UTSUNOMIYA (Kyodo) -- A week after Japan international basketball forward Rui Hachimura had some harsh words about the running of the national team, Japan Basketball Association Secretary General Shinji Watanabe on Wednesday attributed the criticism to "miscommunication."

"He's an important player, and I take this very seriously," Watanabe told reporters. "There was miscommunication, and this has placed a burden upon him."

Speaking after a game between his Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 13, Hachimura said, "I'm not that happy with some things about how the Japan national team is run."

The association, he said, "seems as if one of its objectives is monetary," while saying the men's team should be led by "someone who had coached men professionally."

Watanabe cited a communication breakdown over the association's last-minute announcement that Hachimura would not play in a pre-Olympic warm-up in Tokyo.

Although Hachimura had said from Day 1 he would be unavailable for warm-up games, the association, Watanabe said, held out hope he might be able to play and thus delayed the announcement, and not to boost ticket sales since the game had sold out well in advance.

"It was not part of a plan to increase sales," Watanabe said.

The association recently extended the contract of head coach Tom Hovasse, who coached the Japan men's team at this year's Paris Olympics after leading Japan's women to a surprising silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Watanabe also stuck up for the decision to retain Hovasse after the Paris Olympics.

"He has established a track record by leading the team to successful Olympic qualification and has many outstanding strengths such as developing and discovering young players," Watanabe said.

"There is no mistaking that he is a world-class coach."

On Tuesday, JBA executive Shinji Shimada revealed the association was reaching out to Hachimura through his agent to clarify the player's intent.