Here’s some great news:
Bang Lee Skill Lab: Elite Basketball Camp is officially open for registration!
📅 Dates: September 27–28, 2025
📍 Venue: Bukit Tinggi 2 Basketball Stadium
This will be a rare opportunity in Malaysia — a true elite camp led by one of Japan’s top basketball trainers, right here on our home court.
At the moment, we are only accepting players aged 16 to 21 (both male and female). However, as we have also received many inquiries from parents of players under 16, we will discuss with the coach and make a decision later.
Anyway, the camp is limited to 60 participants only. Spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Limited spots available. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Why are we running this camp?
For years, I’ve wanted to bring overseas basketball training models into Malaysia — so our players can feel a different pace, intensity, and mindset.
In our basketball environment, players often go through their entire development without ever working with a world-class international coach. That gap isn’t just about skills — it’s about game mentality, decision-making, and the culture you grow up in.
I believe a single face-to-face international exchange can sometimes open a player’s mind more than a year of repetitive local training. And for coaches, observing a completely different training style is a rare chance for growth.
So when Coach Matsui told me Bang Lee was interested in coming to Malaysia to run a camp, I didn’t hesitate — this was the opportunity we had been waiting for.
If you don’t know who Bang Lee is yet, let me tell you his story.
From the streets of New York to Tokyo’s Streetball OG
Bang Lee’s real name is Banri Takenouchi, but everyone calls him “Bang Lee.”
In 2005, he moved to New York, the mecca of street basketball, competing in streetball tournaments and Pro-Am leagues, and eventually launching SpaceBall Mag to share New York’s streetball culture and spirit with Japanese fans.
His name “Banri” was often misheard, some thought he was Korean, others thought he was Chinese. And since “Bang” is also the sound you hear when someone scores, the nickname “Bang Lee” stuck — and it’s been his identity ever since.
When he returned to Japan, Bang Lee began blending the innovative skills and philosophies he had picked up in the U.S. into his training system. His players have ranged from B.League pros to university and high school athletes.
Known as “Tokyo Streetball OG,” he’s also a talent scout and youth mentor, often reminding players of his mantra: “Ball is Life.”
Key Affiliations and Roles
One of Bang Lee’s principal roles is as founder and editor of SpaceBall Mag, a streetball-focused media and community.
SpaceBall Mag (often stylized as SpaceBallMag) connects Japan with the wider world of basketball culture. Under Bang Lee’s leadership, SpaceBall Mag not only publishes content but also organizes events, tournaments, and youth programs.
The platform sees itself as a “creative squad” and community aimed at elevating the Japanese basketball scene through unique events and training opportunities. Bang Lee’s position as chief editor has made him a key figure linking the streetbasket scenes of New York and Tokyo.
Another major affiliation is Bang Lee’s role in the GLOBALLERS Project. This is a 10-year scholarship and development program begun in 2020 to identify and nurture Japanese youth who can compete globally.
Bang Lee serves as a producer and coach for the GLOBALLERS Project, alongside co-producer Maru (of KAGO Basketball). In this capacity, he runs nationwide tryouts for U15 players, helps select and coach the Team GLOBALLERS squad, and mentors them through domestic camps and overseas tours.
The goal is to help these players earn opportunities like high school scholarships in the U.S. – essentially “opening doors” for Japanese talent to study and play abroad. Bang Lee’s influence is evident as the project’s organizer: he provides training, mentorship, and even nutritional guidance (in partnership with Sun Chlorella) to prepare youth for the next level.
In addition, Bang Lee is involved with Boogie’s Basketball School in the Kanto region, an academy for youth development. He is listed as a head coach at Boogie’s, where his profile highlights his New York experience and his ongoing work nurturing players from junior high through pro levels.
SpaceBall Mag (Bang Lee’s company, SpaceBall LLC) actually operates Boogie’s Basketball School and its club teams. This shows Bang Lee’s integrated role: he not only reports on basketball culture but also runs grassroots training programs.
Notable Events and Initiatives
Bang Lee has spearheaded or been closely involved in several high-profile basketball events in Japan and Asia:
Adidas Nations Tokyo
Bang Lee has been a driving force behind the Tokyo chapter of Adidas’s global youth development program. Starting around 2018, Adidas Nations Tokyo was launched to give Japan’s top high school players a taste of elite international competition.
Bang Lee, as SpaceBall Mag’s representative coach, helped initiate this program in partnership with Adidas Japan. He serves as a coach and organizer for the annual “Adidas Nations Tokyo U19 Special Camp,” where 26–30 select players (ages \~14–19) train intensively and compete for spots at the Adidas Eurocamp in Europe.
Under Bang Lee’s guidance and Adidas’s support, the Nations Tokyo camp has grown each year – for instance, by 2025 it expanded to an open tryout format to reach more talent. Bang Lee’s role includes coaching at the camp and liaising with partners like the B.League club Alvark Tokyo (which helps provide facilities and gear). He has even brought in international coaches (e.g. head coach of the Germany youth national team) to elevate the camp’s level.
His leadership in Adidas Nations has been crucial in exposing Japanese youth to high-level training and global scouts. An article in FLY Magazine notes that Bang Lee, as SpaceBallMag’s head, refers to these young talents as “rough diamonds” – stressing that with repeated honing (training and international experience) they can truly shine.
Future Bound Classic (FBC)
Bang Lee founded and runs this annual high school all-star tournament. FBC is an invite-only event where top high school seniors form regional teams (Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, etc.) to compete in a one-day tournament as a capstone to their youth careers.
It has become a highly anticipated “graduation season” event for standout players in Japan. Even during the pandemic, Bang Lee kept the Future Bound Classic spirit alive with online talks and clinics, and by 2022 he was able to resume the full tournament. Bang Lee is the main organizer of FBC. Through this event he provides a platform for young players to gain exposure and experience pressure games.
He often uses FBC to scout for programs like Adidas Nations or Globallers. His advice to participants emphasizes growth: he challenges them to try moves they couldn’t in regular school games and to polish themselves to shine like diamonds at the next stage.
Full Court 21
Bang Lee is the Japan ambassador and host for Full Court 21, a unique global streetball competition founded by NYC legend Bobbito Garcia (“Kool Bob Love”). In Full Court 21, dozens of players play on one court vying to reach 21 points, with city qualifiers held worldwide.
Bang Lee, via SpaceBall Mag, organizes the Full Court 21 Japan qualifier events each year (often in Tokyo and other prefectures) and sends the Japan champions to the world final in New York. He also sometimes participates in the event organization internationally.
Under Bang Lee’s guidance, Japanese players have even won back-to-back world titles in the women’s division of Full Court 21. This highlights how Bang Lee connects local streetball talent to international opportunities.
Women’s and Community Leagues
Beyond youth events, Bang Lee contributes to the broader community by organizing accessible leagues. For example, he helped establish an after-work women’s basketball league in Tokyo, providing a competitive outlet for female players with day jobs.
He also runs inter-city youth leagues and tournaments across Japan. These initiatives reflect his mission to “bring the sport to fanatics and newbies alike” – ensuring basketball culture thrives from the playground to all demographics.
In summary, Bang Lee’s event portfolio – from elite camps like Adidas Nations to grassroots competitions like FBC and Full Court 21 – has made him a key organizer in Japan’s basketball community. He frequently collaborates with brands and organizations (Adidas, Sun Chlorella, B.League teams, etc.) to enrich these events.
Public presence & influence
In 2023, he was featured in the NBA Beat video series, produced with cultural media agency poweredby.tokyo, as a leading voice for Japan’s streetball culture.
He was described as someone “opening doors for his community through training and mentorship.” Japanese media outlets like PR Times and FLY magazine have also highlighted his work, philosophy, and events.
From streetball player, to player scout, to event organizer and youth mentor, Bang Lee has become a symbol of Japanese basketball culture. What he’s doing isn’t just for his career — it’s about helping more people see a bigger world through basketball.
Thank you to our partners
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to our sponsors and partners for this camp: Selangor Basketball Association, Dominant Sports, SFL Performance Center, PEAK Malaysia, Pocari Sweat Malaysia, and Mr. Alan.
Without their support and trust, this project might never have come to life.
To me, they’re not just providers of funding or resources — they’re fellow believers in doing something different for Malaysian basketball.
I truly hope this won’t be just a one-off collaboration, but the start of a long-term partnership — creating projects that bring real value to Malaysian basketball, and giving more players, coaches, and fans a bigger stage to aim for.
— Jordan
