渡邊說過，他的人生證明了“努力會有回報
渡邊雄太為日本男子籃球運動員，場上主打小前鋒位置，現效力於NBA布魯克林籃網。渡邊曾向外界透露，身為日本史上首名登陸NBA的田臥勇太，當時主動鼓勵剛高中畢業的他到美國留學，爭取在全美大學體育協會（NCAA）的籃球聯賽亮相，力求登上NBA舞台。結果在家人不太同意下，渡邊聽從田臥的建議，隻身赴美，在語言學校上了一年當地高中，再獲喬治華盛頓大學取錄，加入這間身處NCAA一級的男籃校隊。
自喬治華盛頓大學畢業後，渡邊雄太宣佈參加2018年NBA選秀大會，儘管他沒能在選秀大會中獲得青睞，但他仍有幸獲得布魯克林籃網的邀請，代表籃網參加2018年拉斯維加斯夏季聯賽。在五場比賽中，渡邊場均出賽24分鐘，能繳出9.4分和4.2個籃板的成績。[3]2018年7月20日，曼菲斯灰熊與渡邊雄太簽下了一份兩年的雙向合約，成為繼2004年鳳凰城太陽簽約田臥勇太之後，歷史第二位日本土生土長的NBA球員。
Yutaro Watanabe is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays the position of small forward for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. Watanabe has previously revealed that the first Japanese player to play in the NBA, Yuta Tabuse, encouraged him to study in the United States and pursue a career in the NCAA and NBA. Despite his family’s initial opposition, Watanabe took Tabuse’s advice and went to the US to attend a language school and then George Washington University, where he played college basketball.
After graduating from George Washington University, Watanabe declared for the 2018 NBA draft but went undrafted, but he was later signed by the Brooklyn Nets to play in the NBA Summer League. He then signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, making him the second Japanese-born player in NBA history after Yuta Tabuse,
