During his time on the Nebraska Cornhuskers team, he cemented his reputation as one of the top scoring guards in his field, with his ability from beyond the arc standing out.
“College basketball helped me a lot in my basketball career,” said Tominaga. “The coaching staff is great. Scouting is great.
“Everything is very detailed, you have to think a lot to play in college basketball. It’s good to be in a college basketball team when you’re at a young age, because you have to think a lot; execute very well to be able to play there.”
Over the years, comparisons with Curry began to emerge.
“When I was going to Nebraska, people started calling me Japanese Steph Curry, (also) because I wear number 30,” he recalled. “It’s not any pressure to me, it’s just that they are calling me that, it’s not like I think about it.”
What also stands out about Tominaga is how he plays the game with lots of joy.
“Being (able to) enjoy (things) on court makes me feel like I can show my basketball skills more (than if I were) nervous and stuff,” he explained. “Having fun on the court is the most important thing for me.”
And that also shines through when watching Curry, who won Olympic gold with Team USA at the Paris Olympics.
“He looks like he enjoys playing basketball too. He celebrates when he makes a shot, even when his teammate makes a shot,” said Tominaga. “That’s what attracted me when I watched him.”
DEALING WITH FAME, EYEING A DREAM
After graduating from college, Tominaga declared his eligibility for this year’s NBA Draft.
While he went undrafted, the Indiana Pacers later signed him on a one-year, minimum salary contract that however isn’t guaranteed.
Each team can have up to six such agreements – called Exhibit 10 contracts – at a time.
An Exhibit 10 contract can then be converted into a two-way contract, a hybrid deal that lets a player turn out for both an NBA team and its G League affiliate.
If a player on an Exhibit 10 contract is kept on the 15-man roster past the start of the regular season, his contract becomes a standard minimum deal.
While Tominaga obviously wishes he could have been drafted, he’s pressing on.
“It’s a good step, happy to get the offer like that. It’s my first step to be able to make my dream.”
