SHOCKING TWIST: Roki Sasaki Ditches Baseball for NBA Dream

BREAKING: Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki has announced he's hanging up his glove for a basketball. According to our sources at Ballsack Sports and NBA Centel, Sasaki made the announcement in an emergency press conference from his home in North Japan.

"I could either be the Roki Sasaki of MLB, or the Shohei Ohtani of the NBA," Sasaki declared, aiming to carve out his own legacy in a sport already missing the likes of Shohei Ohtani. It's a bold move, but if anyone can do it, it's Sasaki, who was a high school basketball legend in Japan. He broke every high school basketball record in the country, per Statfax.

Here are some of his notable basketball records from high school:

• Points in a Season: Sasaki set a record with 1,204 points in one high school season, which was unmatched in Japan's high school basketball history at the time.

• Points in a Game: He scored an extraordinary 82 points in a single game, setting a national record for high school basketball.

• Assists in a Season: With 301 assists, he held the record for the most assists in a season by a high school player.

• Steals in a Season: Sasaki recorded 178 steals in one season, also a national record at that point.

• Field Goal Percentage: He had an impressive field goal percentage, leading all high school players with 68%.

• Three-Pointers: Sasaki made 105 three-pointers in a single season, which was another record-breaking achievement.

• Double-Doubles: He notched 30 double-doubles in points and assists in one season, showcasing his all-around skills on the court.

Roki Sasaki dunks a basketball during a high school game in North Japan.

Sasaki's lifelong dream? To hoop it up with LeBron James. And it seems like that dream might just come true, with whispers that he's already in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers. "He's already better than Bronny," James jokingly quipped.

But not everyone is thrilled about this crossover. Tony Ohtani, Shohei's younger brother and Sasaki's former teammate on the North Japan Samurai, shared his disappointment: "Roki was meant for the mound, not the court. This is a loss for baseball." Even Lil' Moto, the pint-sized 6-year-old pitching prodigy, weighed in with, "I wanted to pitch like Roki when I grow up, but now what?!"

Over in LA, the Dodgers are feeling the sting of this news too. Manager Dave Roberts expressed his frustration, "We had big plans for Roki. This is a major plot twist we didn't see coming." Meanwhile, Andrew Friedman, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, noted, "Guess we're signing all the Motos now."

The Chicago Cubs are feeling this loss as well, having been previously linked to Sasaki through Yu Darvish, who reportedly was pushing the pitcher to sign in Chicago.

And in true high-stakes fashion, Ippei Mizuhara, known for his controversial betting habits, has already placed a $1M bet on the Lakers signing Sasaki, alongside a bold $50M wager on the Lakers clinching the NBA World Finals in 2026.

The sports world is buzzing, with fans and analysts alike dissecting what this could mean for both baseball and basketball. Will Sasaki make the jump from fastballs to fast breaks? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure - this is one saga you won't want to miss.