Monica Okoye Explained

Monica Okoye
Height Cm:183
Position:Forward
League:WNBL
Team:Canberra Capitals
Number:99
Birth Date:7 February 1999
Birth Place:Tokyo, Japan
High School:Myojo Gakuen (Tokyo, Japan)
Career Start:2017
Years1:2017–2019
Team1:Denso Iris
Years2:2019–2022
Team2:Fujitsu Red Wave
Years3:2022–2023
Team3:AO Eleutheria Moschato
Years4:2023
Team4:Geelong United Supercats
Years5:2023–present
Team5:Canberra Capitals

is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Canberra Capitals of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She also plays for the Japanese national team.

Early life

Okoye was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan.[1] She attended Myojo Gakuen High School.[2]

Professional career

Okoye debuted in the Women's Japan Basketball League in the 2017–18 season with Denso Iris. She played two seasons for Denso before joining Fujitsu Red Wave in 2019, where she played three seasons.[3]

For the 2022–23 season, Okoye joined AO Eleutheria Moschato of the Greek Women's Basketball League.

Okoye moved to Australia to play for the Geelong United Supercats of the NBL1 South in the 2023 season.[4]

On 3 July 2023, Okoye signed with the Canberra Capitals of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2023–24 season.[5]

National team

Okoye played for the Japanese national team at the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.[6] She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal.[7] [8]

Personal life

Monica's mother is Japanese and her father is Nigerian of Igbo descent.[9] [10] Her older brother, Louis, plays professional baseball for the Yomiuri Giants.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: David. Dione. 'I will fight for this team' – first WNBL Japanese national vows to bring her A game to the UC Caps. the-riotact.com. 5 December 2023. 18 February 2024.
  2. Web site: Monica Okoye. fiba.com. 18 February 2024.
  3. Web site: Monica Okoye. asia-basket.com. 18 February 2024. subscription.
  4. Web site: Monica a capital gain for Canberra. geelongunitedbasketball.com.au. 3 July 2023. 18 February 2024.
  5. Web site: UC CAPITALS SCORE JAPANESE NATIONAL PLAYER MONICA OKOYE. wnbl.basketball/uc-capitals. 3 July 2023. 18 February 2024.
  6. Web site: Monica Okoye (Jpn)'s profile - FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018. FIBA.basketball. 2018-12-25.
  7. Web site: Monica OKOYE at the Tokyo 2020 Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament 2020. 2021-08-13. FIBA.basketball. en.
  8. Web site: Basketball OKOYE Monica. dead. 2021-08-13. Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. en-us. 2021-08-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20210813181120/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/basketball/athlete-profile-n1313639-okoye-monica.htm.
  9. Web site: Heisei Transformations: New definitions of what it means to be 'Japanese'. mainichi.jp. 1 January 2019. 18 February 2024.
  10. Web site: Monica Okoye. Adidas. 18 February 2024.
  11. News: オコエ桃仁花、A代表入りへ「チャンスつかみたい」. Nikkan Sports. 30 May 2018. 29 July 2021. ja.