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Yuko Oga Teleconference Transcript
Posted May 27 2008 12:44PM



Yuko Oga is the second Japanese player in WNBA history.
David Dow/NBAE/Getty Images
When Yuko Oga earned a roster spot for the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury this spring, she became the second Japanese player in league history. The other was Mikiko Hagiwara, who played in the WNBA in 1997-1998.

The 25-year-old Oga is recognized as one of the top female athletes in Japan. She became a member of the JOMO Sunflowers in 2001 and has led the team to four Women’s Japanese Basketball League titles.

Oga was named the league's Most Valuable Player this season, leading the WJBL in assists (7.1) and steals (2.4) and ranking fourth in scoring (15.6).

“Yuko is a point guard who will thrive in our up-tempo offense,” Mercury coach Corey Gaines said. “Her experience playing international ball and her quickness will help her fit in with our system.”

She has appeared briefly in all three of the Mercury's games this season, averaging 1.7 points and 0.3 assists in six minutes of play each game. Oga recently held a teleconference to discuss her transition to the WNBA with members of the local and international media.

Opening Comments

Oga: Hello everyone. Thank you very much for coming today despite your busy schedules. I’m very happy to be a member of Phoenix Mercury with everyone’s support. I’m the rookie of the team and I’ll play hard and I appreciate your continued support.

Question: Despite their last minute arrival, how is your communication with Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter?

Oga: I have been communicating with them not only during the games and practices but as well as in the locker room. I chatted with Diana regarding Sushi which turned out to be one of her favorite food. She even introduced me the restaurant. On the court, I try to communicate through playing basketball. Diana and Cappie have been a positive vocal on the court for me and there are a lots to things I can pick up from them.

Question: After 3 games, how do you feel the difference between basketball in Japan and in WNBA? For example, home and away system, referee, fans, court, and ball etc..

Oga: I was able to experience two home games and one away game and on the game at San Antonio, we were booed. That’s something that I didn’t experience that much while playing in Japan. Fans’ emotion toward the home team was overwhelming to me and I learned that fans have a great impact on the team’s performance. I’m glad that I was able experience to play in those situations. Since I’ve played for a national team, I have an experience of playing overseas game. I don’t have any trouble adjusting
to such a different environment but as for players, they are very psychically strong. I feel I do need to adjust to their play and look for a basket count whenever I’m driving toward the basket. I always look at players like Tony Parker, Steve Nash, and Cappie as my ideal player in that sense.

Question: Ex-WNBA Japanese player Ms. Hagiwara told me that all the WNBA players are well-experienced players with mental toughness. Among those players, which part of your game, do you want to appeal?

Oga: To play hard as much as possible and change the tempo of the game. I understand that’s what head coach is expecting out of me and I want to meet Head coaches’ expectation. I also put my focus on communication on and off the court.

Question: What do you wants to accomplish from here on? And second question is, how do you contribute to the team since you also have different style and experience?

Oga: To gain the trust from the team, coaches as well as other players. Gaining trust will allow me to play longer minutes and contribute to the team in a positive way possible. I want to prove myself by playing with quickness. I feel that Japanese players have quickness that can equally compete with the players in WNBA.

Question: What part of experience do you think you can pick up from the WNBA that can be a big contribution to the Olympic qualification tournament?

Oga: I realize that WNBA players enjoy every minute of the game and they express that feeling with the audience. Those experiences give me a lot of emotions and positive feelings. This positive attitude will influence the Japan national team and hopefully will be able to get the ticket to the Olympics.

Question: What surprised you the most?

Oga: Throughout 20 days of training camp, so many teammates were cut from the team and I have never experienced a sudden cut. At the beginning, I thought they were sick or injured at first. Then I realize that I’m now living in survival world but at the same time, I gained a professional mindset to play in the league.

Question: Do you have any specific moment that you felt confident playing in the league? Also, do you have any specific goals you would like to achieve?

Oga: Whenever I drive to the basket, there is always a second defender coming to block my shot and that leaves me an option of receiving a foul or passing to an open teammate. As a guard, I always keep in mind to attack the basket and I feel very comfortable creating a play for myself and for my teammates. My goal is always to contribute to the team with regardless of playing time. I hope to gain more trust from the coaching staff, teammates and from the fans as season goes on.

Question: Can you tell us little bit about your life in Phoenix? For example, what kind place do you live, do you have any problems adjusting?

Oga: During the camp, I share a room and a car with a teammate and we always go to practices, shopping, and restaurants together. Since the regular season started, we are moving to a single room and start living by ourselves but we plan to share a car throughout the season. Other than that, I try to rest myself as much as possible and prepare for a practice and games. There are couple Japanese restaurants in Phoenix which I’ve been to couple times and I also enjoy Mexican and Vietnam food as well. I
have not found a place to cut my hair and that may be the only concern that I may have at this moment. (Laugh)

Question: Who was your roommate?

Oga: Brooke Smith. She played in Italy last season and graduated from Stanford Univ.

Question: Which NBA teams do you think will win the championship this year?

Oga: With the four teams remaining, I think the Lakers will. I do think Tony Parker and his team is a great team but Kobe Bryant is such a dominating player along with his teammates. There are so many things I could learn from him.

Question: When did you tell your parents that you made the team? And what kind of conversation did you have with them?

Oga: Actually they were on the plane to Phoenix when I heard that I was officially a member of the Mercury and I told them the news when I picked them up at the airport with the Mercury Jersey. They are very happy for me and I’m glad that they’re able to see me play in the WNBA.

Question: On the opening game against the L.A.Sparks, you played 9:34'and scored 4 points. Can you tell us how you felt stepping into the court for the first time and what was it like scoring the first point?

Oga: I was very nervous at first but I think Corey was kind enough to suspect that and told me to warm-up in advance and that got me ready to go into the game. My first field goal was a jump shot from a free throw line which is one my favorite shots. After that, I told myself to be aggressive on both end of the court. I remember getting an applause from the crowd when I got fouled by Lisa Leslie which was her 4th and I was happy to hear from the crowd.

Closing Comments

Oga: Once again, thank you very much for coming today despite your busy schedules. For all the fans in Japan, I just want to say that their support is what got me to this place and I really appreciate it. As a rookie, I would like to take one at a time and continue to work to improve my game. I appreciate your kind and unchanging support. Thank you.