Japanese basketball standout Kokoro Tanaka is in active negotiations to secure her first WNBA contract after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2024 draft, marking a historic moment for Japanese women’s basketball.
The Valkyries, entering their inaugural WNBA season in 2025, chose Tanaka with the 27th overall pick in the third round of the WNBA Draft held on April 15, 2024, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. Tanaka, a 23-year-old guard from ENEOS Sunflowers in Japan’s Women’s Basketball League (WBL), became the second Japanese player ever drafted into the WNBA, following Rui Machida’s selection by the Seattle Storm in 2021.
Tanaka’s draft selection came after a standout collegiate and professional career in Japan, where she averaged 12.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game during the 2023–24 WBL season with ENEOS. She helped lead her team to the league semifinals and was named to the WBL Best Five lineup for her defensive versatility and court vision.
According to multiple Japanese sports outlets including Kyodo News and Mainichi Shimbun, Tanaka’s representatives have been in talks with the Valkyries’ front office since the draft, focusing on a standard rookie-scale contract. Under the WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, first-round picks receive guaranteed two-year deals with team options for a third and fourth year, while second- and third-round selections like Tanaka are typically offered non-guaranteed training camp invites with the possibility of earning a roster spot through performance.
The Valkyries, who will initiate play in May 2025 as the league’s 13th franchise, are building their roster around a mix of veteran talent and international prospects. Head coach Natalie Nakase, a former WNBA player and assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, confirmed in a recent interview with ESPN that Tanaka’s skill set — particularly her ability to handle pressure, make smart decisions in transition, and defend multiple positions — aligns with the team’s vision for a fast-paced, defensively aggressive style.
“Kokoro brings a high basketball IQ and a willingness to do the little things that win games,” Nakase said. “She’s not just a scorer. she’s a facilitator who elevates everyone around her. That’s exactly what we need as we establish our identity.”
Tanaka’s potential arrival in the Bay Area would make her one of the few Japanese athletes to compete in a major U.S. Professional women’s league. Her presence could also strengthen growing ties between the WNBA and Japanese basketball, following increased collaboration between the NBA’s international development programs and the Japan Basketball Association (JBA).
In preparation for a possible move to the United States, Tanaka has been working with a private skills trainer in Tokyo to adapt her game to the WNBA’s faster pace and greater physicality. She has also been studying English intensively, aiming to communicate fluently with teammates and coaches by the time training camp opens in April 2025.
The Valkyries will host their home games at the Chase Center in San Francisco, sharing the venue with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. The arena, which opened in 2019, has a seating capacity of 18,064 for basketball games and is located in the Mission Bay neighborhood, offering easy access via public transit and proximity to downtown San Francisco.
If Tanaka makes the final roster, she would join a growing contingent of international players in the WNBA, which currently features athletes from over 30 countries. Notable recent international standouts include Belgium’s Emma Meesseman, Australia’s Lauren Jackson (now retired but still influential), and Canada’s Natalie Achonwa.
For Tanaka, securing a WNBA contract would represent not only a personal milestone but also an inspiration for young female athletes in Japan, where women’s basketball continues to grow in popularity despite limited professional opportunities domestically. The WBL, while competitive, offers significantly lower salaries and fewer resources compared to the WNBA, where the average player salary exceeded $130,000 in 2023.
As of now, no official announcement has been made regarding Tanaka’s contract status. The Valkyries have until May 10, 2025 — the final day of training camp before the regular season begins on May 17 — to finalize their roster. Tanaka will likely participate in the team’s rookie minicamp in early April, followed by the main training camp opening later that month.
Archysport will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available from verified team and league sources.
Stay tuned to Archysport for the latest on Kokoro Tanaka’s journey to the WNBA and all things international basketball.
What’s next: The Golden State Valkyries open WNBA training camp in April 2025, with the regular season set to begin May 17, 2025. Tanaka’s contract status will likely be resolved before the final roster cutoff on May 10.
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