.jpg) | |
| Toyota Antelopes | |
|---|---|
| Title | Assistant coach |
| League | Women's Japan Basketball League,FIBA 3X3 |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1982-10-17)October 17, 1982 (age 43) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Listed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Listed weight | 139 lb (63 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Nagoya College High (Shōwa-ku,Nagoya) |
| Playing career | 2001–2018 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Coaching career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 2001-08 | JOMO Sunflowers |
| 2008 | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2008-12 | JX-Eneos Sunflowers |
| 2013-14 | Shanxi Flame |
| 2015-18 | Toyota Antelopes |
Coaching | |
| 2018-19 | Toyota Antelopes (Development) |
| 2019-present | Toyota Antelopes (asst) |
| 2018-present | Japan women's national 3x3 team (Support) |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Medals | |
Yuko Oga (大神 雄子,Ōga Yūko; born October 17, 1982 inYamagata city)[6] is a Japanese basketball coach and former professionalbasketball player. Apoint guard, Oga played for theJX Sunflowers in theWomen's Japan Basketball League and thePhoenix Mercury in theWNBA.[7] In 2023, she was inducted into the FIBA basketball Hall of Fame.[8] Her nickname is Shin.
She started playing basketball influenced by her father who was a basketball coach atYamagata University. She was educated at, and played for,Nagoya College High School (currently Ōka Gakuen High School). While there, she helped the school win 7 national titles. After graduating in 2001, she joined theJapan Energy basketball club (later renamed the JOMO Sunflowers, and then the JX-Eneos Sunflowers ). In the same year, she received her first call-up for the national team.
Oga played for Japan Energy throughout several name changes, Japan Energy from 2001–04, JOMO Sunflowers from 2004–10, JX-Eneos Sunflowers from 2010-13.[9]
For the 2013-14 season, Oga made a move to China, to play for the Shanxi Flame, which won the championship that season.[10][11]
For the 2015 season she returned to Japan, signing with the Toyota Antelopes, where she played until her retirement in 2018.[9][12]
In 2007, she became the first Japanese female player to sign a professional contract in the domestic leagues. In 2008, she signed a training camp contract with Phoenix Mercury. The club announced on May 16, 2008, that she had made the opening day roster. She is the second Japanese player to play in the WNBA afterMikiko Hagiwara who also played for the Mercury from 1997 to 1998. She recorded 4 points and 1 assist in her WNBA debut on May 17, 2008, in the season opener, a 94–99 loss against theLos Angeles Sparks.
Between 2001 and 2013, Oga represented Japan at seven FIBA Women's Asia Cup tournaments,[8] winning Gold at the 2013 tournament in Bangkok, Silver at the 2001 tournament, also in Bangkok, and Bronze at the 2007, 2009, and 2011 tournaments, in Incheon, Chennai, and Omura respectively.[8]
In 2004, she representedJapan at the2004 Summer Olympics inAthens and became the youngest Japanese female basketball player at the Olympics ever.[8]
Oga represented Japan at the 2010 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. While Japan only finished tenth, Oga was the high scorer for the tournament, averaging 19 points a game.[8]
Oga moved to coaching in 2018 after retiring from professional play.[8] She has been coaching for the Toyota Antelopes in the Japanese W-League, and has coached the Japanese 3x3 basketball team.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
