Donovan Clay is set to join Japanese Third Division side Hachioji Beetrains for the upcoming 2025/26 campaign.

A huge blow to the Sharks’ preseason preparations as the explosive forward, Donovan Clay, is set to showcase his talents in Japan for the next year of his budding career.

The 24-year-old was an integral cog in a Sheffield side that defeated the exciting Surrey 89ers 105-97 to lift the inaugural Super League Basketball Cup – winning the MVP award while registering 23 points, nine rebounds, and a 60% field goal percentage.

It was not just the cup competitions in which Clay’s sensational talents were on display, as the star was also inspirational in the regular season – averaging 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while leading the Sharks to 22 wins, securing third position in the standings.

In addition to the stats, the Missouri State graduate was a walking highlight reel, showing no remorse for his opponents as he viciously dunked through traffic on numerous occasions.

Clay cemented himself as a Sharks fan favourite during his one-year stint with the team – joining from Greek side Aris Midea Thessaloniki in July 2024.

Why is Clay on the move?

There is no doubt that Sheffield would have been ecstatic to retain the services of the talented 6-foot-8 forward. Still, the current domestic troubles are restricting Super League Basketball (SLB) franchises from signing players without a foreign passport to their roster.

By the end of the 2024/25 SLB campaign, each team was allowed a maximum of six imports signed to their roster – leaving six spaces for British National players.

However, recent developments have seen Manchester Basketball re-sign guard Zak Irvin to their roster for the 25/26 season – which appears to be a signal that the tide may be starting to turn in British basketball.

The former NBA G-League star – playing for both the Westchester Knicks and Grand Rapids Gold over separate stints – averaged 9.4 points per game over 24 appearances for Manchester last season.

Will the Irvin deal be the domino that sees teams confirm foreign stars to their squads for the upcoming season? Or will Donovan Clay be one of many exceptional talents to depart British shores?