| Kobe Storks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Conference | West | ||
| Division | B2 | ||
| Leagues | B.League | ||
| Founded | 2011 | ||
| History | Hyogo Storks 2011–2015 Nishinomiya Storks 2015–2023 Kobe Storks 2023–present | ||
| Arena | Kobe World Memorial Hall | ||
| Capacity | 8,000 | ||
| Location | Kobe, Hyogo | ||
| Main sponsor | SAN NEXUS | ||
| Head coach | Tomohiro Moriyama | ||
| Ownership | Storks Co., Ltd. | ||
| Championships | JBL2 - 1, B2 - 1 | ||
| Website | http://www.storks.jp/ | ||
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The Kobe Storks (神戸ストークス (Kobe Sutōkusu)) are a professional basketball team based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan that compete in the second division of the Japanese B.League.
History
The club was formed in 2011 as the Hyogo Storks (兵庫ストークス） and entered the second division of the Japan Basketball League (JBL2) in the 2011-12 season, finishing with a record of 17 wins and 10 losses. The club was JBL2 league champions in the 2012-13 season with a record of 27 wins and 5 losses, which was the final season of the league before it was reformed as the National Basketball Development League. The club’s success in the 2012-13 season earned it promotion to the first division of the JBL, which was reformed as the NBL for the 2013-2014 season.
On 16 July 2015 the Storks announced an agreement with the City of Nishinomiya that will see the team based in the city and the name changed to the Nishinomiya Storks. The decision is also one move aimed at the club securing a position in the new Japan Professional Basketball League that will commence in the autumn of 2016.
Home arena
During the 2013–14 and 2014-15 seasons, the Hyogo Storks played approximately half of their home games at the Kobe Central Gymnasium in the Chuo Ward of Kobe. As the team was officially based within Hyogo Prefecture (and not Kobe city), it played home games at various towns within the prefecture.
For the 2015-2016 season, the Nishinomiya Storks will play about 40% (around ten) and since 2016-2017 season, around two-thirds of their home games at the Nishinomiya City Central Gymnasium.
- Nishinomiya City Central Gymnasium
- Kobe Tokiwa Arena
- Wink Gymnasium
- Kakogawa Municipal General Gymnasium
- Komagatani Sports Park Gymnasium
- Takarazuka City General Gymnasium
- Sumoto City Cultural Gymnasium
- Kamigori Sports Center
Coaches
Roster
| Kobe Storks roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Updated: November 8, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable players
- Draelon Burns
- Isaac Butts
- Seaun Eddy
- Davante Gardner
- Herbert Hill
- Billy Knight
- Cheikh Mbodj
- Yuto Otsuka
- Larry Owens
- Dillion Sneed
- Akitomo Takeno
- Jordan Vandenberg
- Brad Waldow
- DeVaughn Washington
References
- The Storks Take Flight
- ^ "ストークスのホームタウンが兵庫県西宮市に決定！クラブ名称を本日より「西宮ストークス」に変更し、クラブロゴも新デザインに！" [Its decided, the Storks hometown is Nishinomiya! From today the club's name is the "Nishinomiya Storks" and the club's logo has a new design!] (in Japanese). Nishinomiya Storks. 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- "JPBLの「1部～3部階層分け発表記者会見」について" [Regarding the JPBL's "Division 1-3 Separation Announcement Press Conference"] (in Japanese). Nishinomiya Storks. 30 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2015.