Kokoro Tanaka of Eneos Sunflowers Gets Drafted By Golden State Valkyries

The WNBA 2026 has not yet started, but there is already certainty that it is one of the most anticipated seasons in history.

In the draft held on April 13, the second-highest audience for the event of all time was recorded. Reaching almost 1.8 million simultaneous viewers, the numbers grew 20% compared to the previous year.

The expectation of the Japanese public follows global growth, bringing renewed hope to national basketball. After all, Kokoro Tanaka was drafted by the Golden State Valkyries and could put her name in history as the fourth Japanese woman to take the court in the American league.

Using statistics from Midnite Sportsbook, we will explore the player, the transaction, and the possibilities surrounding her.

Meet Kokoro Tanaka

Kokoro Tanaka, a 20-year-old point guard standing 5'8" tall, was until last season one of the key players for the Eneos Sunflowers. Even with the team’s performance falling below expectations in the Japanese league, she managed to stand out and draw attention from American basketball.

More than that, her personality while representing Japan, from the youth level to the professional stage, gives her the opportunity to compete in the most respected league in the world.

Trajectory in the Japanese National Team

Tanaka began her professional career in early 2024, when she signed with Eneos Sunflowers under the discourse that it would be a great chance for her to reach the dream of defending her country's national team.

A few months later, she began to pursue this goal after being called up to the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup. Not only because of the call-up, which could be seen as a bridge to the senior team, but also because of the excellent numbers she posted. An average of 19 points and selected for the All-Star Five.

Strong start with the senior national team

Just one year after the third place and the All-Star Five of the FIBA U18, Tanaka finally reached what was the great dream of her career until then. Better than that, in great style.

Right in the first official tournament, the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, the player achieved her first All-Star Five as a professional in a very deserved way despite the runner-up finish. After all, the point guard was the 5th highest scorer of the tournament and the 4th player with the most assists, with averages of 14.8 points per game, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds,

Recently, in the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament, the player maintains interesting numbers with averages of 10.8 points and 3.4 assists per match, with a highlight for a free throw accuracy percentage of 91%.

The arrival and the future of Tanaka at the Golden State Valkyries

Alongside Tanaka, Marta Suárez, a 6’3 forward, and Ashlon Jackson, a 6’0 guard, were drafted by the Valkyries. The concerning point is that the point guard was the last of the franchise’s three selections, more precisely the 38th overall pick.

This means that, even with the recent achievements, there is still a risk that she may not be included in the main roster.

Is there a path to the roster?

Tanaka will need to bring persistence and patience with her in order to achieve her goal. She must show in day-to-day training that she can perform at least something close to what she has been presenting in the Japanese National Team.

Not only on the court because of the level and style of play in the WNBA, which are higher than in the WJBL, but also due to the fact that she will be living with players of other nationalities on a large scale for the first time, which can be challenging off the court in the initial period.

A brighter perspective

According to Nyanin, general manager of the Valkyries franchise, the Japanese point guard demonstrates fearless leadership and a lot of calm under pressure when she is on the court, factors that make her special according to the executive.

In addition to a careful look at the player by the franchise, we must remember that we are talking about an athlete who is only 20 years old.