Aaliyah Edwards
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
.jpg) Edwards with the Washington Mystics in 2024 | |
| No. 24 – Washington Mystics | |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| League | WNBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 9, 2002 Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 174 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Crestwood Prep (Toronto, Ontario) |
| College | UConn (2020–2024) |
| WNBA draft | 2024: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Selected by the Washington Mystics | |
| Playing career | 2024–present |
| Career history | |
| 2024–present | Washington Mystics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Medals | |
Aaliyah Edwards (born July 9, 2002) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at UConn. Edwards played high school basketball at Crestwood Preparatory College, in Toronto, Ontario, where she led her school to three championships and played for Canadian national U16, U17 and senior FIBA Cup teams. Recruited by UConn's Geno Auriemma and the Huskies, Edwards excelled in her junior and senior seasons, both years appearing on NCAA women's All-America teams.
College career
[edit]Edwards graduated after playing with the UConn Huskies women's basketball team for four seasons.[1] As a junior, she averaged double-double of 18.3 points and 11 rebounds per game, an improvement from her sophomore season, when she averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The sturdy junior forward became the first UConn player with 20 points and 20 rebounds since Maya Moore in 2010.[2] Edwards was selected first-team All-Big East and second-team All-America as a senior, a season in which UConn narrowly lost against Iowa in the Final Four after playing to a record-breaking 14.4 million ESPN basketball viewers.
Professional career
[edit]WNBA
[edit]On April 15, 2024, Edawrds was selected in the first round of the 2024 WNBA draft as the sixth pick by the Washington Mystics.[3] On April 18, she signed her rookie scale contract with the team.[4]
Unrivaled
[edit]On October 29, 2024, it was announced that Edwards would appear and play in the inaugural 2025 season of Unrivaled, the women’s 3x3 basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.[5]
National team career
[edit]Edwards has won silver at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women's Americas Championship as part of the junior team, and then silver with the senior team at the 2019 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.
In July 2021, Edwards was named to Canada's 2020 Olympic team.[6][7]
Career statistics
[edit]| 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 |
WNBA
[edit]Regular season
[edit]Stats current through end of 2024 season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Washington | 34 | 17 | 21.8 | .490 | .000 | .507 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 7.6 |
| Career | 1 year, 1 team | 34 | 17 | 21.8 | .490 | .000 | .507 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 7.6 |
College
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | UConn | 29 | 6 | 21.8 | .689 | — | .636 | 5.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 10.7 |
| 2021–22 | UConn | 36 | 26 | 24.9 | .521 | .400 | .740 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 7.9 |
| 2022–23 | UConn | 37 | 37 | 32.5 | .589 | 1.000 | .773 | 9.0 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 16.6 |
| 2023–24 | UConn | 37 | 37 | 30.3 | .593 | .000 | .747 | 9.2 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 17.6 |
| Career | 139 | 106 | 27.7 | .593 | .333 | .736 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 13.4 |
Personal life
[edit]Edwards was born in Kingston, Ontario, to Jacqueline and Stanford Edwards. She wears purple and yellow braids to pay homage to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant.[citation needed] She is of Jamaican descent.[10]
Awards and honors
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Ewing, Lori (February 17, 2021). "Canada's Aaliyah Edwards shining in freshman season unlike any other at UConn". Canadian Press. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ Gonzalez, Isabel. "Aaliyah Edwards becomes first UConn player with 20 points, 20 rebounds in a game since Maya Moore". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
- ^ "Mystics Select Aaliyah Edwards with Sixth Pick in 2024 WNBA Draft". WNBA. April 16, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "Aaliyah Edwards - Transactions". Across the Timeline. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ @Unrivaledwbb (October 29, 2024). "AALIYAH EDWARDS IS UNRIVALED👑 28/30✅" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Canada's Tokyo 2020 women's basketball team announced". Basketball Canada. June 30, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
- ^ Awad, Brandi (June 29, 2021). "Team Canada's women's basketball squad ready to shoot for Olympic podium". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
- ^ "Aaliyah Edwards WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
- ^ "Aaliyah Edwards College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ "Player With Jamaican Descent Drafted To WNBA". www.radiojamaicanewsonline.com. April 16, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ Adamec, Carl. "UConn notebook: Sweet repeat for Lopez Sénéchal". Journal Inquirer. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ "Aaliyah Edwards". WNBA DRAFT. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
External links
[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
- Aaliyah Edwards at FIBA (also at FIBA Archive)
- Aaliyah Edwards international stats at Basketball-Reference.com
- Aaliyah Edwards at UConn Huskies
- Aaliyah Edwards at Olympedia
- Aaliyah Edwards at Olympics.com
- Aaliyah Edwards at Team Canada
- Aaliyah Edwards on Instagram