When Keisei Tominaga steps on the floor at the FIBA Basketball World Cup tipping off Friday in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, he will become the second generation of his family to play at the sport’s biggest international tournament.

The 22-year-old University of Nebraska-Lincoln sharp shooter’s father, former Japan center Hiroyuki, 49, represented the country at the 1998 FIBA World Championship in Greece, before the event was renamed the World Cup.

While the younger Tominaga has been dubbed “the Japanese Steph Curry” for bombing three-pointers from far beyond the arc as a 1.88-meter guard, Hiroyuki spent his playing career closer to the basket by virtue of his towering 2.11-meter frame.

Hiroyuki said he wanted Keisei, his first child, to become a basketball player “from before the time he was born.”

Seeing his son grow up to become an integral player for Akatsuki Japan after finding success in NCAA Division 1 basketball, Hiroyuki said, “All I can say is that I’m happy.”

Hiroyuki often took a young Keisei with him to the gym of his Mitsubishi Electric corporate basketball team, letting him play with a ball and watching him “learn the joy of putting the ball in the basket.”

By the time he started playing junior basketball on a lowered hoop in the third grade of elementary school, he was already draining shots on full-size rims.

“His form wasn’t perfect, but he was sinking three-pointers on adult baskets,” Hiroyuki said.

Keisei led his junior high school team to third place at the national championship before attending his local Sakuragaoka High School, where his shot-making from deep first drew comparisons to Golden State Warriors superstar Curry.

Hiroyuki’s experience at the 1998 world championship inspired him to encourage his son to go abroad.

Making its first appearance in 31 years, Japan finished 14th out of 16 countries in Greece, where Hiroyuki noticed the difference in skill and physicality from the rest of the world “from the moment our bodies collided.”

Hoping to see his son reach a higher level, he urged him to make the move upon graduating from high school, telling him, “If there’s even the slightest chance, you should take the challenge.”

Keisei made himself a key player for Fred Hoiberg’s Cornhuskers last season after transferring to Nebraska from Ranger junior college in Texas.

He debuted for Akatsuki Japan in July last year and is set to fulfill another dream when the tournament co-host tips off against World Cup Group E opponent Germany at Okinawa Arena on Friday.

“My father did it, and it has been a goal of mine since I was small,” Keisei said. “Compared to my father, I’m used to being abroad. I want to show how well I can compete against the world’s best players.”

Preparing to cheer for his son in Okinawa, where Japan will also battle Finland and Australia in the group stage, Hiroyuki wants Keisei to continue setting his goals higher.

“I don’t want him to merely experience the tournament, I want him to produce results,” Hiroyuki said.

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