Lisa Willis

Last updated

Lisa Willis
Westchester Knicks
PositionAssistant coach
League NBA G League
Personal information
Born (1984-06-13) June 13, 1984 (age 39)
Long Beach, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school Narbonne (Harbor City, California)
College UCLA (2002–2006)
WNBA draft 2006: 1st round, 5th overall pick
Selected by the Los Angeles Sparks
Playing career2006–2010
Position Guard
Number40
Coaching career2013–present
Career history
As player:
2006–2007 Los Angeles Sparks
2007–2008 New York Liberty
2009 Sacramento Monarchs
2009–2010 TTT Riga
As coach:
2013 Montreat College (assistant)
2014Montreat College
2019–present Westchester Knicks (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player:
  • Latvian League champion (2010)

As assistant coach:

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Women's Basketball
Representing the Flag of the United States.svg  United States
World University Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2005 Izmir Team Competition

Lisa Camille Willis (born June 13, 1984) is an American basketball coach currently working as an assistant coach for the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League. She played professionally in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and the Sacramento Monarchs. She entered the WNBA in 2006 as the overall fifth draft pick to the Los Angeles Sparks immediately following her college career at University of California, Los Angeles. While Willis played for the Los Angeles Sparks for her first two seasons, she was playing for the New York Liberty her last two seasons where she led the WNBA in three-pointers in 2008.

Contents

Willis played college basketball at UCLA. In 2006 as a senior, Willis was named prior to the season by Nancy Lieberman of ESPN as the nation's best defender, named Honorable mention AP All American, selected Third Team All American selection by Women's Basketball News Service, named as a Pre Season Naismith Award Nominee, nominated for the Bayer Advantage Senior Class Award, was UCLA's All time 3point shot leader (second on All Time PAC10 list), ranked ninth on the All Time UCLA Scoring List, ranked fifth at UCLA in all time games played, ranked 13th on all time school rebounding list, ranked 10th in all time school scoring list, ranked 8th in all time school free throw percentage, ranked second in all time school steal list and listed as the first player in history to record three straight seasons with 100 or more steals.

In 2005 as a junior, Willis was deemed as UCLA's all time 3point shot leader, was selected first team All PAC10, was ranked sixth in nation in steals, became first Bruin to record back to back 100 steals seasons, tied her own school record for made 3point shots, recorded 26 double figure scoring games and tallied nine double figure rebounding games. She was also selected to the 2005 USA Team and won a gold medal in Izmir, Turkey.

In 2004 as a sophomore, Willis tallied a total of 100 steals (which was the most ever by a UCLA sophomore), was ranked third in NCAA in steals per game, was ranked ninth for sophomores scoring at UCLA, ranked first in PAC10 in steals, ranked first in PAC10 in 3point shots made, ranked seventh in PAC10 in defensive rebounding, 15th in overall rebounding, and ranked tenth in PAC10 in scoring.

In 2003 as a freshman, Willis finished the regular season seventh in PAC10 3pointers made and ranked second on UCLA's all-time single season frosh list for 3pointer.

High school

Lisa Willis grew up in Long Beach, CA and attended Narbonne High School in Harbor City, CA. As a four-year Varsity basketball player, Willis saw a great deal of success at Narbonne. Noted accomplishments for Willis are as follows: Won two straight City Championship, named second team All State selection by Cal Hi Sports as an underclassman, named as the Los Angeles City Player of the Year, named First Team Marine League, named First Team All City, named Second Team All Area by Daily Breeze, won Back to back City, State, and US National Championships with New York Liberty's Loree Moore and one with Indian Fever's Ebony Hoffman, name a Nike All American, named Honorable mention All American US Today and Street & Smith's and was also recognized as the Sophomore State Player of the Year. She committed herself to UCLA as sophomore. Her Nickname is Raindropper as it was given to her in High School by Ebony Hoffman. [ citation needed ]

UCLA statistics

Source [1]

Legend
  GPGames 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
YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2002-03UCLA2922436.734.374.13.60.81.90.27.7
2003-04UCLA3042843.037.071.05.42.13.30.414.3
2004-05UCLA2845540.336.180.26.92.33.60.516.3
2005-06UCLA3257045.936.375.65.83.13.60.817.8
CareerUCLA119167742.336.175.85.42.13.10.514.1

USA Basketball

Willis was a member of the team representing the US at the 2005 World University Games Team in Izmir, Turkey. Willis averaged 9.7 points per game while helping the team to a 7–0 record, resulting in a gold medal at the event. [2] Willis' efficiency showed in Turkey, when it was noted that she was a leading scorer and the top 3-point shooter but didn't tally as many minutes.

FIBA career

Willis had a fun and exciting professional basketball career in Europe during the WNBA offseason. She played for teams in Vologda, Russia, Byron, Greece, Kayseri, Turkey and Riga, Latvia. Her last season of overseas basketball was played in Riga, Latvia where she won the Latvian Championship in 2010. Willis' career came to an end when she tore her ACL, MCL, and LCL the same day she received a contract to go back to Kayseri, Turkey where she once played.

Coaching career

In November 2019, Willis was hired as an assistant coach to the Westchester Knicks. [3]

Personal life

Willis is currently living in Laurel, Maryland, where she has decided to put collegiate coach aside and revamp her player development business named Think. Work. Play!

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Leslie</span> American basketball player (born 1972)

Lisa Deshaun Leslie is an American former professional basketball player. She is currently the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Bally Sports Florida. In 2002, Leslie made history as the first player to dunk during a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game. Leslie was ranked 5th on ESPN.com's 2021 list of the WNBA's greatest players of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamique Holdsclaw</span> American basketball player

Chamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is an American former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars. She announced her retirement from the Los Angeles Sparks on June 11, 2007, though she eventually came out of retirement to play with the Atlanta Dream for the 2009 WNBA Season. Holdsclaw was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candace Parker</span> American basketball player

Candace Nicole Parker nicknamed "Ace", is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She spent 13 seasons on the Sparks and two seasons with the Chicago Sky, winning a championship with each team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heidi Burge</span> American professional womens basketball player

Heidi Ann Horton is a former American professional women's basketball player who played overseas from 1993 to 1997 and then played for the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics of the WNBA from 1997 to 1998. She is the twin sister of Heather (Burge) Quella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvia Fowles</span> American basketball player

Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles is an American retired professional basketball player. Fowles played for the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx during her WNBA career. She won the WNBA MVP Award in 2017 and the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times. She led the Lynx to win the WNBA Championship in 2015 and 2017, and she was named the MVP of the WNBA Finals both times. In 2020, Fowles overtook Rebekkah Brunson to become the WNBA's career leader in rebounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtney Paris</span> American basketball player and coach

Courtney Paris is an American basketball coach and former player. She is currently an assistant coach for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. She last played as a center for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is best known for her accomplishments during her college career at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds career averages of 21.4 points and 15.3 rebounds per game. She holds the NCAA record for most consecutive double-doubles at 112. During her senior season in 2009, Paris received considerable media attention when she announced that she would pay back her tuition to the University of Oklahoma if the Sooners did not win the 2009 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. She would lead Oklahoma to the Final Four before falling short to eventual national runner-up Louisville. Paris was selected with the number seven overall pick by the now-defunct Sacramento Monarchs in the 2009 WNBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Harding</span> American basketball player

Lindsey Marcie Harding is an American professional basketball coach and former player. She serves as the head coach of the Stockton Kings. Throughout her playing career, Harding played for the Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and has played overseas in Turkey and Russia. She was previously a scout and a player development coach for the Philadelphia 76ers. She was born in Mobile, Alabama, but grew up in Houston, Texas and also holds a Belarusian passport.

Armintie Ada (Price) Herrington is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Price, who played collegiately at the University of Mississippi, was drafted third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2007 WNBA draft. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nneka Ogwumike</span> American basketball player

Nnemkadi Chinwe Victoria "Nneka" Ogwumike is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), after being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2012 WNBA draft. Soon after being drafted, Ogwumike signed an endorsement deal with Nike. She is the older sister of Chiney Ogwumike, who also plays for the Sparks. Ogwumike was named WNBA MVP for the 2016 WNBA season and won the WNBA Finals the same year She was named to The W25 the league's list of the top 25 players of its first 25 years, in 2021.

Ashley Walker is an American-Romanian professional basketball player. She plays the forward position for the Reyer Venezia in the Italian Serie A1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Moore (basketball)</span> American basketball player

Jessica Alicia Moore is an American professional basketball player. Moore was a Center for the UConn Huskies from 2000 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taj McWilliams-Franklin</span> American basketball player

Taj McWilliams-Franklin is a former American professional women's basketball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odyssey Sims</span> American basketball player

Odyssey Celeste Sims is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. An AP and WBCA All-American, Sims was born in Irving, Texas and graduated from MacArthur High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiney Ogwumike</span> American basketball player

Chinenye "Chiney" Ogwumike is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2020, she became the first Black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show for ESPN. She was one of the first and youngest commentators ever to be named an NBA analyst for the network covering the NBA, WNBA, and variety of sports, while simultaneously playing in the WNBA. Chiney is a graduate of Stanford University, where she majored in International relations. She played in three Final Fours and finished as the conference leader in scoring and rebounding as of January 3, 2014. As of 2016, Ogwumike was elected Vice-President of the WNBA Players Association, and signed an endorsement deal with Adidas. In May 2018, Ogwumike signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to become a full-time basketball analyst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Bradford</span> American professional basketball player

Crystal Bradford is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. A star college player at Central Michigan University, she made history being the first player in the CMU program to ever be drafted to the WNBA. She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2015 WNBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexis Jones (basketball)</span> American basketball player

Alexis Jones is an American professional basketball player who played for the Atlanta Dream in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted in 2017 by the Lynx. Born in Midland, Texas, she played college basketball for Duke University, before she transferred to Baylor University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordin Canada</span> American basketball player

Jordin Elizabeth Canada is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was selected by the Seattle Storm with the 5th overall pick in the 2018 WNBA draft. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Canada played collegiately with the UCLA Bruins. She is known for her playmaking, speed and crossover skills. In her rookie season with the Storm, she won her first WNBA championship as they swept the Washington Mystics. In 2020, after winning her second WNBA championship, she signed an endorsement deal with Air Jordan.

Michelle Greco is a retired basketball player. Greco started her basketball career with Crescenta Valley High School, where she scored 2,397 career points during the mid to late 1990s. While on the UCLA Bruins women's basketball team from 1998 to 2003, Greco played in the 1999 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament and reached the Elite Eight. With 288 steals and 1,707 points, Greco was fifth in career steals and eleventh in career points for UCLA leading up to the 2020 season. In professional basketball. Greco briefly played in Israel and Greece during the early 2000s before joining the WNBA in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kianna Smith</span> American basketball player

Kianna Smith is an American-South Korean professional basketball free agent in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the California Golden Bears and the Louisville Cardinals. Smith graduated from Troy High School in Fullerton, California, where she was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and earned McDonald's All-American honors.

Rae Burrell is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers after attending Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada, where she was named the Las Vegas Review-Journal Best of Nevada Preps Female Athlete of the Year in 2018.

References

  1. "NCAA® Career Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  2. "Twenty-Second World University Games -- 2005". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  3. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy (November 14, 2019). "Lisa Willis makes history as first female coach for New York Knicks' franchise". The Journal News . Retrieved November 16, 2019.