Sophia North, a 5'7" guard who has been a key player for the UChicago Maroons throughout her collegiate career, is set to join the Fujitsu Red Wave for the 2025-26 season, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her basketball career.
North was an integral player for the University of Chicago women's basketball team for all four seasons she played with the Maroons. In this most recent year of her collegiate career, North started every game, averaging 11.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. She posted a season-high 24 points in a win over Middlebury, was named to the UAA Winter All- Academic team, and led the team in three-pointers made with 60.
Having spent several summers training in Japan, North had always been familiar with the country's basketball culture. While participating with elite-level teams, high-performance 3v3 squads, and advanced travel programs, she cultivated relationships with many players, some of whom had experience in Japan's top league or were still active at the highest levels of competition. "Meeting so many of these women who play high-level basketball into their 30s and even 40s really got me thinking about seriously pursuing professional basketball," North said.
This past summer, North had several notable moments, including participating in a highprofile tournament at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, organized by Jordan Brand. "Playing in front of a large crowd and against elite-level opponents was an incredible experience," she recalled. She also competed in an organized streetball game broadcast online, with a stat line of 18 points and 5 rebounds. These experiences of competing at a level not typical of American basketball culture opened North's eyes to the possibility of pursuing a professional career overseas.
The overseas play has aided in North's development as a player, as the style of basketball in Japan differs somewhat from that in the U.S. Unlike the one-on-one, isolation-heavy game typical to NCAA and WNBA, Japanese basketball utilizes quick transitions and frequent ball movement. "Everybody 1 through 5 is constantly sprinting up and down the floor," North explained. "It's a very tiring style of basketball but it is so much fun to play." North also emphasized the necessity of training her endurance, as the fast pace of Japanese-style play requires near-constant movement.
North stressed the lack of stateside opportunities for post-collegiate women's basketball, as the WNBA is still a relatively small league, and there is no G-League equivalent for women's play.
In light of these limitations, North took a proactive approach to pursuing post-collegiate basketball overseas. North reached out to individual teams and coaches with her basketball resume, accolades, game highlights, and stats and received several invitations to try out for teams all over Japan. Her method, while nontraditional, proved successful, as she is set to join the Fujitsu Red Wave for the 2025-26 season, an opportunity she is thrilled to pursue. The Red Wave are the reigning champions of the Women's Japanese Basketball League (WJBL) and have several Olympians on their roster, making them an excellent team for North to begin her professional career.
At the end of March, North moved to Japan at the end of March to prepare for the start of team activities in June. Closing the door on collegiate basketball, North is looking forward to the start of a promising professional career. "I love basketball so much and it has given so much to me that I can't imagine a scenario where I would give it up if I don't have to," North said. "I also love Japan and I am really happy that I was able to find a situation where I could be in my favorite city in the world doing the thing I love to do most."
