Mike Phillips chooses Japan, signs with Kyoto

Mike Phillips is Japan B.League Premier-bound. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Mike Phillips has taken his talents to the Japan B.League, signing with Division 1, to be known as B.League Premier starting this season, side Kyoto Hannaryz.

The team announced on Tuesday that the energetic power forward has joined them on a two-year deal.

"I am truly honored and grateful for the opportunity to join the Kyoto Hannaryz organization and the B.League," Phillips said.

Team manager Naoki Murakami, on the other hand, admitted that Phillips' superb hustle impressed him enough to offer him a spot to his team.

"We are delighted to have reached a contract agreement with Michael Phillips. His greatest strengths are his overwhelming mobility and his unwavering dedication to the team. He runs at full speed in every situation, dives for loose balls, grabs rebounds, and supports his teammates on defense. We believe that our fans will quickly understand why he is called "Motor Mike" because of his playing style. We expect that his presence will further raise the team's playing speed, intensity, and energy level, accelerating the style of basketball that Kyoto Hannaryz aims for," Murakami said.

Both Phillips and Murakami added that the former's previous stint in Japan when La Salle played in the World University Basketball Series ignited the former UAAP Finals MVP's desire to play in a Japanese tournament again.

"During my college years, I had the chance to play in several tournaments in Japan, and those experiences left a strong impression on me. I'm excited to return and experience the passion of basketball in Japan once again," Phillips said.

"Mike has a strong attachment to Japan through his experience playing in Japan several times, and he sincerely wanted to play in Japan again. We are very happy that he chose Kyoto Hannaryz. We are confident that the impact Mike will have on Kyoto Hannaryz will give new strength not only to the team but to the entire club," Murakami added.

Phillips chose to play in Japan amid some reported interest from teams from other countries.

The B.League move was the latest chapter in a sequence of dramatic events surrounding Phillips' free agency.

Signed to a one-year deal with the MPBL's San Juan Knights, Phillips' camp immediately activated an opt out clause in his contract right after he played for Gilas Pilipinas in the third window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.

Phillips vacated his condominium unit in Mandaluyong given to him by San Juan's team management, seemingly without a proper farewell, leading to team manager Jun Usman calling out the six-foot-eight defensive anchor for being unprofessional and unfair.

Phillips did not play in the Knights' two recent games against the GenSan Warriors and Meycauayan Marilao Gems.

Head coach Alex Angeles told Dugout Philippines after San Juan's win against GenSan that he thought Phillips opted not to show up in Bacoor so he can recover faster from the ankle sprain he suffered during his recent Gilas stint, but Phillips was actually preparing for his departure from the team.

With Phillips choosing to pack his bags for Kyoto to join the Hannaryz, he will no longer suit up for the Knights for the rest of the MPBL season.

From barely missing the 2025 playoffs by just two wins, Kyoto struggled during last season, finishing 20-40 for the year, good for 11th place in the Western Conference.

Not helping the team's cause was the struggles of former Asian import quota Jamie Malonzo, who would be let go after just five games.

The former Ginebra star has since signed with Earthfriends Tokyo Z, who have been promoted to the new second division known as B.League One.