Alaina Coates

Alaina Coates

Coates with the Minnesota Lynx in 2019
Personal information
Born	(1995-04-07) April 7, 1995 (age 30) Irmo, South Carolina, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school	Dutch Fork (Irmo, South Carolina)
College	South Carolina (2013–2017)
WNBA draft	2017: 1st round, 2nd overall pick
Drafted by	Chicago Sky
Playing career	2017–present
Position	Center
Career history
2018	Sopron Basket
2018	Chicago Sky
2018–2019	Zhejiang Far East
2019	Minnesota Lynx
2019	Atlanta Dream
2020	Hatay Büyükşehir Belediyespor
2020	Washington Mystics
2020–2021	Ramat HaSharon
2021–2022	Nesibe Aydın GSK
2022	Indiana Fever
2022	Galatasaray
2023	Phoenix Mercury
2023	Las Vegas Aces
2023–2024	Nesibe Aydın GSK
2024	BC Castelnuovo Scrivia
Career highlights
WNBA champion (2023) NCAA champion (2017) 2× First-team All-SEC (2016, 2017) 2× SEC All-Defensive Team (2015, 2017) 2× Second-team All-SEC (2014, 2015) SEC All-Freshman Team (2014) SEC Co-Sixth Player of the Year (2014) SEC Freshman of the Year (2014) Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year (2013) McDonald's All-American (2013)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Women's basketball Representing the   United States Pan American Games 2015 Toronto Team

Alaina Denise Coates (born April 7, 1995) is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. She played college basketball for the University of South Carolina.

Early life

Coates enjoyed a stellar high school career. She was both a McDonald's and Parade All-American. She was chosen as the 2013 Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year, South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) Class 4A Player of the Year, Charlotte Observer South Carolina Miss Basketball, and became a three-time SCBCA Class 4A all-state selection.

During her senior season, she posted 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game while leading her team to back-to-back state championships (including an undefeated 29–0 season in 2012–13.)

College career

Heavily recruited by power programs, she was ranked the 28th overall player as part of a high-profile 2013 recruiting class. After receiving offers from Tennessee, and Georgia, she eventually chose South Carolina to play for her hometown team. She went on to become a 4x All-SEC player, and All-American. Coates played a crucial part in helping South Carolina become a national powerhouse. In her senior season, Coates injured her ankle, which caused her to miss South Carolina's SEC Tourney & National Championship run. Coates finished the season averaging 13.4 ppg and 11.1 rpg.

Professional career

WNBA

Chicago Sky

After her senior season, Coates was drafted second overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2017 WNBA draft. In April 2017, it was announced that Coates would miss part of the 2017 WNBA season following ankle surgery. ^[1] However, a timetable for her return still wasn't determined and Coates would end up missing the entire season. ^[2] In February 2018, Coates officially signed with the Sky. ^[3] She made her career debut on May 19, 2018, in the Sky's season opener against the Indiana Fever, she scored 5 points in 12 minutes of play in an 82–64 victory. ^[4] On July 3, 2018, Coates scored in double digits for the first time with 10 points in 16 minutes of play during a 108–85 loss to the Dallas Wings. ^[5] By the end of the season, the Sky finished 13–21, missing out on the playoffs.

Minnesota Lynx

On May 21, 2019, Coates was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for a 2020 third-round draft pick. ^[6] On July 14, 2019, Coates was waived by the Minnesota Lynx.

Atlanta Dream

On July 17, 2019, Coates signed with the Atlanta Dream.

Washington Mystics

Coates signed with the Washington Mystics on June 29, 2020, and made her debut for the team on the opening day of the season. ^[7]

Indiana Fever

On February 7, 2023, Coates signed with the Indiana Fever on a training camp contract. ^[8] Coates was temporarily suspended on May 5, due to overseas commitments, and was activated May 11. The Fever waived Coates on June 7, 2023. ^[9]

Phoenix Mercury

On June 27, 2023, Coates signed a Hardship Contract with the Phoenix Mercury. ^[10] Coates appeared in 2 games for the Mercury and was released from the hardship contract on June 29, 2023.

Las Vegas Aces

On August 2, 2023, Coates signed a 7-Day Contract with the Las Vegas Aces. ^[11] Coates stayed with Aces following the 7-Day, signing a 2nd and 3rd 7-Day Contract with Las Vegas. ^[12] After her 3rd 7-Day Contract, Coates signed a rest-of-season hardship contract to remain with the Aces. ^[13]

Overseas

In October 2018, Coates signed with Zhejiang Far East of the Chinese League for the 2018-19 off-season. ^[14]

Coates played for Nesibe Aydın GSK of the Turkish Women's Basketball Super League (TKBL) in the 2021–2022 season. ^[15]

On October 5, 2022, she signed with Galatasaray. ^[16]

Coates returned to Nesibe Aydın GSK for the 2023–2024 season. ^[17]

She played for BC Castelnuovo Scrivia of the Lega Basket Femminile from September to December 2024. ^[18]

Personal life

Alaina is the daughter of Gary and Pamela Coates. She has an older brother, Gary. Her uncle, Ben Coates, is retired from the NFL and was a member of the Baltimore Ravens first Super Bowl. While at South Carolina, she majored in sociology. In March 2018, Coates's father died of cardiac arrest. ^[19]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnovers per game	FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
Bold	Career best	°	League leader

College

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	Points	PPG
2013–14	South Carolina	29	19.2	.630	.000	.658	7.9	0.3	0.6	2.0	417	12.2
2014–15	South Carolina	28	20.7	.526	.000	.705	8.1	0.8	0.6	1.5	399	10.6
2015–16	South Carolina	29	26.7	.655	.000	.551	10.1	1.0	1.1	1.3	425	11.7
2016–17	South Carolina	27	27.5	.670	.000	.653	11.1	1.6	1.2	1.4	362	13.4
Career	South Carolina	113	23.5	.622	.000	.644	9.3	0.9	0.9	1.6	1603	12.0

Source ^[20]

WNBA

†	Denotes seasons in which Coates won a WNBA championship

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2018	Chicago	32	0	11.4	.568	—	.625	3.2	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.5	3.4
2019	Minnesota	14	0	6.6	.484	—	.625	2.4	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.4	2.5
	Atlanta	9	0	8.3	.643	—	.538	3.0	0.1	0.2	0.7	0.4	2.8
2020	Washington	20	0	9.9	.529	—	.538	2.8	0.5	0.4	0.2	0.6	2.5
2022	Indiana	8	0	9.4	.636	—	.933	2.0	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.6	3.5
2023	Phoenix	2	0	2.5	1.000	—	—	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0
2023 †	Las Vegas	10	0	3.0	.800	—	.250	1.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.7	0.9
Career	5 years, 7 teams	95	0	8.8	.565	—	.623	2.6	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.5	2.7

Postseason

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2020	Washington	1	0	4.0	.000	—	—	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2023 †	Las Vegas	6	0	1.8	1.000	—	—	0.8	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.2	0.3
Career	2 years, 2 teams	7	0	2.1	.500	—	—	0.9	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.3	0.3

References

1. "Basketball: Alaina Coates had ankle surgery, will miss part of WNBA season". Excelle Sports. April 10, 2017. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
2. Cloninger, David (May 18, 2017). "Why Alaina Coate's pro career is still on hold". thestate.com. The State. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
3. Dull, Ben (February 6, 2018). "Chicago Sky sign Alaina Coates, re-sign Jordan Hooper". High Post Hoops. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
4. "Quigley, DeShields lead Sky over Fever 82-64". ESPN . Associated Press. May 18, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
5. "Cambage scores career-high 37; Wings beat Sky 108-85". ESPN . Associated Press. May 18, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
6. Kenney, Madeline (May 21, 2019). "Sky trade Alaina Coates to Lynx". chicago.suntimes.com. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
7. "Mystics sign Alaina Coates and Shay Peddy". WNBA.com. June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
8. "Fever Sign Alaina Coates". fever.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
9. @IndianaFever (June 7, 2022). "Roster Update: Center Alaina Coates has been waived" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
10. @phoenixmercury (June 27, 2023). "The Phoenix Mercury announced today the signing of center Alaina Coates to a hardship contract" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
11. "Aces Sign Veteran Center Alaina Coates To Emergency Hardship Contract". aces.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
12. "Aces Sign Veteran Center Alaina Coates to Second Emergency Hardship Contract". aces.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
13. "Aces Sign Veteran Center Alaina Coates to Rest of Season Contract". aces.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
14. "Zhejiang tabs Alaina Coates". asia-basket.com. EuroBasket News. October 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
15. "Nesibe adds Coates to their roster". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
16. "Alaina Coates Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'de!" (in Turkish). Galatasaray. October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
17. "Scrivia adds Coates to their roster, ex Nesibe". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
18. "Scrivia waives Alaina Coates". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
19. Butler, Andrea (March 14, 2018). "Father of former USC basketball star Alaina Coates dies while driving". wach.com. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
20. "Alaina Coates #41, C, South Carolina". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 13, 2017.

External links

• Career statistics from WNBA.com  ·  Basketball Reference
• South Carolina Gamecocks bio at the Wayback Machine (archived 2017-06-30)
• USA Basketball bio