Why would the greatest player, who even won an Olympic silver medal, retire in her early 30s?
Eneos defeated Denso 76-62 in the Empress Cup All-Japan Championship final held at Tokyo Yoyogi Gymnasium on the 11th to claim the title. Eneos reclaimed the championship trophy after three years, marking their 28th overall victory.
Saori Miyazaki (31), an Eneos guard who hit the decisive 3-pointer, had a standout performance with 16 points and 7 assists. After the victory was confirmed, she shed hot tears.
Miyazaki said, "I am very grateful for all the support. I am so happy that tears are coming. There were many difficult moments in a frustrating season. This is the first time I've won a championship that makes me cry uncontrollably. Could this be the last trophy?" and announced her retirement at the end of this season.
Miyazaki is a guard who represents Japan. She boasts a glittering career including an Olympic silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a gold medal at the 2021 Asia Cup in Jordan, a silver medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, and a silver medal at the 2023 Asia Cup in Australia.
Fitting her nickname "basketball queen," Miyazaki has been the flagship star of Japanese basketball for the past eight years. She also worked as a model for the Jordan basketball brand. Why did she, still in her early 30s and at the peak of her career, suddenly announce her retirement?
The skill level of Japanese women's basketball players is world-class. However, the Japan WJBL is still company-based basketball and not professional. Japanese players' average annual salary is known to be around 50 to 60 million won. Even star players do not reach 200 million won. This is a poor environment compared with Korean players who receive top salaries over 300 million won.
With a deep pool of players, competition in Japan is fierce. Because there are so many good players, generational turnover is rapid. Japan women's basketball's next-generation star Kokoro Tanaka (20, Eneos) is taking Miyazaki's place. Tanaka plays as the starting guard for both her club Eneos and the national team.
In Korea, 36-year-old Kim Dan-bi is still active as a top player. Shin Ji-hyun, who is the same age as Miyazaki, is also in the prime of her career. Stars who play into their late 30s, like Kim Jong-un, are commonly seen. It is also common for players to delay childbirth for the sake of athletic success.
Unlike Korea, many players in Japan retire in their late 20s to early 30s. This is because, as women, they face practical realities that force them to quit, such as marriage and childbirth. There is also a social perception in Japan that personal happiness is more important than success as an athlete.
Saori Kimura (39), a marquee player in Japan women's volleyball and a rival of Kim Yeon-koung, also announced her retirement at the young age of 31 in 2017 after marrying in 2016. After retirement, Kimura transformed into a housewife and is dedicated to childcare.
[OSEN]