MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on my Mind) - When Japan open their campaign at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, one player will stir anticipation more than others. That is none other than former NBA player Yuta Tabuse.

Tabuse has been one of the most iconic players in Japanese basketball history. That should not come as a surprise, of course, since he is the first native Japanese to ever play in the NBA. Tabuse actually saw action for the Phoenix Suns in the 2004-2005 season, playing in four games and averaging just under 2.0 points per contest. He continued to ply his trade in the United States till 2008, when he finally returned home to Japan and started his career with Link Tochigi Brex.

Tabuse is widely regarded as one of the fastest guards on the Asian continent. He is not really known as a big scorer, a streaky shooter, or a lockdown defender. Instead, it's his speed and quickness that are noteworthy.

He has used this combination to full effect in club play, especially this past NBL-Japan season when he helped Tochigi win 43 of 54 regular season games and reach the Semi-Finals of the playoffs. Tabuse did pretty well for himself in his most recent pro campaign, averaging 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

Those numbers won't win anyone an MVP award or even a citation as a member of the NBL First Team, but those numbers were good enough for Tabuse to get a call-up to the national pool.

At 34 years old, Tabuse is not just the oldest point guard in Japan's 27-man national pool. He is the oldest player bar none. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course. I mean, he is also the only one with NBA experience. The flipside though is, despite the fact that he is the oldest guy, he is also among a few players who have never played at the senior level of FIBA Asia.

Yes, that's right. The only Japanese to player to ever see a lick of NBA action has never seen action in any FIBA Asia Championship. Tabuse's last official FIBA Asia tournament was the 2001 FIBA U21 World Championship, which was held in Saitama, and his last tour of duty with the national side in any tournament was in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

This year, Tabuse will have to vie for maybe just two or three point guard spots in the final 12, and he will be competing with the likes of Takumi Ishizaki, Naoto Tsuji, and the man who nearly duplicated his feat of making an NBA roster, Yuki Togashi.

If, indeed, Tabuse makes the cut, he is expected to take on a leadership role. As the elder statesman, Tabuse will have to rein in his younger teammates and compose them during nerve-racking moments. Of course, he is also expected to be a whirlwind of sorts, running rings around foes on the offensive end and hounding opposing ball-handlers on defense.

He may have his work cut out for him, though, as he is bound to face some of the continent's best floor generals in the first two rounds alone.

Japan are in the same preliminary group as defending champions Iran, which boasts superstar Mahdi Kamrani. Probably waiting for Tabuse in the second round are, arguably, the two best point guards in the Philippines - Jayson Castro and Paul Lee. Palestine's Omar Krayem, a veteran of leagues in Europe, Mexico, and the Philippines, also cannot be overlooked.

Once Japan advance to the knockout phase, Tabuse may find himself opposite the likes of Korea's Yang Dong-Geun, Jordan's Sam Daghlas, or Qatar's Boney Watson. In short, competition will be stiff and Japan will rely heavily on Tabuse's skill-set and experience to tide them through.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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