Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Plainfield, Indiana, U.S. | January 16, 1991|||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | |||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 155 lb (70 kg) | |||||||||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||||||||
High school | Heritage Christian (Indianapolis, Indiana) | |||||||||||||||||
College | UConn (2009–2013) | |||||||||||||||||
WNBA draft | 2013: 1st round, 11th overall pick | |||||||||||||||||
Selected by the Connecticut Sun | ||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2013–2019 | |||||||||||||||||
Position | Guard | |||||||||||||||||
Career history | ||||||||||||||||||
2013–2016 | Connecticut Sun | |||||||||||||||||
2013–2014 | UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron | |||||||||||||||||
2014 | Adelaide Lightning | |||||||||||||||||
2016 | Flying Foxes Post SV Wien | |||||||||||||||||
2017 | Bnot Hertzeliya | |||||||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Breiðablik | |||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Stats at WNBA.com | ||||||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Kelly Elizabeth Faris (born January 16, 1991) is an American former basketball player. Faris played shooting guard for the Connecticut women's basketball team, and won two national championships in 2010 and 2013. She was on a post-season championship team for five consecutive seasons, including four consecutive high school state championships and two NCAA championship. [1] She was drafted 11th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2013 WNBA draft.
Faris is daughter of Bob and Connie Faris. Faris has two older sisters Kristi and Kimmi and one older brother Patrick (Fizzle). [2] She played on the Indiana's Finest AAU team which won the National Championship in 2003 for the 11U division (players age 11 and under). [3]
Faris played basketball at Heritage Christian high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the Eagles had an amazing combined record of 108–8. [4] Faris helped lead the high school to four consecutive IHSAA Class 2A state championships. [5] This accomplishment earned the team a congratulatory resolution from the General Assembly of the State of Indiana. [6] The team was 12–12 in the season before Faris arrived at Heritage Christian. [7] During her junior year, Faris achieved a quadruple-double vs Harding High School Hawks on November 24, 2007, Faris scored 14 points, had 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals and was named MVP of the 2008 state tournament. [8] Faris finished her career as Heritage's High School's all-time leader in rebounds (1,015), assists (526), blocks (108) and steals (493) ranks second among the school's all-time scoring leaders (1,426 points). Faris was named to the all-state first team in 2007, 2008, and 2009. [9]
In addition to basketball, she also participated in volleyball and track, lettering in both sports, [2] and earning all-state honors in volleyball for both 2007 and 2008. [9] She also won national honors in 2007, being named to the 2007 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships All-American team. [10] She was also an excellent student, earning High Academic Honors as a senior, and being a member of National Honors Society. [11] Faris was selected as a McDonald's All-American. [12] She participated in the McDonald's All-Star game with four points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots while playing for the East Team in the 2009 game. [9]
Faris wore number 34, a number worn by her siblings. [9] Faris led UConn to a 143–11 record over her four-year career, which included four Final Four appearances and two National Championships. She is the second player in Connecticut basketball history to record more than 1,000 points, 750 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals; the other player to reach this milestone was Maya Moore. In her senior year, Faris was named the Big East Defensive player of the year, and shared honors for the Big East most improved player of the year. [13] She finished her career ranking 40th in points (1,109), 6th in steals (294), and 11th in assists (525).
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009–10 | Connecticut | 39 | 158 | 38.2 | 27.0 | 77.5 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 4.1 |
2010–11 | Connecticut | 38 | 296 | 42.5 | 30.9 | 75.6 | 6.7 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 7.8 |
2011–12 | Connecticut | 38 | 256 | 43.7 | 31.5 | 78.8 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 6.7 |
2012–13 | Connecticut | 39 | 399 | 53.0 | 41.5 | 75.0 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 10.2 |
Career | Connecticut | 154 | 1109 | 44.4 | 32.7 | 76.7 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 7.2 |
Sources: [14] [2] [15] |
Faris was selected 11th overall in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun. [16] She played for the Sun from 2013 to 2016, averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 112 games. [17]
In September 2013, she signed with EuroLeague Women team UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron in Hungary. [18]
Faris signed with Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League for the 2014–15 season. [19] [20] She was released by the club in December that same year with the team in last place. For the season she averaged 3.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. [21]
In January 2016, Faris signed with the Flying Foxes Post SV Wien of the Austrian Women's Basketball Bundesliga. She helped the Flying Foxes to both the national championship, the Austrian Cup, where she was named the Cup's Final Four MVP, [22] and to the Austrian-Slovak Women Basketball League championship. [23] [24]
In February 2017, she signed with Bnot Hertzeliya of the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League where she averaged 13.9 points in five games. [24]
In February 2018, Faris signed a training camp contract with the New York Liberty. [25] In August 2018, Faris signed with Breiðablik of the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna. [26] She left the team in January 2019. In 14 games in the Úrvalsdeild, Faris averaged 20.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. [27]
On February 11, 2019, Faris signed a training camp contract with the New York Liberty for the second straight year. She was released by the Liberty on May 20, prior to the start of the season. [28]
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Connecticut | 24 | 3 | 14.1 | 36.7 | 28.0 | 77.8 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2.1 |
2014 | Connecticut | 25 | 0 | 7.7 | 24.2 | 26.7 | 80.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.1 |
2015 | Connecticut | 32 | 9 | 14.5 | 38.1 | 31.0 | 77.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.9 |
2016 | Connecticut | 31 | 0 | 10.2 | 39.6 | 25.0 | 93.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 |
Career | 4 years, 1 team | 112 | 12 | 11.7 | 36.1 | 28.1 | 82.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 |
Faris was selected to play in the USA Women's Youth Development Festival. Eligible players are female basketball players who are in their sophomore or junior in high school. The 2007 event took place at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. [29]
Faris was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event was held in July 2008, when the USA team defeated host Argentina to win the championship. [30] Faris helped the team win all five games, assisting on 17 baskets, only one fewer than the team high 18. [31]
Faris continued on to the USA Women's U19 team which represented the USA in the 2009 U19 World's Championship, held in Bangkok, Thailand in July and August 2009. [32] Although the USA team lost the opening game to Spain, they went on to win their next seven games to earn a rematch against Spain in the finals, and won the game 81–71 to earn the gold medal. [33] Faris was the high scorer with 13 points in the game against Mali. [34]
Rebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin is an American television basketball analyst and former professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2003. Lobo, at 6'4", played the center position for much of her career. She played college basketball at the University of Connecticut, where she was a member of the team that won the 1995 national championship, going 35–0 on the season in the process. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. In April 2017, she was one of the members of the 2017 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside Tracy McGrady and Muffet McGraw.
Lindsay Marie Whalen is an American former professional basketball player and coach. She most recently served as the head coach at Minnesota.
Diana Lorena Taurasi is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Taurasi is widely recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players of all time.
Swintayla Marie Cash Canal is an American former professional basketball player who played professionally for 15 seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She currently serves as vice president of basketball operations and team development for the New Orleans Pelicans. A prolific scorer and rebounder, as well as a capable ball handler and defender, she helped lead the University of Connecticut women's basketball team to national titles in 2000 and 2002. In her second WNBA season, she led the Detroit Shock to their first ever WNBA title. In 2015, she was named a studio analyst for MSG Networks covering the New York Knicks pre-games and post-games as well as the weekly coaches show. In 2017, Cash was named the Director of franchise development for the New York Liberty. Cash was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2022.
Olympia Scott, formerly known under her married name of Olympia Scott-Richardson, is an American former professional basketball player in the WNBA, and a former college coach. She is also co-founder of an online parenting education company called "Super Parenting LLC" and of a coaching company called "A Wonderful Life! Coaching".
Asjha Takera Jones is a former American professional women's basketball power forward and coach who is now on the staff of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2019, she became the first person to win a WNBA title as both a player and a coach.
Kelly Schumacher is an American-born Canadian professional basketball player and professional volleyball player. She had been playing in the WNBA for the Detroit Shock, until her release 18 June 2009.
Crystal LaTresa Robinson is an American basketball coach and former player. She grew up in Atoka, Oklahoma, and first garnered national recognition during her collegiate career at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Professionally, Robinson played for the Colorado Xplosion of the ABL before playing in the WNBA for the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics.
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is an American former Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002, before finishing her playing career with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2003. Gillom is also a former Sparks head coach, also coached the Minnesota Lynx, and was, until 2015, an assistant coach of the Connecticut Sun.
Maya April Moore is an American social justice advocate and former professional basketball player. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, Sports Illustrated called Moore the "greatest winner in the history of women's basketball". Moore was selected for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Ashley Battle is a professional basketball player. Drafted by the Seattle Storm in 2005, she played 2 games for them before being waived. She was with the New York Liberty for the 2006 through 2009 seasons. Battle played collegiately for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team.
Tina Alexandria Charles is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Originally from Jamaica, Queens, New York City, Charles was drafted first overall in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun. In 2009 and 2010, she and teammate Maya Moore led the Connecticut Huskies to two undefeated national championships. She has won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA and was inducted into the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame at the head of the Class of 2024 - the first female to head a class at any major basketball hall of fame and the first active player ever inducted.
Marissa Coleman is an American former professional basketball player.
Jessica Alicia Moore is an American professional basketball player. Moore was a Center for the UConn Huskies from 2000 to 2005.
Skylar Kierra Diggins-Smith is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Diggins was drafted third overall by the Tulsa Shock in the 2013 WNBA draft. In high school, she was the National Gatorade Player of the Year and the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year. She played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and led the team to three consecutive Final Fours and two consecutive NCAA championship appearances. She finished her Notre Dame career ranked first in points and steals, second in assists, and as a two-time winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top point guard in the nation.
Bria Nicole Hartley is a French-American professional basketball player for Galatasaray of the Turkish Super League. She was drafted seventh overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2014 WNBA draft and was immediately traded to the Washington Mystics. Hartley played shooting guard for the UConn women's basketball team, and won back to back national championships in 2013 and 2014.
Chalysa Janee "Chay" Shegog is an American basketball player who played for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA in the 2012 season. Shegog played for the North Carolina Tar Heels in college. In 2012, she was selected as the 21st overall draft pick for the WNBA by the Connecticut Sun. In August 2012, Shegog was waived by the Sun. She played for Hungarian team UNISEAT Gyor in the WNBA off-season. As of now, Shegog is working as a gym teacher at Alternative Paths Training School, in Fredericksburg.
The 2012–13 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2012–13 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, played their home games at two different venues—the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. Connecticut was a member of the Big East Conference in the league's final season before its split along football lines into the football-sponsoring American Athletic Conference and the new, non-football Big East. Connecticut, as an FBS football school, became a member of The American, which retained the charter of the original Big East.
Alyssa Thomas is an American professional basketball forward for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins. The New York Liberty drafted Thomas 4th overall in the 2014 WNBA draft, and immediately traded her to the Sun along with Kelsey Bone and a 2015 first-round draft pick in exchange for Tina Charles. Thomas is the University of Maryland's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles for both the women's and men's programs, and one of only three athletes in NCAAW history with six career triple-doubles. In the WNBA, Thomas recorded fifteen career triple-doubles. She is one of four players to record 15+, 15+, 10+ with 0 turnovers, the only WNBA player to do so ever.
Kiah Irene Stokes is an American basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League (KBSL). She was selected by the New York Liberty with the No. 11 pick in the first round of the 2015 WNBA Draft.