Sora Kurumatani was born in Nagano Prefecture to Yuka, a former All-Japan basketball player, and Tomohisa, who manages the family farm. After graduating from junior high, he enrolled at Kuzuryū High School in Kanagawa Prefecture to remain close to his mother, who was hospitalized at Kanagawa National Hospital with a severe illness. During this time, Sora lived with his grandmother, Yone, who operates a barbershop in Kawasaki.

Before his move, Sora’s relationship with his mother was strained, and she was unaware that he had relocated to Kanagawa until Yone inadvertently informed her during a hospital visit.

During the series’ first Inter-High District Qualifiers, Yuka’s health deteriorated, ultimately leading to her death. Struggling with grief, Sora temporarily returned to Nagano before resuming his life in Kawasaki and his commitment to basketball at Kuzuryū High. Despite his passion and skill for the sport, Sora is portrayed as an average student, with his academic performance barely above passing level.

Sora Kurumatani is notably short for a basketball player, standing at approximately 150 cm (4 ft 11 in). He has medium-length, unruly dark hair and matching dark eyes. His jersey number at Kuzuryū High is 15.

At the beginning of the series, Sora wears a pair of ASICS Japan Pro sneakers that once belonged to his mother, symbolizing his connection to her basketball legacy. As the story progresses, he later switches to Nike Air Zoom Flight 5 and subsequently to Nike Air Zoom Brave 3 sneakers.

Sora Kurumatani is portrayed as cheerful and optimistic, often seen with a smile on his face. His enthusiasm and unwavering determination for basketball are central to his character, qualities that enable him to revive Kuzuryū High’s long-dormant boys’ basketball team. Through his persistence, he convinces former players such as the Hanazono brothers to rejoin the sport, despite their earlier disinterest since junior high.

During middle school, Sora was unable to participate in official games due to his short stature, a setback that deeply affected him. His mother, however, remained his greatest source of encouragement, reminding him never to give up and to turn his height disadvantage into a strength. These lessons shaped his outlook, driving his resilience both on and off the court. His excitement and determination are evident when Kuzuryū High secures its first practice match against Shinmaruko High, where he eagerly embraces the chance to finally compete.

Sora Kurumatani is portrayed as a highly skilled shooting guard, with his signature move being a one-handed three-point shot. In his first practice match against Shinmaruko High, he also demonstrated a two-handed shooting form, a technique taught to him by his mother, who had been a national-level player. Sora’s shooting accuracy is particularly strong from the right side of the three-point line, though opponents such as Tokiwa exploited his weakness on the left side. Determined to overcome this flaw, Sora dedicated himself to improving his shooting consistency from that area.

Beyond scoring, Sora is recognized for his court vision, with Chiaki noting that he possesses the deep awareness necessary for an effective shooting guard. He also displays solid ball-handling skills, which help compensate for his short stature, and he has the versatility to shift into the point guard role when required by the team.

Defensively, Sora has shown strong capability despite his size disadvantage. In Kuzuryū High’s practice game against Kitasumi High, he successfully marked Tarou, their key player, for the entire match, showcasing his persistence and defensive awareness.

The given name Sora (空) translates to “sky,” “azure,” or “atmosphere,” reflecting openness and aspiration. His surname, Kurumatani (車谷), is composed of the characters kuruma (車), meaning “car” or “vehicle,” and tani (谷), meaning “valley.” Together, the name carries a literal meaning of “car valley.”