Charlisse Leger-Walker

Last updated
Charlisse Leger-Walker
No. 5UCLA Bruins
Position Guard
League Big Ten Conference
Personal information
Born (2001-09-15) 15 September 2001 (age 23)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Listed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Career information
High school St. Peter's Cambridge
(Cambridge, New Zealand)
College
Career highlights
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2018 Australia Team
FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2016 Fiji Team
FIBA Oceania Under-17 Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2017 Guam Team
FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2015 New Zealand Team
Women's 3x3 basketball
Representing Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Mongolia

Charlisse Trinity Leger-Walker (born 15 September 2001) is a New Zealand college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Big Ten Conference. She previously played for the Washington State Cougars.

Contents

College career

As a freshman at Washington State, Leger-Walker averaged 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and made the all-conference team. [1] In her sophomore season, Leger-Walker repeated as an All-Pac-12 selection, averaging 16.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. [2] On 11 December 2022, she scored a career-high 40 points in an 82–66 loss to Washington. [3] Leger-Walker led No. 7 seed Washington State to the 2023 Pac-12 tournament title, the first in program history, and was named most outstanding player. [4] She finished her junior season averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, and earned All-Pac-12 honors. [5] On 23 November 2023, Leger-Walker became the second Washington State player to record a triple-double, with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists in an 87–67 win over Maryland. [6] She missed the last 11 games of the season with a torn ACL. As a senior, she was named All-Pac-12 for a fourth time and averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. [7]

Leger-Walker transferred to UCLA for her fifth season of eligibility, granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8] On December 6, 2024, UCLA announced that Leger-Walker would redshirt the 2024–25 season to fully rehabilitate her ACL injury. [9]

National team career

Leger-Walker made her debut for the New Zealand women's national basketball team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. At age 16, she became the youngest player to play for the senior national team. She averaged 11.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, helping New Zealand win the bronze medal. [10] Leger-Walker won a silver medal at the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup, the first medal by a New Zealand women's team at a FIBA world tournament, and was named to the all-tournament team. [11]

Personal life

Leger-Walker is of Samoan and Maori descent. [12] Her mother Leanne Walker, played for the New Zealand women's national basketball team; she competed in the Summer Olympics in 2000 and 2004. Leger-Walker's older sister, Krystal, played basketball for Northern Colorado and was her teammate at Washington State before turning professional. [13]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames 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

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2020–21 Washington State 242437.835.332.878.65.33.12.30.72.718.8
2021–22 Washington State 303036.037.727.276.05.22.81.60.82.716.1
2022–23 Washington State 303036.840.334.983.35.54.11.30.63.217.7
2023–24 Washington State 212133.340.623.781.76.55.11.70.33.213.2
2024–25 UCLA Did not play due to injury
Career10510536.138.230.579.75.63.71.70.62.916.6
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference. [14]

References

  1. "Experienced Cougs Set for Another Big Season in 2021-22". Washington State Cougars. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  2. Allen, Jim (24 October 2024). "Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker named to All-Pac-12 preseason team". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  3. "Leger-Walker scores 40 points in a loss at Washington". Washington State Cougars. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  4. "Charlisse Leger-Walker voted Most Outstanding Player of 2023 Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament". Washington State Cougars. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  5. Cook, Dave (9 April 2023). "Washington State's Charlisse Leger-Walker represents her home country of New Zealand as rising collegiate basketball star". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  6. "No. 23 Washington State women beat Maryland behind Charlisse Leger-Walker's triple-double". ESPN. Associated Press. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  7. Lee, Greg (2 April 2024). "Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker enters transfer portal". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  8. Sawyer, Haley (25 April 2024). "UCLA women's basketball lands Washington State transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker". Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  9. "Charlisse Leger-Walker Out for Season". UCLA. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  10. "Charlisse Leger-Walker". Basketball New Zealand. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  11. "Charlisse Leger-Walker". UCLA Bruins. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  12. Stanley, Ashley (11 May 2020). "Leger-Walker assists little sister into US college life". Newsroom . Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  13. Cook, Dave (17 March 2023). "How a grieving Charlisse Leger-Walker found strength in her WSU teammates to help the Cougars make it to the NCAA". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  14. "Charlisse Leger-Walker College Stats". Sports-Reference . Retrieved July 15, 2025.