A rematch for the Tokyo Olympics final is in the cards as the USA takes on Japan as their very first opponent in the Paris Olympics. While Team USA got the better of Japan back in 2021, the team still stood out for its resilience and surprising silver medal journey. One professional basketball player who pushed Team Japan was Evelyn Mawuli. While she may have just returned from what she calls a “yearlong summer vacation,” the 29-year-old is all ready to take on the opponents and bring hardware back to Japan. But these facts are not the only things that set her apart. But her family and roots also play a huge role in it.

Hence, let us learn more about this athlete who is breaking norms for the dynamic Japanese culture to set examples for her peer ballers.

Evelyn Mawuli: The story of a girl overturning negatives

Japan’s leading forward who has time and again proven her love for the country was not always the accepted athlete that she is today. Evelyn Mawuli was born to Ghanaian parents on June 2, 1995, in Toyohashi, Aichi. It is the third-largest city in Aichi Prefecture. As a 14-year-old, she, along with her 4-year-old younger sister Stephanie, gained naturalization and became a Japanese citizen. Hence, both became eligible to represent the country in its national teams. However, simply getting citizenship did not change how she looked.

In her own words, “I tried very hard to contain the anger welling up. I acquired a new technique. That is to accept bad-mouthing from others and turn it into something funny.” Her go-to method of introducing herself to her peers also became popular in junior high school as she asked others, “Please remember me, like Ghana chocolate.”

From a very early age, the 5-ft-11 athlete became a rising basketball star. By 2009, she fetched herself a spot on the national team, contesting at the FIBA Asia, U-16 championship, bringing her first of the four FIBA medals. Eventually, her skills in the sport also brought her to the equality grounds. She told a local newspaper ‘The Asahi Shimbun’, “I was happy as people called my name and I could be myself.”

Even after creating an identity for herself, Evelyn Mawuli and her parents continued to work hard to make this Ghana native a respected player in Japan.

Chapter of resilience for an influencer in the making

Not a lot is known about her parents, but the way Mawuli has always given them credit. They have been constant support for the talented basketball player through the struggles and stardom. Evelyn Mawuli’s sister Stephanie is also a basketball player. In fact, the two have been teammates for Japan’s 3×3 team before.

After losing to Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics, Evelyn Mawuli went on a vacation. The small time off turned into a full-blown six-month leave from basketball. According to her, taking an intentional time off helped her game evolve this year. Giving reason to her sabbatical, the player wishes to influence others to normalize prioritizing themselves over anything. She told the Japan Times, “For athletes, preparations begin long before the Olympics. After the Tokyo Olympics I was so exhausted, I didn’t think I could give my 100% effort to playing for my team and my country at the same time.”

But now, the star will lead Team Japan to their potential second medal in the Paris Olympics. Interestingly, she joined her national team in January this year. After just eight months from sabbatical, Japan got the better of the Canadian basketball team in the Qualifying game Finals. The frontrunner for this win was of course, Evelyn Mawuli, contributing 21 points, 5, rebounds, and 2 assists.

It is quite clear that not much can sway Evelyn Mawuli from her aim. However, it will be interesting to see if she can do something similar, or even better, in the Paris Olympics.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.