Hummel Hosts Special Talk Show with Nagoya Diamond Dolphins Players Changben, Kato, and Ozawa!

Danish sportswear brand hummel (Hummel) hosted a special talk show on July 11 at Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream Nagashima, inviting Nagoya Diamond Dolphins players Tianjie Changben, Takumi Kato, and Hiroyu Ozawa. The players, gathered during the off-season, shared lively stories about the previous season, their time off, and the new uniforms, making for an engaging and entertaining hour.

B.League’s Top Attendance

For the second consecutive year, the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (NagoyaD) held their player talk show at Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream Nagashima. This year, three players—Tianjie Changben, Takumi Kato, and Hiroyu Ozawa—attended. The event was hosted by well-known arena MC Miho Horiike, who led the special talk show. Alongside autograph sessions and raffles, around 300 'Dolphin Families' (fans) enjoyed a pre-season gathering.

The 2025-26 season marked NagoyaD’s inaugural year at IG Arena. In July 2025, the team began playing at IG Arena, located right next to Meijo Station, as their new home arena. On April 26, they drew a club-record 13,848 spectators for their game against Utsunomiya Brex, achieving an average regular-season attendance of 10,281—the highest in the B.League. During the regular season, they finished 4th in the Western Conference and 7th overall, advancing to the playoffs via a wildcard. They defeated Utsunomiya in the quarterfinals but were eliminated by the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the semifinals, ending their season.

Changben, who has been with NagoyaD for 10 years and serves as a spiritual leader of the team, reflected: 'We fell just short of reaching Yokohama (the CS Final), which was disappointing. But the atmosphere at every game, and the fact that so many people came to support us—it makes me feel that Nagoya basketball has finally arrived.' He added, 'In our early years, we had weekday games with only 500 or 600 attendees. Reaching this point is truly amazing.'

Serious Hide-and-Seek at 8 PM

The B.PREMIER 2026-27 season, sponsored by the Resona Group, will kick off on September 22 with Alvark Tokyo vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings. NagoyaD’s first B.PREMIER game will be an away match against Kawasaki Brave Thunders on September 26. Currently, players are training individually or in small groups, with full team practices expected to resume around August.

When MC Horiike asked about their off-season routines and team end-of-season parties, Changben shared: 'We went on a Lake Biwa trip, which also served as a farewell party for transfer-bound player Takuma Sato.' They rented a vacation home for a relaxed getaway. 'We played tag in the pool, and then serious hide-and-seek started after 8 PM,' the players said with smiles, delighting fans with their strong team chemistry.

The new season’s uniforms were unveiled the day before the event. Reinterpreting the uniform’s DNA as modern-day armor, the design features three patterns symbolizing 'Breakthrough Power,' 'Centripetal Force,' and 'Unshakable Belief.' The jersey embodies the image of the Dolphins’ heroes wearing the pride of their city and forging a new era from the center of the court.

Kato said, 'Hearing the concept, I really want to wear it soon.' Ozawa added, 'The new uniform really boosts my excitement.' Changben commented, 'I haven’t held the actual jersey yet, but each year it changes slightly, and I really like those subtle differences. This year’s design is cool too.' Orders for the first batch can be placed via the NagoyaD official online shop (https://nagoya-dolphins.jp/authentic_2627/) until July 15, with delivery expected before the away season opener.

Defense Follows the Heart

During the Q&A session, young fans who play basketball asked several questions. When asked, 'How can I get better at dribbling?' Ozawa replied, 'When I was in elementary or junior basketball, I always had a ball with me. I kept a ball next to my bed, and even while watching TV, I was constantly touching it. This way, you gradually develop a feel for the ball and improve your ball-handling. Give it a try!'

When asked, 'How can I play defense like Kato-san?' Kato smiled and said, 'That makes me happy.' He added, 'I believe defensive skills follow the heart. As people often say, having strong determination and practicing with that mindset is the key to improving defense. Please play defense with the strong belief that you absolutely won’t lose.'

The event coincided with the opening day of the adjacent Jumbo Seawater Pool at Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream Nagashima. Changben, who has visited Nagashima since elementary school, recommended the pool and Nagashima Spaland to the audience, saying, 'With this heat, you might get a bit tired, but it’s worth it.' On the second floor of the outlet, the hummel shop is selling Happy Bags containing goods featuring illustrations of the three players.

Hummel will continue supporting the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in the 2026-27 season, the inaugural year of B.PREMIER.

Shop Information

hummel Mitsui Outlet Park Jazz Dream Nagashima

368 Nagashimauraya, Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture

Business Hours: 10:00–20:00

About Nagoya Diamond Dolphins

The Nagoya Diamond Dolphins trace their roots to Mitsubishi Electric’s oldest basketball club, with over 70 years of history, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2021. 'Diamond Dolphins' symbolizes players running across the court like dolphins swimming through water, shining brightly like diamonds. The team contributes to building a vibrant future for its hometown, Nagoya. They won their first regional championship in the 2023-24 season. Starting in the 2025-26 season, they will play their home games at IG Arena.

[OFFICIAL WEBSITE] https://nagoya-dolphins.jp/

[Uniform Special Page] https://nagoya-dolphins.jp/authentic_2627/

About hummel

The Danish sportswear brand 'hummel' was founded in 1923, pioneering the world’s first football boots with studs. At a time when players wore flat-soled leather shoes, hummel’s innovation dramatically improved grip, enabling new styles of play. Inspired by the bumblebee (‘hummel’ in German), which is theoretically too heavy to fly but does so through effort, the brand adopted the name and logo. After 100 years, hummel now champions the mission 'CHANGE THE WORLD THROUGH SPORT.'