Moe Nagata

Moe Nagata (永田萌絵, Nagata Moe, born June 20, 1997) is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for Denso Iris of the Women's Japan Basketball League. ^[1] She also plays for Japan women's national 3x3 team. She brought the U23 national team to a gold medal at the FIBA 3x3 Under-23 World Cup in Lanzhou. This was Japan's very first world title in basketball.^[2]

Moe Nagata
永田萌絵

No. 12 – Cheongju KB Stars
Position	F
League	Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL)
Personal information
Born	(1997-06-20) June 20, 1997 (age 27) Sasebo, Nagasaki
Nationality	Japanese
Listed height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Listed weight	141 lb (64 kg)
Career information
High school	Nagasaki Commercial (Nagasaki)
College	Tokyo Healthcare University
Playing career	2020–present
Career history
2020-2021	Toyota Antelopes
2022-2024	Denso Iris
2024-	Cheongju KB Stars
Career highlights and awards
Japanese College Champion
Medals Women's basketball Representing  Japan FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Jordan Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Team Women's 3x3 basketball Representing  Japan FIBA 3x3 Under-23 World Cup 2019 Lanzhou Team

Career

Nagata started playing basketball at Sasebo City Kasuga Elementary School.^[1] She finished in the top 4 in Nagasaki Prefecture when she was at Sasebo City Shimizu Junior High School. She entered Nagasaki City Nagasaki Commercial High School and was selected as a candidate for the Japan Women's U-18 National Team in her third year in 2015. In high school, she participated in the National Sports Festival in her second and third years, but was unable to in the All Japan high school sports or the national high school basketball championship (Winter Cup). She entered Tokyo Healthcare University in 2018, and in her third year was selected to represent Japan B at the Asian Games, where she won a bronze medal. In her fourth year as captain, she won three intercollegiate championships in a row and was selected as MVP for two consecutive years.^[3]

In 2019, when she was in the same fourth year, she participated in the 3x3 U-23 World Cup as a member of the U-23 3x3 Women's Japan National Team and won the gold medal. The victory in this tournament is the first time that a Japanese team has won a world championship in all categories, male and female.^[2] In 2020, she received the Nagasaki Prefecture Sports Special Award.^[4]

In 2020, Nagata joined the Toyota Motor Antelopes as an early entry.^[5] She was a backup player for two seasons, 2020-21 and 2021-22, helping the team win the playoffs two years in a row. In August 2021, Nagata was selected as a candidate for the Japanese national team.^[6]

Wanting to play more games, she moved to Denso Iris in 2022.^[7][8] Denso Iris finished first in the 2022-23 regular season (Nagata played in all of 26 games) but lost to Eneos Sunflowers in the playoff semi-finals.^[9][10] Denso Iris finished second in the 2023-24 regular season (played in 18 of 26 games) and won the playoff semi-finals beating Eneos Sunflowers to advance to the finals, but lost to Fujitsu Red Wave and were runners-up.^[11][10]

Nagata left Denso Iris at the end of the 2023-24 season.^[12] At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, she joined the Cheongju KB Stars of the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL).^[13]

References

1. "Moe Nagata DENSO Iris". W league Official Site. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
2. "3x3 U23女子バスケで初優勝　日本代表の永田萌絵インタビュー「初の対外試合がU23ワールドカップ」" ["3x3 First victory in U23 women's basketball. Interview with Japan representative Moe Nagata. "First overseas match was the U23 World Cup."] (Press release) (in Japanese). spaia.jp. January 27, 2024.
3. "永田（長崎商高出身）2年連続MVP　全日本大学バスケット女子" [Nagata from Nagasaki Commercial High School) 2nd consecutive year MVP All-Japan University Basketball Women's"] (Press release) (in Japanese). The Nagasaki Shimbun. December 16, 2019.
4. "東京医療保健大学　女子バスケットボール部前主将の永田萌絵選手が「長崎県スポーツ特別賞」受賞". 学校法人青葉学園. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
5. "アーリーエントリーの選手･スタッフ ご紹介" [Introducing early entry players and staff] (Press release) (in Japanese). Toyota. February 7, 2020.
6. "2021年度バスケットボール女子日本代表チーム「FIBA 女子アジアカップ2021 (ヨルダン)」日本代表候補選手 第 8 次強化合宿 参加メンバー発表" [women's basketball team "FIBA Women's Asian Cup 2021 (Jordan)" Japanese representative candidates Announcement of participants in the 8th training camp] (Press release) (in Japanese). JBA. August 26, 2021.
7. "移籍選手のご紹介" [Introduction of transferred players] (Press release) (in Japanese). Denso Iris. June 1, 2022.
8. "「チャレンジできる楽しさ」を感じながら戦うデンソーの新戦力・永田萌絵" ["Moe Nagata, Denso's newest competitor, fights while feeling the "joy of taking on a challenge."]. BASKETBALLKING. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
9. "Keio Presents W league playoffs 2022-2023". W league Official Site. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
10. "Moe Nagata". W league Official Site. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
11. "Keio Presents W league playoffs 2023-2024". W league Official Site. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
12. "2023‐2024シーズン　退団選手のお知らせ" [Players leaving for the 2023-2024 season] (in Japanese). Denso Iris. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
13. "KBの永田萌絵と志田萌が代々木第2に凱旋…覚悟を決めて海を渡った2人の"MOE"" ["Moe Nagata and Moe Shida of KB made a triumphant return to Yoyogi No.2... Two “MOE” who challengingly crossed the sea."]. BASKETBALLKING. Retrieved 2024-10-08.

External links

• Moe Nagata on Instagram