Ezi Magbegor Explained

Ezi Magbegor
Number:13
Team:Seattle Storm
Position:Center
League:WNBA
Birth Date:1999 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Wellington, New Zealand
Nationality:Australian
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lbs:181
High School:Lake Ginninderra College
(Canberra, ACT)
Draft League:WNBA
Draft Year:2019
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:12
Draft Team:Seattle Storm
Career Start:2017
Years1:2017–2018
Team1:Canberra Capitals
Years2:2018–2020
Team2:Melbourne Boomers
Years3:–present
Team3:Seattle Storm
Years4:2022–2023
Team4:Sopron Basket
Years5:2023–present
Team5:USK Prague
Highlights:
Wnba Profile:ezi-magbegor

Eziyoda Magbegor (born 13 August 1999) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and USK Prague of the EuroLeague Women and the Czech women's basketball league. Magbegor was a member of the Australian Women's basketball team (Opals) at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Opals were eliminated after losing to the USA in the quarterfinals.[1] She was part of the Australian team that won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Career

WNBL

After beginning her career in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) with Basketball Australia's development team, the Centre of Excellence, Magbegor did not take long to gain attention from professional leagues. In July 2017, Magbegor was signed by the Canberra Capitals for the 2017–18 WNBL season.[2]

In March 2018, it was announced that Magbegor had signed a three-year deal with the Melbourne Boomers.[3] Magbegor first suited up for the Boomers in the 2018–19 WNBL season, choosing to stay home in Australia working alongside the likes of Jenna O'Hea, Lauren Jackson and Guy Molloy despite several offers from US colleges.

In February 2020, Magbegor was named the Betty Watson Australian Youth Player of the Year (formerly the WNBL Rookie of the Year award) at the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) Awards, scoring 38 votes from a possible tally of 42 votes.[4]

In April 2022, Magbegor was part of the Melbourne Boomers championship team before moving to play basketball next season in Hungary [5]

WNBA career statistics

Regular season

|-|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2020| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle| 22 || 0 || 13.3 || .569 || .333 || .704 || 2.5 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 0.7 || 0.4 || 6.5|-| style='text-align:left;'|2021| style='text-align:left;'|Seattle| 30 || 3 || 15.2 || .506 || .556 || .846 || 3.9 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 6.7|-| style='text-align:left;'|2022| style='text-align:left;'|Seattle| 33 || 23 || 24.8 || .550 || .345 || .736 || 5.6 || 1.4 || 0.9 || 1.8 || 1.4 || 9.5|-| style='text-align:left;'|2023| style='text-align:left;'|Seattle| 40 || 40 || 32.6 || .513 || .385 || .699 || 8.1 || 2.6 || 1.1 || 1.9 || 2.4 || 13.8|-| style='text-align:left;'| Career| style='text-align:left;'| 4 years, 1 team| 125 || 66 || 23.0 || .528 || .387 || .731 || 5.4 || 1.4 || 0.8 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 9.7

Postseason

|-|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2020| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle| 6 || 0 || 5.8 || .222 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 1.0|-| style='text-align:left;'|2021| style='text-align:left;'|Seattle| 1 || 1 || 31.0 || .444 || 1.000 || .000 || 9.0 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 9.0|-| style='text-align:left;'|2022| style='text-align:left;'|Seattle| 6 || 0 || 31.0 || .583 ||  - || .667 || 2.7 || 1.0 || 0.7 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 5.0|-| align="left" | Career| align="left" | 3 years, 1 team| 13 || 1 || 12.2 || .476 || .333 || .800 || 2.5 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 3.5|}

National Team

Youth Level

Magbegor made her international debut at the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Russia, with the U19 Gems as a 16 year old. She then represented the U17 Sapphires at the 2015 Oceania Championships. Dominating the tournament, averaging 18 points per game and helping Australia take home Gold. Magbegor then lead the Sapphires to their inaugural World Championship title in Spain. After snapping team USA's 28-game win streak at U17 level, Australia went on to take home Gold. Alongside two of her teammates, Magbegor was named to the All-Tournament Team. In addition to this, she received the Most Valuable Player award.[6]

Senior Level

In December 2017, Magbegor was named to her first Opals squad, earning her a place in the first camp as preparations for this years upcoming tournaments got underway.[7] After taking part in the team camp in February, Magbegor was then named to the final roster for the 2018 Commonwealth Games where she would make her Opals debut.[8] Magbegor starred for the Opals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, having a standout game in Australia's win against the US in a pre-tournament friendly with 17 points, equal most in the game with Breanna Stewart. Magbegor then top scored for Australia during the Olympic tournament with 20 points and eight rebounds in the game against Belgium (her Olympic debut), and 15 points against China.[9]

Magbegor, like all the other members of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opals women's basketball team, had a difficult tournament. The Opals lost their first two group stage matches. They looked flat against Belgium and then lost to China in heartbreaking circumstances. In their last group match the Opals needed to beat Puerto Rico by 25 or more in their final match to progress. This they did by 27 in a very exciting match. However, they lost to the United States in their quarterfinal 79 to 55.[10]

Magbegor returned to the spotlight at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The Opals won the bronze medal with a win over Belgium. Magbegor starred in that match, scoring 30 points on 71 percent shooting, while also contributing 13 rebounds, three blocks, three assists and two steals. Her performance won her credit for both her offensive and defensive achievement.[11]

Personal life

Born in Wellington, New Zealand to Nigerian parents, Magbegor moved to Australia with her family at age six. One of Australian basketball's most promising talents, she has already been said to be the next Lauren Jackson.[12] [13] As of 2021, Magbegor is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychology at Deakin University;[14] she had initially been studying a Bachelor of Commerce in 2019.[15] She was inspired by Kobe Bryant to change degrees as she wanted to attain his "Mamba Mentality". In 2021, Magbegor was named as Deakin University's Female Sportsperson of the Year.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Basketball MAGBEGOR Ezi - Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 2021-10-13. olympics.com. en-us. 30 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210930104452/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/basketball/athlete-profile-n1328290-magbegor-ezi.htm. dead.
  2. News: UC CAPITALS NAME EZI MAGBEGOR WITH ONE-YEAR DEAL. WNBL . 5 July 2017 . wnbl.com.au. 22 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728073819/http://wnbl.com.au/uc-capitals-name-ezi-magbegor-one-year-deal/. 28 July 2017. live . Sod .
  3. Web site: EZI MAGBEGOR JOINS DEAKIN MELBOURNE BOOMERS FOR 3 YEARS. 27 March 2018 . wnbl.com.au.
  4. Web site: Congratulations Ezi Magbegor on your WNBL Award! . Deakin Life . Deakin University . 20 February 2020 . 20 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200220021551/https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/deakinlife/2020/02/19/congratulations-ezi-magbegor-on-your-wnbl-award/ . dead .
  5. Web site: Ezi Magbegor and Lindsay Allen moving to Europe next season . 14 May 2022 .
  6. Web site: Magbegor named MVP of 2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championship, headlines All-Star Five. https://web.archive.org/web/20160705051525/http://www.fiba.com/world/u17women/2016/news/magbegor-named-mvp-of-2016-fiba-u17-womens-world-championship-headlines-all-star-five. live. 5 July 2016. fiba.com.
  7. Web site: OPALS ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST CAMP AHEAD OF COMMONWEALTH GAMES. basketball.net.au. 28 March 2018. 14 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180814161220/http://basketball.net.au/opals-announced-for-first-camp-ahead-of-commonwealth-games/. dead.
  8. News: OPALS TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR 2018 GOLD COAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES. WNBL . 7 March 2018 . wnbl.com.au.
  9. Web site: Opals' reveal full extent of Liz Cambage trauma after Olympics disaster. news.com.au.
  10. Web site: Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021. 2021-10-14. The Roar. en-US.
  11. News: Australia's Opals hit Paris Olympics podium with victory in tense bronze-medal against Belgium. 2024-08-12. ABC News. en-US.
  12. Helmers, Caden (1 December 2017). Canberra Capitals Nat Hurst and Eziyoda Magbegor named in Australian Opals squad. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  13. Helmers, Caden (21 October 2017). Canberra Capitals young gun Eziyoda Magbegor forging her own legacy. The Canberra Times. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  14. Web site: Go Ezi and team! Meet the Deakin students representing Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games . Deakin Life . 7 July 2021 . Deakin University . 17 July 2021.
  15. Web site: Deakin student and Boomers star Ezi headed for the WNBA . Deakin Life . Deakin University . 24 April 2019 . 23 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210723015629/https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/deakinlife/2019/04/12/deakin-student-and-boomers-star-ezi-headed-for-the-wnba/ . dead .
  16. Web site: 2021 Deakin Sport Awards: Congratulations to our Sportsperson of the Year winners! . Deakin Life . 9 December 2021 . Deakin University . 13 December 2021.