Sonia Ursu-Kim
No. 24 – CEZ Nymburk | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard |
League | Czech Women's Basketball League |
Personal information | |
Born |
Suceava, Romania | July 24, 1993
Nationality | Romanian / South Korean |
Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
Sonia Ursu-Kim (born 24 July 1993 in Suceava, Romania)[1] is a Romanian professional basketball player. She plays as a shooting guard for the Romanian women's national basketball team and for CEZ Nymburk in the Czech Women's Basketball League.
Early years
Ursu was born to a South Korean engineer father who was working at a shipyard in Romania and a Romanian mother. She spent the first years of her life in South Korea before returning to Romania when she started school in Suceava. In fourth grade she moved to the capital Bucharest, where her mother opened a Korean restaurant. Ursu took piano lessons and went swimming. Later, she became interested in fashion and of course, in basketball. She can also speak fluently Korean.[2][3]
Basketball career
Domestic
Despite getting several offers from college basketball teams in the United States,[2] she decided to try her luck in South Korea instead. In October 2012, Ursu signed with Chuncheon Woori Bank Hansae in the WKBL.[4] From 2014 to 2016 she played in the Romania-Liga Nationala for both Olimpia CSU Brasov and CSU Alba Iulia. She signed for CEZ Nymburk ahead of the 2016-17 season.
International
Ursu represents Romania internationally. She was part of the team that won the 2010 U18 European Division B Championship and played for the U20 at the 2013 U20 Division B Championship.[5] She played in EuroBasket Women 2015, which Romania co-hosted. She played in all four of the team's group games, yet Romania failed to qualify from the group stage.
Achievements
- Women's Korean Basketball League:
- Winner: 2013[6]
- Women's Korean Basketball Cup:
- Winner: 2013[6]
- Women's Asian Basketball Cup:
- Winner: 2013[6]
References
- ↑ "Sonia Ursu". basketball.asia-basket.com. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
- 1 2 "Romanian-Born Basketball Player Dreams Big in Korea". The Chosun Ilbo. 12 January 2013.
- ↑ "Fashion and basketball with Sonia Ursu". fibaeurope.com. 7 August 2011.
- ↑ "Super Sonia Kim Ursu! Povestea primei baschetbaliste din România care joacă în Asia, la Seul" (in Romanian). Prosport. 13 May 2013.
- ↑ "No Regrets After Ursu Reconnects". fibaeurope.com. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Sonia Ursu, o poveste de succes în Coreea de Sud" (in Romanian). Mediafax. 12 May 2013.