Meet Mamiko Tanaka: the basketball star married to Shohei Ohtani

When Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani announced last year via Instagram that he had gotten married to “someone from my Native country Japan” and that she was “a normal Japanese woman,” media and fans were full of questions. Who could have captured the heart of one of the sporting world’s most eligible bachelor.

Well, it was all revealed, and while Mrs Ohtani is perhaps not a household name, at least on this side of the Pacific, she can never be described as just an ordinary woman.

Pro basketball player

Tanaka, who was born on December 11, 1996, is a former Japanese basketball player. She is currently 28 years old.

Mamiko began her career playing for Waseda University before turning professional in 2019 with Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League. The 1.80-meter forward played for the team for four years before retiring in 2023.

In 2023, her final season, Tanaka had a shooting percentage of 47.7% from the field and 69.9% from the free-throw line across 28 games, according to ESPN.

The world got their first glimpse of the married couple as the Dodgers boarded their flight to South Korea ahead of last years’s MLB season opener dubbed the Seoul Series.

As the Dodgers arrived in Seoul, Ohtani’s Los Angeles team mates are caught in the center of this swirling media circus and even for stars accustomed to the spotlight, this is at another level. “It’s been crazy,” said Dodgers outfielder James Outman. “I’m telling you, he’s like Elvis. Everyone screams just getting a glimpse of him.”

Since her identity as the athlete’s wife was revealed, Tanaka has been seen supporting Ohtani at various events. In addition to accompanying him to South Korea for the Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres game, Tanaka attended the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s Blue Diamond Gala in May 2024. In September and October 2024, she also showed her support during the playoffs and World Series, in which the Dodgers became champions.

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