Yasutaka Okayama

Yasutaka Okayama (岡山恭崇, Okayama Yasutaka, born November 29, 1954) is a Japanese former basketball player and coach.[1] He was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 10th pick of the eighth round of the 1981 NBA draft, although he did not sign with them.[2][3] At 7'8" (234 cm), he is the tallest player ever to be drafted in NBA history. Okayama was the only player from Japan drafted in the NBA until Rui Hachimura in the 2019 NBA draft.

Yasutaka Okayama

Personal information
Born	(1954-11-29) November 29, 1954 Mashiki, Kumamoto
Nationality	Japanese
Listed height	7 ft 8 in (2.34 m)
Listed weight	305 lb (138 kg)
Career information
High school	Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto, Kumamoto)
NBA draft	1981 / Round: 8 / Pick: 171st overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Playing career	1979–1990
Position	Center
Coaching career	1993–present
Career history
As player:
1979–1990	Sumitomo Metal Sparks
As coach:
1993–1995	Sumitomo Metal Sparks (asst.)
1996–1999	Osaka University of Commerce (asst.)
Career highlights and awards
As player: 2× JBL Scoring Leader (1981, 1982) 5× JBL Best Five (1979–1983) 3× JBL Rebound Leader (1979, 1981, 1982)
Medals Representing  Japan Asian Games 1982 New Delhi Japan William Jones Cup 1986 Taipei Team

Okayama practiced judo at junior high school and high school, and obtained a second degree black belt. He started playing basketball when he was eighteen at Osaka University of Commerce. He attended the University of Portland but never played for their basketball program as he was a project. After graduation, he joined the basketball club of Sumitomo Metal Sparks. He represented Japan between 1979 and 1986 before he retired in 1996. As of 2005, he worked for Sumitomo Metal Industries and was active as a basketball coach.[4]

In 1989, he wrote a book for young basketball players.[5]