She wears the number seven jersey and hails from Japan. Ramu Tokashiki is a Forward for the Seattle Storm. She was born on June 11, 1991 and is one of the tallest players on the team, standing at 6’3. Tokashiki weighs 176 pounds. She is the WNBA’s third Japanese player in the history of the league and averages 8 points per game.

Tokashiki speaks through interpreters and told the press during her rookie season that “I want to prove that the Japanese player could do well in a world-class league.” She had already proven her skills on the courts in Japan for five years prior to joining the storm. While playing for the Japanese Women’s Japan Basketball League, she earned Most Valuable Player Awards during both the regular season as well as the playoffs, demonstrating her prowess on the court.

She is on her way toward doing the same in the United States. In September, she made the WNBA All-Rookie Team for the 2015 season. She was considered the third best rookie of the league, even earning the praise of seasoned player Sue Bird, who says that she is incredibly fast on the field and has “crazy athleticism.” Bird also referred to her as her nickname, Tok. She also plays a strong defense, which is not surprising given her size. She’s only missed four games during the season for her other commitment to the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship in China, where she won the MVP again.

After just six games with the Storm, Tok made the starting lineup. She also scored her career-high, 21 points, this past season. Phoenix Mercury Coach Sandy Brondello even expressed jealousy after witnessing the player in action, marveling about why she didn’t have her on her own team. She is nearly as popular as Sue bird herself, almost being voted in as a All-Star starter this year. Tok says that her big goal is to earn a gold medal someday, and while people have tried to discourage her against such high goals, she remains undeterred and determined to achieve her dream.

Fans in Seattle are delighted to have Tokashiki on the Storm. Not only is she a skillful player who dunks quite easily, but she has a fun personality and enjoys colorful English terms. Fans can find Tokashiki online at her Twitter profile, @TOKASHIKI_10. Although most of her feed is in Japanese, fans can still enjoy her photos and shares.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia