Kayla Alexander

Last updated
Kayla Alexander
Kayla Alexander 50.jpg
No. 40Valencia Basket
Position Center
League Liga Femenina
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1991-01-05) January 5, 1991 (age 33)
Milton, Ontario, Canada
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school Milton District (Milton, Ontario)
College Syracuse (2009–2013)
WNBA draft 2013: 1st round, 8th overall pick
Selected by the San Antonio Silver Stars
Playing career2013–present
Career history
20132017 San Antonio Stars
2015–2016 WBC Sparta&K
2016–2017 CJM Bourges Basket
2017–2018 Samsung Life Blueminx
2018 Indiana Fever
2018–2019 Adelaide Lightning
2019 Chicago Sky
2019–2020 Arka Gdynia
2020 Minnesota Lynx
2020–2021 BC Castors Braine
2021–2022 ASVEL Féminin
2022–2024 Tango Bourges Basket
2024–present Valencia Basket
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
FIBA AmeriCup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Puerto Rico
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2023 León

Kayla Janine Alexander (born January 5, 1991) is a Canadian professional basketball player for Valencia Basket of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto and the EuroLeague. She played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange. [1] After a successful career with the Orange, Alexander was drafted with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars.

Contents

College career

Alexander played collegiately at Syracuse University from 2010 to 2013. After her four years, she was the school’s all-time leader in points (2,024), blocks (350), field goals (736), free throws made (552), free throws attempted (750) and games played (140). She became the second player from Syracuse to be selected in a WNBA draft. [2]

WNBA career

Alexander was drafted eighth in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. Since her rookie season, she's been a reserve center on the Stars' roster and a key contributor in rebounding. In the 2016 season, she averaged career-highs in scoring and rebounding with 8.0 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. In 2017, Alexander re-signed with the Stars in free agency. [3]

On February 1, 2018, Alexander was traded by the re-branded Las Vegas Aces along with a third-round pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for their second-round selection in the 2019 WNBA Draft. [4]

Overseas career

In the 2015-16 WNBA off-season, Alexander played in Russia for WBC Sparta&K. In August 2016, Alexander signed a short-term deal with CJM Bourges Basket of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball for the 2016-17 WNBA off-season. [5]

In early 2020, she signed with Arka Gdynia of the Basket Liga Kobiet , but returned to Canada that March due to the cancellation of the season at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

On May 23, 2024, Alexander signed with Liga Femenina club Valencia, for the upcoming 2024–25 season. [7]

Personal life

Alexander said she wanted to become a teacher once she retires from basketball. [8] Her brother, Kyle played for the Miami Heat.

In 2019, Alexander wrote and illustrated a children's book, The Magic of Basketball. [9] Her sister, Kesia, is credited as co-author. [10] [11]

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

YearTeamGPFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2009-10 Syracuse 3654.2%0.0%70.1%4.80.10.61.910.8
2010-11 Syracuse 3554.9%0.0%76.6%6.90.00.72.614.8
2011-12 Syracuse 3749.5%0.0%74.7%7.50.30.62.614.8
2012-13 Syracuse 3251.8%0.0%72.6%8.70.30.62.917.9
Career14052.3%0.0%73.6%6.90.20.62.514.5

Source [12]

WNBA

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2013 San Antonio 33111.2.417.000.7333.00.30.10.41.12.8
2014 San Antonio 3309.0.434.000.8392.00.20.10.30.72.8
2015 San Antonio 29012.3.416.000.6473.30.20.20.80.83.3
2016 San Antonio 25019.6.546.000.7544.50.50.40.51.18.0
2017 San Antonio 341015.4.582.000.9093.10.50.40.50.96.2
2018 Indiana 3008.6.541.000.8242.20.20.10.30.62.7
2019 Chicago 306.7.750.000.7502.30.30.00.00.33.0
2020 Minnesota 1605.6.533.000.6250.90.20.10.20.42.3
Career8 years, 4 teams2031111.8.508.000.7632.80.30.20.40.84.0

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2014 San Antonio 101.0.000.000.0000.00.00.00.00.00.0
2019 Chicago 201.51.000.000.0001.00.00.00.00.02.0
Career2 years, 2 teams301.91.000.000.0000.70.00.00.00.01.3

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References

  1. "Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 29 Jul 2009, p. 12". news.milton.halinet.on.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  2. "Silver Stars Select Kayla Alexander with the No. 8 Pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft". NBA.com. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  3. "Stars Re-Sign Kayla Alexander - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  4. "Indiana Fever Acquire Kayla Alexander in Trade With Las Vegas". WNBA.com. February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  5. "2016-2017 WNBA Overseas Signings - Women's Basketball 24.7". Women's Basketball 24.7. 2016-08-22. Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  6. Dichter, Myles (18 March 2020). "Canadian athletes scramble to return home". CBC. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  7. "Kayla Alexander, a top-notch addition for Valencia Basket". www.valenciabasket.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  8. "WBB: Center Kayla Alexander Drafted 8th". Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician . Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  9. "Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 12 Sep 2019, p. 30". news.milton.halinet.on.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  10. Nichols, Paula; Cseplo, Simone (September 8, 2020). "Kayla Alexander and The Magic of Basketball September 8, 2020". Olympic.ca. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  11. Loung, Steven (1 July 2020). "Q&A: Kayla Alexander on playing for Canada, writing her children's book". Sportsnet.ca. Rogers. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  12. "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2017-08-28.