NEW YORK – Japan and Eneos Sunflowers guard Kokoro Tanaka was picked by the Golden State Valkyries during the WNBA draft on Monday, becoming the country’s only second player to make the list in the world’s best-rated women’s basketball league.
The 20-year-old from Osaka Prefecture was the 38th pick overall in New York, joining her compatriot Mikiko Hagiwara from 1997 in being named at the WNBA draft.
“I’m very surprised and really honored,” the 173-centimeter Tanaka said through Eneos. “I’ll hold thorough discussions with Eneos and the Japan national team on my future. I’m excited by the new challenge.”
Thriving on her three-pointers and dribbles, Tanaka steered Japan to second at the Women’s Asia Cup in China last July when she was named to the All-Star Five, having averaged 14.8 points on 47.8 percent from the floor along with 5.5 assists and 2.5 threes per game.
Should Tanaka join the Valkyries, she would seek to become the fifth Japanese player to appear in the WBNA after Hagiwara, Yuko Oga, Ramu Tokashiki and Rui Machida.
“Kokoro is a fearless young leader, and watching her from afar at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup made it clear she is something special,” Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin said.
In 2025, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion franchise to make the playoffs in its inaugural season. The new season starts on May 8.
Its head coach Natalie Nakase, a Japanese American who was named the 2025 Coach of the Year, was the first female head coach in the Japan men’s bj league in 2011 with the Saitama Broncos.
AloJapan.com