Kayla Alexander Explained

Kayla Alexander
Team:Valencia Basket
Number:40
League:Liga Femenina
EuroLeague
Position:Centre
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lbs:186
Birth Date:5 January 1991
Birth Place:Milton, Ontario, Canada
High School:Milton District (Milton, Ontario)
College:Syracuse (2009–2013)
Draft League:WNBA
Draft Year:2013
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:8
Draft Team:San Antonio Silver Stars
Career Start:2013
Years1:
Team1:San Antonio Stars
Years2:2015–2016
Team2:WBC Sparta&K
Years3:2016–2017
Team3:CJM Bourges Basket
Years4:2017–2018
Team4:Samsung Life Blueminx
Team5:Indiana Fever
Years6:2018–2019
Team6:Adelaide Lightning
Bbr Wnba:alexaka01w
Wnba Profile:kayla_alexander
Team7:Chicago Sky
Team8:Arka Gdynia
Years8:2019–2020
Team9:Minnesota Lynx
Team10:BC Castors Braine
Years10:2020–2021
Team11:ASVEL Féminin
Years11:2021–2022
Highlights:
Team12:Tango Bourges Basket
Years12:2022–2024
Team13:Valencia Basket
Years13:2024–present

Kayla Janine Alexander (born January 5, 1991) is a Canadian professional basketball player for Valencia Basket of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto and the EuroLeague. She played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange.[1] After a successful career with the Orange, Alexander was drafted with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars.

College career

Alexander played collegiately at Syracuse University from 2010 to 2013. After her four years, she was the school’s all-time leader in points (2,024), blocks (350), field goals (736), free throws made (552), free throws attempted (750) and games played (140). She became the second player from Syracuse to be selected in a WNBA draft.[2]

WNBA career

Alexander was drafted eighth in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. Since her rookie season, she's been a reserve center on the Stars' roster and a key contributor in rebounding. In the 2016 season, she averaged career-highs in scoring and rebounding with 8.0 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. In 2017, Alexander re-signed with the Stars in free agency.[3]

On February 1, 2018, Alexander was traded by the re-branded Las Vegas Aces along with a third-round pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for their second-round selection in the 2019 WNBA Draft.[4]

Overseas career

In the 2015-16 WNBA off-season, Alexander played in Russia for WBC Sparta&K. In August 2016, Alexander signed a short-term deal with CJM Bourges Basket of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball for the 2016-17 WNBA off-season.[5]

In early 2020, she signed with Arka Gdynia of the Basket Liga Kobiet, but returned to Canada that March due to the cancellation of the season at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

On May 23, 2024, Alexander signed with Liga Femenina club Valencia, for the upcoming 2024–25 season.[7]

Personal life

Alexander said she wanted to become a teacher once she retires from basketball.[8] Her brother, Kyle played for the Miami Heat.

In 2019, Alexander wrote and illustrated a children's book, The Magic of Basketball.[9] Her sister, Kesia, is credited as co-author.[10] [11]

Alexander is a devout Christian and frequently posts about her faith on social media.[12]

Career statistics

College

YearTeamGPFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2009-10Syracuse3654.2%0.0%70.1%4.80.10.61.910.8
2010-11Syracuse3554.9%0.0%76.6%6.90.00.72.614.8
2011-12Syracuse3749.5%0.0%74.7%7.50.30.62.614.8
2012-13Syracuse3251.8%0.0%72.6%8.70.30.62.917.9
Career14052.3%0.0%73.6%6.90.20.62.514.5
Source[13]

WNBA

Regular season

|-| align="left" | 2013| align="left" | San Antonio| 33 || 1 || 11.2 || .417 || .000 || .733 || 3.0 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 0.4 || 1.1 || 2.8|-| align="left" | 2014| align="left" | San Antonio| 33 || 0 || 9.0 || .434 || .000 || .839 || 2.0 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 0.7 || 2.8|-| align="left" | 2015| align="left" | San Antonio| 29 || 0 || 12.3 || .416 || .000 || .647 || 3.3 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 3.3|-| align="left" | 2016| align="left" | San Antonio| 25 || 0 || 19.6 || .546 || .000 || .754 || 4.5 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1.1 || 8.0|-| align="left" | 2017| align="left" | San Antonio| 34 || 10 || 15.4 || .582 || .000 || .909 || 3.1 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 0.9 || 6.2|-| align="left" | 2018| align="left" | Indiana| 30 || 0 || 8.6 || .541 || .000 || .824 || 2.2 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 0.6 || 2.7|-| align="left" | 2019| align="left" | Chicago| 3 || 0 || 6.7 || .750 || .000 || .750 || 2.3 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 3.0 |-| align="left" | 2020| align="left" | Minnesota| 16 || 0 || 5.6 || .533 || .000 || .625 || 0.9 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 0.4 || 2.3|-| align="left" | Career| align="left" | 8 years, 4 teams| 203 || 11 || 11.8 || .508 || .000 || .763 || 2.8 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 0.4 || 0.8 || 4.0

Playoffs

|-| align="left" | 2014| align="left" | San Antonio| 1 || 0 || 1.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0|-| align="left" | 2019| align="left" | Chicago| 2 || 0 || 1.5 || 1.000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.0|-| align="left" | Career| align="left" | 2 years, 2 teams| 3 || 0 || 1.9 || 1.000 || .000 || .000 || 0.7 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.3

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 29 Jul 2009, p. 12 . 2023-05-06 . news.milton.halinet.on.ca . en.
  2. News: Silver Stars Select Kayla Alexander with the No. 8 Pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft . 2017-09-26 . NBA.com.
  3. News: Stars Re-Sign Kayla Alexander - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. 2017-08-30. en-US.
  4. Web site: Indiana Fever Acquire Kayla Alexander in Trade With Las Vegas. WNBA.com. February 1, 2018. February 1, 2018.
  5. News: 2016-08-22 . 2016-2017 WNBA Overseas Signings - Women's Basketball 24.7 . en-US . Women's Basketball 24.7 . dead . 2017-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170930125329/http://www.womensbasketball247.com/2016/08/2016-2017-wnba-overseas-signings/ . 2017-09-30.
  6. News: Dichter . Myles . 18 March 2020 . Canadian athletes scramble to return home . CBC . 5 November 2022.
  7. Web site: Kayla Alexander, a top-notch addition for Valencia Basket . 2024-05-23 . www.valenciabasket.com . es.
  8. News: WBB: Center Kayla Alexander Drafted 8th . . 2017-09-26.
  9. Web site: Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 12 Sep 2019, p. 30 . 2023-05-06 . news.milton.halinet.on.ca . en.
  10. Web site: Nichols . Paula . Cseplo . Simone . September 8, 2020 . Kayla Alexander and The Magic of Basketball September 8, 2020 . 5 November 2022 . Olympic.ca.
  11. Web site: Loung . Steven . 1 July 2020 . Q&A: Kayla Alexander on playing for Canada, writing her children's book . 5 November 2022 . Sportsnet.ca . Rogers.
  12. Web site: 28 Christian Athletes to Cheer On at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Christianity Today. July 24, 2024. August 15, 2024.
  13. Web site: NCAA Statistics . 2017-08-28 . web1.ncaa.org.