Who’s Yuta Tabuse?

A new basketball multi-media campaign will be launched by Nike in a few days and it involves capturing the unique skills and abilities of five players in innovative artwork done by six talented artists, including three from Japan.

The word from Nike is the artwork will be on exhibit at the United Ballers Gallery in Glorietta 2, Makati, on May 1 and 2. I’ve seen samples of the artwork in postcard form and they’re fantastic. The colors are dazzling, the characterization is vivid and the sketches are incredible. I can imagine the impact of the artwork in billboards across Metro Manila and posters everywhere.

The five ballers in the campaign are National Basketball Association (NBA) Rookie of the Year LeBron James, Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki, Toronto’s high-flying Vince Carter, San Antonio guard Tony Parker and Yuta Tabuse.

Wait a minute. Yuta Tabuse? Who’s he? A Nike press release identified him as a former Denver Nuggets player. For the record, the 5-9, 165-pound Yokohama-born guard played for the Nuggets in the preseason. He was signed to a one-year, non-guaranteed $366,931 contract by Denver last Sept. 26 and cut last Oct. 23. Tabuse never made it to the regular season.

So why is Tabuse in this high-profile campaign? First, he’s not an NBA player. And second, he’s not close to becoming an NBA player. But maybe, Nike knows something about Tabuse you and I don’t. Maybe, there’s a strong lobby for Tabuse to play in the NBA as the first Japanese ever to see action in the majors.

Nike lost its Asian standard bearer Yao Ming to Reebok this season and the world’s No. 1 sports footwear and apparel company is probably looking for an Asian replacement. No Chinese player is as popular and talented as Yao so a sub from the Mainland would never be top dog.

Writer Yasushi Kikuchi of Hochi Shimbun described Tabuse as "the greatest basketball player (Japan) has ever had." Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said he’s "the best player in Japan." Nuggets assistant coach Jarrin Akana, whose brother-in-law Kahi Villa plays for Talk ‘N’ Text in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), said Tabuse has "the ability to create a shot for himself and others." Akana kept the door open for Tabuse, noting "that’s the way the NBA is going" with the likes of 5-5 Earl Boykins, 5-11 Speedy Claxton and other undersized players making an impact on the floor.

Tabuse, 23, led Noshiro Technical High School to three straight national titles then played at Brigham Young University in Hawaii (Asi Taulava’s alma mater), averaging 7.6 points and a Pacific West Conference high 6.5 assists in 2000-01. He went on to bag Rookie of the Year honors as a Toyota Alvark starter in the Japan Super League.

Dreaming of someday playing in the NBA, Tabuse tried his luck as a walk-on at the Dallas camp and played six games–averaging 4.5 points (shooting 5-of-8 triples)-—-for the Mavs in the Rocky Mountain Revue last summer. Then, he worked his way into the Denver

camp where 10 Japanese reporters and cameramen tracked his day-to-day progress.

After failing to make it in the NBA, Tabuse joined the Long Beach Jam in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He teamed with Dennis Rodman and former PBA import Juaquin Hawkins as the Jam won the ABA crown last March.

Tabuse is known for his "extreme quickness and great passing skills." In Tabuse’s poster, he’s shown wearing Jam jersey No. 12 in four different action shots with this caption: "Imagine if you could be everywhere like Yuta."

If there’s a push for a Japanese to play in the NBA, why not a Filipino? Akana and another Denver assistant coach Chip Engelland know about the PBA. Surely, Willie Miller is a lot more talented than Tabuse. If Nike’s not convinced, why not match Miller and Tabuse in a one-on-one duel? There’s no way Tabuse can outscore, outshoot, outspeed and outsmart the Thriller.

Incidentally, Miller is a local Nike endorser so it shouldn’t be too difficult to introduce him to the Beaverton bigwigs.

In my opinion, Miller deserves to be in the United Ballers campaign more than Tabuse.

Of course, if market potential is a consideration, you can understand why Tabuse is in the campaign and not a Filipino.

The other posters are as fantastic as Tabuse’s. Carter has wings on his back, soaring in flight with the ball in the palm of his outstretched right arm. Parker is also in mid-air with both hands on the ball, defended by three Portland players in a sea of orange, yellow and pink. James is shown dishing a no-look pass with his right hand extended to gigantic proportions. Nowitzki is depicted taking a fadeaway jumper–in four sequential arm motions like an octopus–with four Miami players helplessly watching.

San Agustin said limited-edition posters and postcards of the five players plus a United Ballers team portrait will be available in Nike retail outlets all over the country.

Incidentally, I bumped into Agustin and Nike marketing services manager Auty Villarama at the inauguration of the Nike Attitude flagship store on the second floor of the Eastwood City Walk Mall last Friday. It’s the second Attitude store owned by Dading and Ginger Paras whose first shop is on the fifth level of the Shangri-La Mall.

Among the celebrities I spotted that night were PBA cagers Alvin Patrimonio, Rich Alvarez, Ronald Tubid, Chris Calaguio, Olsen Racela and showbiz star Agot Isidro.

Villarama said the Attitude stores carry merchandise that is both fashionable and functional, featuring the latest in footwear, apparel and equipment. "The Attitude concept is different not only because of the lifestyle products but more so because of the overall appeal and design," explained Villarama. "The basic look is trendy, adaptable and for the free-spirited, metro-athletic individual."

Check out the Attitude stores and you’ll know what Villarama means.