The Gunma Crane Thunders are a professional basketball team that compete in the first division of the Japanese

B.League The B.League is a men's professional basketball league in Japan. The league is operated by the Japan Professional Basketball League and was formed as a result of a merger between the National Basketball League that was operated by the FIBA-affi ...

. They are based in

Ōta, Gunma is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 224,358 in 109,541 households, and a population density of 1300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Ōta is located in the extreme so ...

. It is said that the shape of Gunma Prefecture resembles the shape of a dancing crane. The team's name is a combination of the crane and thunder, which evokes images of "energy" and "speed".

Coaches

* Tadashi Hayashi (2012) *

Ryan Blackwell Ryan Marcus Blackwell (born December 8, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player and current coach. Previously he was head coach of the Osaka Evessa and Gunma Crane Thunders in the Japanese Bj League The was a professional ...

(2012–13) *

Hiroki Fujita is the head coach of the Sendai 89ers in the Japanese B.League. Head coaching record , - , style="text-align:left;", Gunma Crane Thunders , style="text-align:left;", 2013-14 , 32, , 10, , 22, , , , style="text-align:center;", 10th in ...

(2013 *

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

(2014–15) * Hirokazu Nema (2015–16) * Fujitaka Hiraoka (2016–21) *

Thomas Wisman Thomas Robert Wisman (born March 28, 1949) is an Australian-American professional basketball coach who is the assistant coach for the New Taipei Kings of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He was head coach of the national teams of ...

(2021–22) *

Kota Mizuno is the head coach of the Gunma Crane Thunders in the Japanese B.League. Head coaching record , - , style="text-align:left;", Levanga Hokkaido , style="text-align:left;", 2014-15 , 38, , 18, , 20, , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in ...

(2022–2024) * Kyle Milling (2024–present)

Roster

Notable players

Ben Bentil Benjamin Bentil (born March 29, 1995) is a Ghanaian professional basketball player for ASVEL Basket, LDLC ASVEL of the French LNB Élite and the EuroLeague. He played two seasons of college basketball for Providence Friars men's basketball, Provi ...

Trey Britton Trey Britton (born June 1, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. Professional career He started his career with Aanekosken Huima, in the Finnish second division in 2011–12. In the 2013–14 season, he played in the Japanese bj ...

* Deividas Busma *

Darko Čohadarević Darko Čohadarević ( sr-cyr, Дарко Чохадаревић; born 7 March 1986) is a Serbian professional basketball player, who plays as a Power forward (basketball), power forward for BK Olomoucko of the National Basketball League (Czech Rep ...

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* Gary Hamilton * Thomas Kennedy *

Abdullahi Kuso Abdullahi Kuso (born February 17, 1984) is a Nigerian former professional basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete ...

Kenneth Simms Kenneth Simms (born August 4, 1986) is an American basketball player who played for Danang Dragons of the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA). Standing at , Simms plays as center. Born in Bronx, New York, Simms has played for several clubs in ...

* Dillion Sneed *

Ryan Stephan Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an electo ...

Noriyuki Sugasawa is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for Nagasaki Velca of the B.League in Japan. Following his college graduation, Sugasawa became a school teacher, but decided to be a professional basketball player. In 2012 he was picked up b ...

* Patrick Sullivan * Hirohisa Takada *

Scootie Randall Andrew "Scootie" Randall (born January 5, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in Japan. He played college basketball for Temple. As a junior, he averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game but missed s ...

* Ondrej Balvin *

Erik Murphy Erik Murphy (born October 26, 1990) is a French-born Finnish-American professional basketball player for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders of the Japanese B1 league. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2013, he also represents the Finnish national team. ...

Arenas

Ota Citizens Gymnasium Ōta, Ota, or Ohta may refer to the following: People * Ota (wife of Arnulf of Carinthia), Queen of the East Franks 888-899, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire 896-899 *Ota (cartoonist), Brazilian cartoonist * Atsuya Ota, Japanese basketball play ...

Yamato Citizens Gymnasium Maebashi Yamato Citizens Gymnasium Maebashi is an arena in Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. It is the home arena of the Gunma Crane Thunders of the B.League The B.League is a men's professional basketball league in Japan. The league is operated by the Japan Pr ...

Yamada Green Dome Maebashi is an arena in Maebashi, Japan. With a capacity of 8,000, it is primarily used for indoor sports. One of its primary functions is as a velodrome - when it is known as - holding parimutuel Keirin races throughout the year. Some of the internati ...

* Kiryu University Green Arena * Kakinuma Arena * Isesaki Citizens Gymnasium

References

{{Japanese B.League Basketball teams in Japan Sports clubs and teams in Gunma Prefecture Basketball teams established in 2011 2011 establishments in Japan B.League teams