Cierra Dillard

Last updated
Cierra Dillard
No. 24–Sporting Alexandria
Position Guard
League Egyptian Basketball Premier League
Personal information
Born (1996-05-08) May 8, 1996 (age 27)
Rochester, New York
NationalityAmerican / Senegalese
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
High school Gates Chili
(Rochester, New York)
College
WNBA draft 2019: 2nd round, 20th overall pick
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–2020Stadium Casablanca
2021–present Sporting Alexandria
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× AWBL champion (2022, 2023)
  • AWBL Most Valuable Player (2023)
Medals
AfroBasket
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Rwanda

Cierra Janay Dillard (born May 8, 1996) is an American-Senegalese professional basketball player who currently plays for Alexandria Sporting Club.

Contents

College career

Dillard attended Gates Chili High School in Rochester, New York. She was named the All-Greater Rochester Girls Basketball Player of the Decade 2010–19. [1]

She later attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for two years, before transferring to the University at Buffalo. [2] [3] [4] At both universities, she played on the school's respective women's basketball teams. While playing at Buffalo, Dillard helped the Bulls to back-to-back NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019, [5] [6] including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2018.

Professional career

Dillard was selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the second round of the 2019 WNBA draft. [7] The Lynx waived her in May but shortly later she was claimed of waivers by the Los Angeles Sparks. After appearing in one preseason game for the Sparks, she was once again waived on May 18. [8]

In 2022, Dillard guided Alexandria Sporting Club to the 2022 FIBA Africa Women's Champions Cup title, scoring a team-high 21 points in the finals. [9] The following season, Sporting repeated as African champions and Dillard was named MVP of the 2023 Africa Women's Basketball League. [10] Dillard averaged 23 points per game on 53.9% shooting from the field. [11]

Personal

In 2023, Dillard became Senegalese by presidential decree. [12] She joined the Senegal national team shortly after. [13]

Career statistics

College

Source [14]

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
2014–15UMass3031935.7%32.4%70.0%3.12.51.50.110.6
2015–16UMass3046441.8%32.9%66.7%3.32.72.00.015.5
2017–18Buffalo3556639.6%34.6%80.1%4.15.23.00.116.2
2018–19Buffalo3485638.6%34.1%81.2%4.95.72.90.225.2
Career129220539.1%33.8%76.2%3.94.12.40.117.1

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References

  1. ↑ Bradley, Steve. "AGR Girls Basketball Player of the Decade: Cierra Dillard works her way to the top". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  2. ↑ Wolf, Jason (March 20, 2019). "Cierra Dillard's impact at UB extends beyond MAC title, NCAA Tournament". The Buffalo News . Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  3. ↑ Voepel, Mechelle (January 14, 2019). "Buffalo's Cierra Dillard is espnW's player of the week". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  4. ↑ D'Arcangelo, Lyndsey (March 7, 2019). "As talk of the WNBA Draft swirls around her, Cierra Dillard is relishing her final moments in Buffalo". The Athletic . Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  5. ↑ Fulkerson, Vickie (March 24, 2019). "Buffalo's Cierra Dillard made an impact on many, including Auriemma". The Day . Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  6. ↑ Stacy, Kelli (March 24, 2019). "UConn women prepare to take on Buffalo, Cierra Dillard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament". Hartford Courant . Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  7. ↑ Maiorana, Sal (April 10, 2019). "Cierra Dillard's WNBA dream now a reality as she was drafted by Minnesota Lynx". Democrat and Chronicle . Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ Rachel Lenzi (18 May 2019). "Former UB standout Cierra Dillard parts ways with WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks". Buffalo News . Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "Sporting Alexandria crowned 2022 Africa Champions Cup Women winners". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  10. ↑ "MVP Dillard leads 2023 AWBL All-Star team". FIBA.basketball. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  11. ↑ "Cierra Dillard opens up on AWBL title, MVP award". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  12. ↑ "MACKY NATURALISE CIERRA JANAY DILLARD". SenePlus (in French). 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  13. ↑ "Cierra Janay DILLARD at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2023". FIBA.basketball (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  14. ↑ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
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