to express my heartfelt respect and gratitude to him for choosing this club, continuing to fight in this region, and playing through to the end throughout his career.
From the launch of this club to the present day, I have shared countless joys and hardships with Seiya. He has always continued to fight for the team regardless of the situation, and he has continued to take on challenges no matter what walls he hit.
That attitude is the very symbol of VELTEX Shizuoka and the style of this club that will continue into the future. The time I have spent with Seiya is special to this club. The foundation he has helped build will certainly remain with us forever.
I am truly grateful for everything he has done for Shizuoka.
Seiya, thank you for your hard work.
Let’s fight together until the very end.