Yasutaka Okayama is a very talented Japanese basketball player who became a rare gem for several reasons during his playing career. For one, he has an outstanding height which has seen him breaking several records on and off the pitch. He is intense, serious-minded, and very dedicated which is one of the reasons he continues to excel in all his endeavours.
Yasutaka has had a robust career in the Japanese Basketball League before retiring to coach in 1990.
Who is Yasutaka Okayama?
Born in Mashiki, Kumamoto on the 29th of November 1954, Yasutaka Okayama grew up an ardent sports lover. He took a liking to Judo and practiced during junior high and high school. His dedication earned him a second-degree black belt.
The Japanese athlete took up basketball when he was a freshman at Osaka University of Commerce at age 18. At the time, he was still growing and was only 6 ft 10 inches tall. He was soon recruited by the University of Portland after seeing the great potential in him so he left for the United States where he spent two years.
Unfortunately for Yasutaka and the team, he never played during his two years with them as he was soon diagnosed with Gigantism and the doctors were concerned about putting to much stress on his still-growing body.
Yasutaka returned to Japan after graduation where he was successfully treated for his Gigantism and he got better. He immediately began to play for the Sumitomo Metal Sparks a Japan Basketball League team in 1979. He led his team to a Japan Basketball League championship in the 1982 – 1983 session.
Despite being in Japan, he continued to receive interest from NBA scouts due to his enormous height and size. The Golden State Warriors finally selected him in the 1981 NBA Draft. He was the 10th pick on the 8th round.
He represented Japan between 1979 and 1986 before retiring from active sports in 1996.
Net Worth
The Japanese basketball player has led a very conservative life that it is almost difficult to ascertain how much his actual net worth is. From the number of years he played basketball actively and the speculations on the internet, he could be worth between $1 million to $5 million.
Facts about the tallest NBA player
1. He is the first Japanese to be drafted into the NBA
Up until 2019, when “Washington Wizards” drafted Rui Hachimura, Yasutaka was the only Japanese player in the NBA. While he is technically referred to as the first Japanese player in the NBA, Wataru Misaka was drafted by the New York Knicks in 1947 but the catch is that the Knicks were part of the pre-NBA league called the Basketball Association of America.
2. His Height
One of the most exceptional things about Yasutaka is his height. He was one diagnosed with gigantism and had to go through treatment to stop his never-ending growth. He presently stands at 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 m) and has stopped growing,
3. A career in the NBA
Yasutaka is one of the few individuals that has left a legacy and lasting impression in the NBA. Even though he never played a single game, he continues to hold the record of the tallest player ever drafted.
4. How Yasutaka Okayama found out about his NBA drafting
According to him, his drafting totally came out of the blue as he wasn’t even expecting it. Ironically, he wasn’t even aware of his NBA draft until a sports paper writer called and told him the news.
5. Why didn’t he pursue a career in the NBA?
Considering the year of his drafting, it is very possible that he lacked the right information to make an informed decision. For someone who had lived in Japan all his life, the NBA was alien as there was no internet, game telecasts, or smartphones. Moreover, he believed he would no longer be allowed to play for the Japan national team and Sumitomo Metals. Despite his longing to go, all these factors hindered him from going to the States ‘for free’ as he puts it.
6. Career in Coaching
After a very fruitful career at the JBL, Yasutaka retired in 1990. He traveled to America to study for a year at Western Michigan University before launching himself to his coaching career upon his return. He worked as an assistant coach with the Sumitomo Metal Sparks between 1993 to 1995 and Osaka University of Commerce between 1996 to 1999.
As of 2005, Yasutaka worked for Sumitomo Metal industries and was also a very active basketball coach.
7. He is passionate about teaching and mentoring
It is obvious the Yasutaka enjoys teaching and mentoring young basketball players. In 1989, he wrote a book for young basketball players. During his free time, he organizes a youth basketball clinic and also works as a JBL Commentator.
8. Playing basketball literally saved his life
Yasutaka once shared in an interview that discovering his gigantism might have saved his life. According to him, he was offered Judo scholarships by 30 Japanese universities, if he had kept practicing Judo, his weight would have kept increasing and he wouldn’t have found out about his gigantism.
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9. Family life of Yasutaka Okayama
From all indications, Yasutaka has strived to live his life away from media scrutiny. Details about his immediate family have remained unknown for several decades. Moreover, information about his spouse or children if he has any is not available.
10. Honour and Awards
Yasutaka was selected as the league MVP player in the 1982-83 season. He was two times scoring leader, made the JBL Best Five List five times, and three times Rebound Leader. He won a bronze medal in the Asian Games 1982 and the William Jones Cup in 1986.
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