No. 8–Las Vegas Aces | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard |
League | WNBA |
Personal information | |
Born | November 8, 2000 |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Listed weight | 184 lb (83 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Rock Island (Rock Island, Illinois) |
College | South Carolina (2019–2023) |
WNBA draft | 2023: 2nd round, 24th overall pick |
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx | |
Playing career | 2023–present |
Career history | |
2023 | Minnesota Lynx |
2024–present | Las Vegas Aces |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Breanna Beal (born November 8, 2000) is an American basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Beal was born on November 8, 2000, to Kevin Beal and Nicole Adamson. [1] [2] She grew up training for basketball under the guidance of her father, who played for UTEP at the collegiate level, and drew inspiration from Maya Moore. [3] She also took part in gymnastics and swimming before focusing on basketball. [4] In eighth grade, Beal joined the Midwest Elite Amateur Athletic Union program. [5] She made local headlines as one of the top eighth-grade players in the country. [6] Beal played basketball for Rock Island High School in her hometown of Rock Island, Illinois. [3] In her first high school season, she was the only freshman on the team and averaged 16.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, leading Rock Island to a 29–4 record. [5]
As a sophomore, Beal averaged 20.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 3.1 assists per game, helping her team achieve a 31–2 record and reach the sectional final. She joined Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings as the only sophomores to be named Illinois Miss Basketball, [7] and became the second sophomore with Parker to win Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year. [8] In her junior season, Beal averaged 21.9 points, 10 rebounds, 3.3 assists and three blocks per game, leading Rock Island to its third consecutive Class 4A sectional runner-up finish. She repeated as Illinois Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year. [9] [10] As a senior, Beal averaged 24.9 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.4 blocks and 3.4 steals per game, as her team finished with a 30–2 record and won its first sectional title since 1991. She was named Illinois Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year for a third straight season, joining Candace Parker as the only three-time recipients of either award, [11] [12] and was selected as Quad-City Times Female Athlete of the Year. [4] Beal earned first-team All-American recognition from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and played in the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic. [13] She finished her career as the all-time leading scorer in the Western Big 6 Conference. [14]
Beal was considered a five-star recruit and the number 10 player in the 2019 class by ESPN. [15] In sixth grade, she received her first college basketball scholarship offer, from Iowa. [5] On November 8, 2018, during her senior year of high school, Beal committed to playing college basketball for South Carolina over offers from Michigan, Illinois and Louisville. [16]
In her freshman season at South Carolina, Beal became a regular starter due to her defensive ability. Her team was ranked number one in the nation and had a 32–1 record before the 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] As a freshman, she averaged 6.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. [17] On January 18, 2021, Beal scored a career-high 22 points against Arkansas. [18] She helped South Carolina reach the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA tournament. [19] As a sophomore, Beal averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. [20] In her junior season, she helped South Carolina win the national championship, [21] recording 12 points against Louisville in the Final Four. [22]
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 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019–20 | South Carolina | 33 | 33 | 21.2 | 41.6 | 28.9 | 55.7 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 6.1 |
2020–21 | South Carolina | 31 | 30 | 27.3 | 42.6 | 29.6 | 57.4 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 7.1 |
2021–22 | South Carolina | 37 | 37 | 24.1 | 38.1 | 23.8 | 59.6 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 5.1 |
2022–23 | South Carolina | 37 | 37 | 25.2 | 41.7 | 38.0 | 57.7 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 6.4 |
Career | 138 | 137 | 24.4 | 41.0 | 31.3 | 57.3 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 6.1 | |
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference. [23] |
After her sophomore year of college, Beal signed a name, image and likeness deal with Cameo. [20] She is in a relationship with National Football League player and South Carolina alum Jaycee Horn. [24]
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League, Euroleague Women.
Gabrielle Lisa Williams is an American-French professional basketball player. She was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2018 WNBA draft. In 2022 she was a EuroLeague champion with Sopron and was named the Final Four MVP. Williams played forward for the UConn women's basketball team, and won back to back national championships in 2015 and 2016.
A'ja Riyadh Wilson is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Wilson played for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college, and helped lead the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in 2017, and won the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player award. In 2018, she won a record third straight SEC Player of the Year award, leading South Carolina to a record fourth straight SEC Tournament Championship, becoming the all-time leading scorer in South Carolina women's basketball history, and was a consensus first-team All-American for the third consecutive season. Wilson swept all National Player of the Year awards as the best player in Women's College basketball for 2018. In the 2018 WNBA draft, she was drafted first overall by the Aces.
Christyn Williams is an American women's basketball player. She was drafted by the Washington Mystics. She played college basketball at the University of Connecticut (UConn). She played in high school for Central Arkansas Christian School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A five-star recruit and one of the most decorated high school basketball players in history, Williams rose to national acclaim after winning the 2018 WBCA National Player of the Year award, the 2018 Naismith National Player of the Year award the 2018 Gatorade National Player of the Year award, and the 2018 USA Today Player of the Year award. Williams also was named a McDonald's All-American, where she was named the game's MVP after scoring 22 points and leading the West team to an 82-79 victory. Williams was awarded the Morgan Wootten Award, which is given each year to "the McDonald's All American who best exhibits outstanding character, leadership and the values of a student-athlete in the classroom and the community". Williams was also named to the 2018 Jordan Brand Classic team.
Paige Madison Bueckers is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference.
Tyler Jordan Hall is an American professional basketball player for the Texas Legends of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Montana State Bobcats.
Aliyah Boston is an American professional basketball power forward and center for the Indiana Fever of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was named 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote and the AP Rookie of the Year. She played college basketball at the University of South Carolina.
Zia Cooke is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. She played in college for South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). At Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio, she was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and earned McDonald's All-American honors. A two-time All-SEC selection in college, Cooke helped South Carolina reach the Final Four of the NCAA tournaments in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Destanni Mone Henderson is an American professional basketball player. She previously played for the Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, and Phoenix Mercury. Henderson played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks, helping her team win the national championship and earning first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior. At Fort Myers Senior High School, she won three straight state titles, was a McDonald's All-American selection and was rated as the number one point guard in her class by ESPN. Henderson competes for the United States national team and won a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup.
Lexie Lauren Hull is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal, with whom she was a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, won the national championship as a junior and received the Senior CLASS Award and Elite 90 Award in her senior season. Hull attended Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Washington, where she helped her team win two state titles and was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN.
Harvey Daniyal Robinson is an American collegiate basketball coach. He played college basketball at Indian Hills Community College and the University of Arkansas–Little Rock, then served as an assistant coach for five collegiate teams before being named head coach for Cleveland State University prior to the start of the 2022–23 season.
Rickea Velece Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Tennessee and Mississippi State.
Gregory "GG" Jackson II is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Emma Ronsiek is an American college basketball player for the Creighton Bluejays of the Big East Conference.
Raven Johnson is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Kamilla Soares Cardoso is a Brazilian professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at South Carolina and Syracuse.
Te-Hina Paopao is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). She previously played for the Oregon Ducks.
Chloe Kitts is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Aubryanna "Bree" Hall is an American college basketball player for the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Joyce Edwards is an American basketball player who attends Camden High School. Committed to South Carolina, she is a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class.