Yuta Tabuse is a Japanese professional basketball player. A point guard, Tabuse is 1.75 metres and 75 kilograms. He is the first Japanese-born basketball player to play in the National Basketball Association, appearing in four games with the Phoenix Suns during the 2004?05 NBA season before he was waived. He is currently with Link Tochigi Brex of the Japan Basketball League. Tabuse has enjoyed popularity in Japan since his high school playing days, when he led his school to three straight national championships, and has been referred to as "the Michael Jordan of Japan" for his celebrity status. Michael Cooper, former NBA player and Tabuse's coach with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, said of him, "He automatically changes the game because of his quickness and distributing the ball. He's the best fundamental player I've been around in a long time," and Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni said, "I liked his energy, I liked his courage." [More at Wikipedia]

October 5th, 1980 in Yokohama (Age 44)