BEIRUT (Lebanon) – Japanese women’s sporting icon and FIBA Hall of Famer Yuko Oga has been named as the ambassador for FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 to be played in Shenzhen (China) from July 13-20, 2025.
“I am very excited to be nominated as the ambassador for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025,” Oga said.
“It’s a privilege to be accorded such a status by FIBA, the authority for basketball in the world,” she said.
"I have always considered myself lucky to be associated with the sport of basketball. And the sport has given me more than what I have given it. Therefore, I will accept any opportunity that comes my way which will help boost the sport," she said.
Known for her passionate style of play, Oga led the Japanese women’s campaign with panache in seven continuous FIBA Women’s Asia Cup editions. Oga played just one game on her debut – as a rapacious 19-year-old in the 2001 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Bangkok, but grabbed attention immediately with a 13-point harvest in that game.
That showing was only an appetizer to the veritable banquet she would go on to serve over the next decade and a half.
The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup brings back fond memories of my glorious playing days. I can never forget the support I received from fans while playing the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, especially in China even when I was playing against them,
“To me, the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup is not just a basketball competition for women. It is a celebration of women’s spirit,” she said.
Having played a crucial role in finishing at two second-place finishes – in 2001 and 2004 (Sendai, Japan) – and three third-place finishes – in 2007 (Incheon, Korea), 2009 (Chennai, India) and 2011 (Omura, Japan), Oga would return to Bangkok - where it all began, to spearhead Japan to their second ever title – and the first after four decades.
The stamp of Oga in that Japanese triumph would be felt for a long time, as Japan went on a record five-in-a-row title binge.
“I have played against some of the greatest players in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, but more importantly I came into contact with so many great human beings. Luckily for me, I made friends for life with many of them. Every time I played in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup my career graph as a player went up, but at the same time on every occasion I became a better person,” she said.
In between all her FIBA Women’ Asia Cup conquests, Oga also donned the Japanese colours at the 2004 Athens Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women at Czechia and 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women. She was the tournament’s highest scorer at Czechia.
Oga also became only the second Japanese player (after Mikiko Hagiwara) to travel to the WNBA – playing for Phoenix Mercury.
Having achieved iconic status in Japanese basketball, Oga was inducted into FIBA Hall of Fame in the Class of 2023.
“I can only urge all the basketball fans, especially the youngsters, in Japan and all over the world to make use of the opportunity of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup and join in large numbers,” she said.
Oga, now works as the Head Coach of Toyota Antelopes, in the Women’s Japanese Basketball League.
FIBA