Tabuse, from Yokohama, played for Division II BYU-Hawaii from 2000-2002
before joining the Toyota Alvark of the Japan Basketball League. An NBA Japan
spokesperson said Tabuse would be the first Japanese player in an NBA training
camp.
The 5-foot-9 Tabuse also played in six games in the Rocky Mountain Revue for
the Dallas Mavericks last summer, averaging 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0
assists in 13 minutes.
Japan's Yasutaka Okayama was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1981,
but didn't join the team.