3.5 minute read
By Andrea Aruino
For Lucas Yamamoto, being a point guard is about more than putting points on the scoreboard. It's about leading his teammates, creating opportunities for others, and understanding what it takes to build a winning team. Now entering his sophomore season at Junípero Serra High School, Yamamoto is looking to build on a freshman campaign in which he averaged eight points and six assists per game. After helping the Padres finish the 2025–2026 season with a 14–6 overall record and an 8–3 conference record, Yamamoto is eager to take on a larger leadership role while continuing to develop into a well-rounded point guard.
Outside of playing for the Padres, Yamamoto has seen a lot of success within the AAU space, having secured a roster spot with the well known Oakland Soldiers whose alumni spans players from LeBron James to Aaron Gordon. It was at the beginning of Yamamoto’s Soldiers journey that he realized basketball was something he wanted to take seriously. He has a strong sense of the team culture in Oakland, as he has been playing with them for over two years. The strong coaching staff is what keeps him confident and motivated to continue improving his skills.
For Yamamoto, some of his favorite memories with the Soldiers have come from the time spent together away from competition. During a training camp in Santa Barbara, the team had the opportunity to spend time together outside of practices, sharing meals, and building relationships with one another. Even during tournaments, he has learned that a team's culture is often defined by how its players respond to adversity.
A common theme that Yamamoto prioritizes when it comes to choosing the team he plays for is brotherhood, an aspect of culture that’s just as important as any. Being surrounded by peers whose goals are centered around education and basketball has allowed him to thrive in a way that keeps him focused. Having teammates who share similar goals and are willing to push one another has made his high school experience especially meaningful.
“We're all a family when we're together, you could feel that there's a sense of brotherhood between us. That was one of the biggest reasons why I chose there,” Yamamoto said.
As a point guard, he recognizes the importance of being able to score — he believes that one of his biggest responsibilities is creating opportunities for his teammates through assists. Rather than focusing solely on his individual numbers, he wants to make the right reads and understand when to get others involved.
"If you're really a good point guard, you're going to get your teammates better. Once you get to that level where you're scoring over ten points, the defense needs to adjust to you and then you have to make the right reads to dump it to your teammate. Being able to make these plays helps the team overall," Yamamoto said.
Behind the scenes, he puts consistent work into making sure he can perform as needed. His development has also been shaped by his longstanding relationship with UPBasketball coaches, where he has been training since he was six years old. After spending about a year and a half training with Coach Wes, Yamamoto recently began working with Coach AB, focusing on his shooting, shot selection, and understanding how to attack based on spacing. While the workouts emphasize the technical details of becoming a more complete point guard, Yamamoto values the personal connections just as much.
As he continues to grow with the Padres and the Oakland Soldiers, Yamamoto remains committed to the discipline it takes to reach his goals. For him, that means continuing to show up even on the difficult days and remembering the people who have helped him along the way. While his individual development as a point guard remains important, the relationships he has built through basketball are what continue to give his journey purpose.
