Emma Meesseman

Emma Meesseman
Meesseman in 2023
No. 11 – Fenerbahçe
PositionPower forward
LeagueTurkish Super League
EuroLeague Women
Personal information
Born (1993-05-13) 13 May 1993 (age 31)
Ypres, Belgium
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight191 lb (87 kg)
Career information
WNBA draft2013: 2nd round, 19th overall pick
Selected by the Washington Mystics
Playing career2009–present
Career history
2009–2012Blue Cats Ieper
2009–2012Lotto Young Cats
2012–2014ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq
2013–2020Washington Mystics
2014–2016WBC Sparta&K
2016–2022UMMC Ekaterinburg
2022Chicago Sky
2022–presentFenerbahçe
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Representing  Belgium
EuroBasket
Gold medal – first place 2023 Israel/Slovenia
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Czech Republic
Bronze medal – third place 2021 France/Spain
European Under-18 Championship
Gold medal – first place 2011 Romania
Meesseman with the Washington Mystics in 2019

Emma Meesseman (born 13 May 1993) is a Belgian professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League and EuroLeague Women. After playing basketball in Belgium, Meesseman was drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 19th overall pick in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft. She has also played for the Belgian national team and several European professional teams. She was named the 2011 FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year and the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP.[7] Meesseman studied physical education at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.[8][9]

Professional career

[edit]

Europe

[edit]
Meesseman in 2013

Meesseman's club career began at the age of 16. She played domestically for the Blue Cats, based in her birth town of Ypres, and in the EuroCup for Lotto Young Cats, also in her native Belgium. In her second season with the Blue Cats, she helped win the team its first national title and was named Belgium Championship MVP.[10]

In 2012, she joined ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball. In her second year with the club she played in her third EuroCup, reaching the semi-finals before falling to WBC Dynamo Moscow.[11]

Meesseman played for Spartak Moscow from 2014 to 2016, competing in two EuroCup tournaments. In February 2016, she was acquired by UMMC Ekaterinburg.[12]

With UMMC Ekaterinburg, Meesseman won the Russian National League championship in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2015–16 EuroLeague, Europe's premium basketball competition for women, in April 2016. Having missed out on the final in 2017 and finished 3rd, Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2017–18 EuroLeague. Meesseman, averaging 19 points in the Final Four tournament, was elected Final Four MVP. Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg followed this up with further Euroleague wins in seasons 2018–19 and 2020–21. With this 4th victory, Meesseman equaled fellow Belgian Ann Wauters' 4 Euroleague wins.[citation needed]

She signed with Fenerbahçe Safiport on 1 July 2022 for EuroLeague Women season.[13]

WNBA

[edit]

Meesseman was drafted 19th overall in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics. In her rookie season, Meesseman was a back-up center on the Mystics' roster, averaging 4.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game in 34 games with 1 start.[citation needed]

In the 2014 season, Meesseman became the starting center for the Mystics and averaged 10.1 points per game and a career-high 6.4 rebounds per game.[citation needed]

In the 2015 season, Meesseman would play outside her natural position after being moved to power forward in the Mystics' starting line-up to make room for Stefanie Dolson at the center position.[14][15] Meesseman would have a breakout season in 2015, averaging 11.6 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, was ranked fifth in blocks per game and also added three-point shooting to her skill set. Meesseman scored a career-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a loss against the Tulsa Shock on 19 June 2015.[16] She also made her first career all-star game appearance after being voted into the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game.[17]

In 2016, Meesseman signed a three-year contract extension with the Mystics.[18] During the 2016 season, Meesseman would have the best season of her career thus far, averaging a career-high 15.2 points per game and led the league in three-point field goal percentage.[19]

In 2017, after the Mystics traded Dolson to the Chicago Sky, Meesseman continued her role at the power forward spot in the starting lineup. In the Mystics' season opener, Meesseman scored 13 points along with 8 rebounds in an 89–74 victory over the San Antonio Stars.[20] During the 2017 season, Meesseman left the Mystics after the first four games due to overseas commitment to play for her national team during the FIBA world championship qualifying tournament. She returned on 12 May 2017 for practice and was activated to play on the Mystics' roster on 28 June 2017.[21][22] On 30 July 2017 Meesseman scored a new career-high of 30 points along with 10 rebounds in a 77–70 victory over the Atlanta Dream.[23] The Mystics secured a playoff berth as the #6 seed in the league with an 18–16 record. In the first round elimination game, the Mystics defeated the Dallas Wings 86–76, Meesseman scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.[24] They advanced to the second round elimination game, where they defeated the #3-seeded New York Liberty, 82–68, advancing to the semi-finals, making it the first time in franchise history where the Mystics have advanced past the second round. Meeeseman scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the win.[25] In the semi-finals, the Mystics were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx in a 3-game sweep.[citation needed]

In January 2018, it was announced that Meesseman would sit out the entire 2018 season to play for Team Belgium in the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup tournament.[26] Without Meesseman, the Mystics would make a run to the WNBA Finals, but were defeated in a 3-game sweep by the Seattle Storm.[citation needed]

In 2019, Meesseman returned to the Mystics and played most of the season off the bench. With her return and strong contribution off the bench, the Mystics would finish as the number 1 seed with a 26–8 record, receiving a double-bye to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Mystics defeated the Las Vegas Aces 3–1, advancing to the WNBA Finals for the second year in a row. Meesseman's presence and off-the-bench heroics earned her Finals MVP honors as the Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun in five games. Meesseman became the first European player to be named Finals MVP and only the second international player in league history (the first was Lauren Jackson).[citation needed]

In 2020, the season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 5 August 2020 Meesseman scored a season-high 24 points along with 13 rebounds in a 83–77 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.[27] During the season, the Mystics were shorthanded with key players leaving in free agency and sitting out for health concerns as they finished 9–13 with the number 8 seed. Meesseman had returned to the starting lineup with increased playing time. They would lose 85–84 to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round elimination game.[citation needed]

Ahead of the 2022 season, Meesseman signed with the Chicago Sky, where she was reunited with her Belgian national teammates Julie Allemand and Ann Wauters (with the latter serving as an assistant coach).[28]

International

[edit]

Meesseman made her debut for Belgium at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship for Women. In the final, Meesseman led the team to victory 77–49 over France, herself scoring 25 points, and was named tournament MVP.[29] On 25 November 2015 she scored 31 points, made seventeen rebounds and five assists for the women's senior team in a EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifier against Belarus.[citation needed]

EuroBasket

[edit]

Meesseman led Belgium to a best ever finish in EuroBasket Women 2017, a bronze medal, and was named to the All-Star Five of the tournament. With this finish in the top 5 of EuroBasket Women 2017, the Belgium women's national basketball team qualified for the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Before this, the Belgium women's national basketball team had never qualified for a World Championships or the Olympic Games.[30]

Continuing on from her strong performance at EuroBasket Women 2017, Meesseman led the Belgium women's national basketball team to a top finish in group C, besting (then second-ranked team in the world) Spain. The Belgian Cats next beat (the then third-ranked team in the world) France in the quarter-final only to lose against the top-ranked team in the world (USA) in the semi-final. Beaten in the bronze medal game by Spain, the Belgian women registered a 4th-place finish at their first FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Meesseman, averaging the most rebounds per game (10.7) and the second most points per game (18.5) at the tournament, was selected to the Tournament All-Star Five.[31]

Meesseman led Belgium to their first ever title in EuroBasket Women 2023 at the final after defeating Spain,[32] was named MVP of the tournament and to the All-Star Five of the tournament.[33] Meesseman also made history after becoming the first ever player to claim a triple-double at the event.[34] With their first ever title by winning the EuroBasket Women 2023, the Belgium women's national basketball team qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

Olympic Games

[edit]

In 2020 the Belgian Cats, with Meesseman, qualified for the Olympic games in Tokyo.[35][36] She was later also named the TISSOT MVP at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ostend.[37] At the 2020 Summer Games, she led the Belgium women's national basketball team to the quarter-finals, having defeated Australia and Puerto Rico and lost to China in the pool phase. In the quarterfinals, Belgium then suffered a loss to home team Japan.[38] At the end of the tournament, she was elected to the All-Star Five of the tournament, having posted the best points per game, steals and efficiency in the tournament.[39]

In February 2024, Belgium hosted one of the three Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in Antwerp and secured on home soil a Paris 2024 quota spot.[40] Meesseman was later one of Belgium's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Belgium basketball player to receive this honor.[41][42]

In the Paris Olympics, the Belgian national team advanced to the semifinals for the first time ever after defeating Spain 79-66 in the quarterfinals. Meesseman was the best scorer in the Belgian team with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.[43] In the semifinal overtime loss, 75-81, against France, Meesseman was the game's top scorer with 19 points, including a game-tying three-pointer 8 seconds before the end of regulation.[44] In the bronze medal game, Meesseman scored 23 points, but Belgium lost to Australia 81-85, missing out on a medal.[45] At the end of the tournament, she was once again elected to the All-Star Five of the tournament,[46] having posted the best points per game and efficiency in the tournament.

Career statistics

[edit]
Legend
  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
† Denotes seasons in which Meesseman won a WNBA championship

WNBA

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
WNBA regular season statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2013 Washington 34 1 14.7 .446 .000 .810 3.1 1.2 0.5 0.7 0.8 4.4
2014 Washington 34 34 27.4 .520 .000 .909 6.4 2.5 1.4 1.0 1.7 10.1
2015 Washington 34 34 27.2 .556 .462 .829 6.3 1.7 0.9 1.3 1.2 11.6
2016 Washington 34 34 29.3 .533 .448° .800 5.6 2.3 1.2 0.7 1.2 15.2
2017 Washington 23 21 28.4 .482 .318 .870 5.7 2.8 0.9 1.5 1.7 14.1
2019† Washington 23 6 23.6 .552 .422 .905 4.2 3.2 0.9 0.7 1.0 13.1
2020 Washington 20 20 31.7 .454 .289 .829 5.3 4.5 1.2 0.8 2.0 13.0
2022 Chicago 36 36 28.6 .571 .342 .887 5.5 3.8 1.4 0.8 1.4 12.4
Career 8 years, 2 teams 238 186 26.1 .522 .371 .854 5.3 2.6 1.1 0.9 1.4 11.5

Playoffs

[edit]
WNBA playoff statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2013 Washington 3 0 12.5 .455 .000 .667 1.3 1.0 0.0 1.0 1.3 4.0
2014 Washington 2 2 33.3 .526 .000 1.000 8.0 0.0 1.5 1.0 4.0 12.5
2015 Washington 3 3 33.1 .379 .250 .667 6.7 1.3 0.0 1.3 1.6 9.0
2017 Washington 5 5 31.2 .302 .231 .700 5.4 2.6 1.4 1.6 0.6 9.6
2019† Washington 9 3 28.2 .582 .516 .824 5.6 2.4 1.1 0.9 0.9 19.3
2020 Washington 1 1 35.0 .533 1.000° .000 3.0 4.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 18.0
2022 Chicago 8 8 29.6 .470 .300 .833 4.0 3.5 1.5 0.9 1.1 11.1
Career 7 years, 2 teams 31 22 28.5 .477 .429 .787 4.9 2.4 1.1 1.1 1.2 12.7

Personal life

[edit]

Meeseman's mother, Sonja Tankrey, is a former basketball player.[47] She was the Belgian Women's Basketball Player of the Year in 1983.[48]

Meesseman speaks fluent Dutch, French and English. Meesseman was also born with 50% hearing. She wears hearing devices behind both ears to compensate for her lack of hearing.[49]

Honours and awards

[edit]

Team

[edit]

Blue Cats Ieper

[edit]
  • Belgian National League Champion: 2011-12

ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq

[edit]
  • French Cup Finalist: 2013-14

UMMC Ekaterinburg

[edit]

Washington Mystics

[edit]
  • WNBA Finals Champion: 2019

Fenerbahçe

[edit]

National Team

[edit]

Individual

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". fiba.basketball. FIBA. 8 August 2021.
  2. ^ "A'ja Wilson crowned Paris 2024 MVP to headline All-Star Five". fiba.basketball. FIBA. 11 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b "MVP Meesseman headlines EuroLeague Women Awards winners". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Meesseman named back-to-back MVP to lead EuroLeague Women Awards". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  5. ^ All-EuroLeague Women First Team announced fib.basketball
  6. ^ Winners of EuroLeague Women Awards announced fiba.basketball
  7. ^ "EMMA MEESSEMAN PRESENTED WITH AWARD". eurobasketwomen2013.com. 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  8. ^ Playing basketball and studying Emma Meesseman is February young player of the month
  9. ^ Emma Meesseman talks about Russia vs. the WNBA
  10. ^ "Blue Cats Ieper Belgisch kampioen vrouwenbasket" (in Dutch). hln.be. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Emma MEESSEMAN". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  12. ^ "UMMC Ekaterinburg acquires Emma Meesseman from Sparta&k". 10 February 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  13. ^ Emma Meesseman signed with Fenerbahçe Safiport
  14. ^ "Mystics All-Star silent no more". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Dolson has brought the best out of Meesseman". ESPN.com. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  16. ^ "Pierson lifts Shock past Mystics". sportsnetwork.com. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  17. ^ Wang, Gene (21 July 2015). "Mystics' Dolson, Meesseman selected to WNBA All-Star Game". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Meesseman signs extension with the Mystics through 2019". Bullets Forever. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  19. ^ Ward, Elle (17 September 2016). "Emmma Meesseman leads league in three-point shooting". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  20. ^ "05/14/17: San Antonio Stars @ Washington Mystics – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Transactions – WNBA". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  22. ^ Wang, Gene (12 May 2017). "Mystics welcome Emma Meesseman back for first practice". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  23. ^ "Recap: Meesseman scores career-high 30 to lead Mystics to 77–70 win". Bullets Forever. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  24. ^ Capital One Arena Wednesday, September 6, 2017
  25. ^ Madison Square Garden Sunday, September 10, 2017
  26. ^ Emma Meesseman to miss 2018 WNBA season, will return in 2019
  27. ^ Wilson, Robinson each score 20, Aces beat Mystics 83-77
  28. ^ Voepel, Mechelle (18 February 2022). "Meesseman inks deal with WNBA champion Sky". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  29. ^ "Meesseman Leads All Tournament Team". FIBA Europe. 14 August 2011.
  30. ^ "MVP Torrens leads All-Star Five". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  31. ^ "Stewart named TISSOT MVP, headlines All-Star Five line-up in Tenerife". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  32. ^ "Belgian Cats comeback seals historic first FIBA Women's EuroBasket crown". www.FIBA.com. 25 June 2023.
  33. ^ "Meesseman takes TISSOT MVP award to lead TISSOT All-Star Five in Ljubljana". www.FIBA.com. 25 June 2023.
  34. ^ "Magic Meesseman posts first ever triple-double in FIBA Women's EuroBasket history". www.FIBA.com. 22 June 2023.
  35. ^ De Belgian Cats gaan naar Tokio! Ze maken hun droom waar na zege tegen Zweden Sporza.be, 9 February 2020, article in Dutch
  36. ^ Belgium Latest qualifier games FIBA basketball website
  37. ^ a b Meesseman crowned TISSOT MVP to lead All-Star Five
  38. ^ "One of all-time great women's games headlines Quarter-finals day in Tokyo". www.FIBA.com. 4 August 2021.
  39. ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". www.FIBA.com. 8 August 2021.
  40. ^ "2024 FIBA Women's Basketball Olympic Qualifier Tournaments: Belgium beat Senegal to secure Paris 2024 quota spot". www.olympics.com. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  41. ^ "Ontdek de vlaggendragers van Team Belgium voor Parijs 2024!" (in Dutch). Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  42. ^ "Découvrez les porte-drapeaux du Team Belgium pour Paris 2024 !" (in French). Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  43. ^ "Historic! Belgian Cats claim first ever Semi-Finals ticket". www.fiba.basketball. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  44. ^ "France make dream home Final after OT classic with the Cats". www.fiba.basketball. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  45. ^ "Monster 45 efficiency of Magbegor bags Opals bronze". www.fiba.basketball. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  46. ^ "A'ja Wilson crowned Paris 2024 MVP to headline All-Star Five". www.fiba.basketball. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  47. ^ "MEESSEMAN, THE RELUCTANT BELGIAN STAR". Fibaeurope.com. 2 September 2012.
  48. ^ Larsimont, Bert (18 April 2013). "Making sense of the Mystics' Meesseman mystery pick". fullcourt.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  49. ^ Giannotto, M. (18 June 2013). "Washington Mystics' Emma Meesseman overcomes hearing disorder". The Washington Post.
  50. ^ "Fenerbahce Alagoz Holding crowned EuroLeague Women champions". fiba.basketball. 15 April 2023.
  51. ^ "Wielrennen boven op het Sportgala: Remco Evenepoel en Lotte Kopecky zijn Sportman en Sportvrouw van het Jaar" (in Dutch). Het Nieuwsblad. 10 December 2023.
  52. ^ Emma Meesseman Named WNBA Finals 2019 MVP
  53. ^ Valerie Hardie (6 December 2019). "Vlaamse Reus gaat naar Emma Meesseman, winnares WNBA laat Nina Derwael achter zich (article in Dutch)". HLN.
  54. ^ "Meesseman wint haar eerste Vlaamse Reus, voor Derwael en Campenaerts (article in Dutch)". Sporza. 6 December 2019.
  55. ^ Marc Vermeiren (11 December 2019). "Opnieuw prijs: Emma Meesseman wint ook Vlaams Sportjuweel (article in Dutch)". Het Nieuwsblad.
  56. ^ (2019-20) All-EuroLeague Women First Team announced, sur fiba.basketball, 29 avril 2020 (consulté le 30 avril 2020).
  57. ^ Emma Meeseman uitgeroepen tot sportvrouw van het jaar Focus-wtv.be
  58. ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". fiba.basketball. 8 August 2021.
  59. ^ "Meesseman takes TISSOT MVP award to lead TISSOT All-Star Five in Ljubljana". fiba.basketball. 25 June 2023.
  60. ^ "Ereteken van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap 2023". vlaanderen.be (in Dutch). 1 July 2023.
  61. ^ https://x.com/FIBA/status/1822665811699314952 [bare URL]
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