Tabuse Shuns World Championships for NBA

[stuart2]

From Reuters

Japan's Tabuse puts NBA before world championships
Tue May 2, 2006 10:20am ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese point guard Yuta Tabuse said on Tuesday he had chosen the NBA over playing in the world championships in his home country.

The 1.78 meters Tabuse became the first Japanese to appear in the National Basketball Association when he played four games for the Phoenix Suns at the start of the 2004-05 season.

His absence from the world championships in August and September is a major blow for hosts Japan but Tabuse said he was determined to play in the NBA's summer league.

"My aim is to get back into the NBA. I think the summer league is the best way to do that," Tabuse told reporters. "I wish Japan all the best at the world championships."

The world championships take place in five cities across Japan from August 19 to September 3.

Tabuse averaged 1.8 points and 1.0 rebounds in just over four minutes a game with the Suns before being waived.

The 25-year-old was released by the Los Angeles Clippers before the start of the current NBA season.

"The wall has been getting higher every year but that makes it more of a challenge," Tabuse said.

 

[Czarkazem132]

Sad. I don't think he has a real chance at the L. If he does, it's as a bench warmer. Japan isn't that good with him (and the other 30 players that aren't playing for them) and they need him. The only way they get to the WC is by hosting. This is probably his only chance to rep his nation at this level - and in front of his own peeps.

Oh well, good luck to him.

 

[jramoyo2]

i'm not sure how much difference he can make for Japan anyway... is he a scoring point guard? if not, i don't see any reason how he can help--he hardly knows the team and as a point guard, that's very important.

 

[stuart2]

Sad. I don't think he has a real chance at the L. If he does, it's as a bench warmer. Japan isn't that good with him (and the other 30 players that aren't playing for them) and they need him. The only way they get to the WC is by hosting. This is probably his only chance to rep his nation at this level - and in front of his own peeps.

Agreed. The chance to compete on an international stage, in his home country where he'll be spotlighted every game... and he chooses to work in the summer league? He had a great chance of displaying his skill by playing for Japan and having a good showing, if he makes a great impression, as Esteban Batista did for Uraguay, he may get signed on his performance in the WC. On top of that, Tabuse already has the resume of playing with a couple NBA teams. I don't know, it seems like a no-brainer to rep his country..

Stuart

 

[Phantim3dx2]

i second thee.

 

[sinobball2]

I don't know, it seems like a no-brainer to rep his country..

I think what jramoyo said is more important... Tabuse has never played for Team Japan in senior competitions, he doesn't know the system, the coach and the players... So even if he makes the team, I don't think he will start. His main advantage is speed, and that will only be good when he can come into the game in a reserve role to change the tempo of the game....

IMO, Tabuse is more famous in the US because his English is better than other Japanese players, having attended NCAA (BYU-Hawaii). In the Asian basketball scene, Kei Igarashi is Japan's leader (and floor general).

 

[Fripp_Moe2]

Here's what I've read about Tabuse at asiabasket.com:

"Yuta Tabuse and Kenichi Sako ... were among almost a third of Japan's 22-man squad to walk out of last month's training camp in Tokyo due to their dislike of Pavlicevic's policy of picking younger players"

To me, it's a blow only to WC organizers, who lose a best-advertised player on a host NT. Sports-wise the team should actually be better this way.

 

[Waneko2]

We can probably debate which gives him a better chance to make it to the NBA, but to shun your national team is a bit selfish.

 

[elmercredi2]

He's completely wrong! I don't think he's got a real chance to be a starter in a NBA roster, and Japan needs him a lot. Maybe he's afraid because Japan can lose every game in the WC??