Sonia Ursu-Kim


Sonia Ursu-Kim is a Romanian professional basketball player. She plays as a shooting guard for the Romanian women's national basketball team and for Sleza Wroclaw in the Basket Liga Kobiet.

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.

Basketball career

Domestic

Despite getting several offers from college basketball teams in the United States, she decided to try her luck in South Korea instead. In October 2012, Ursu signed with Chuncheon Woori Bank Hansae in the WKBL. 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. The following season she joined Sleza Wroclaw in Poland.

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. 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