Cecilia Zandalasini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cecilia Zandalasini

Zandalasini with the Minnesota Lynx in 2024
No. 24 – Golden State Valkyries
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1996-03-16) 16 March 1996 (age 29) Broni, Italy
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
Pro career	2010–present
League	WNBA
Career history
2013–2014	Geas Basket
2014–2018	PF Schio
2017–2018	Minnesota Lynx
2018–2021	Fenerbahçe
2021–2024	Virtus Bologna
2024	Minnesota Lynx
2024–2025	Galatasaray
2025–present	Golden State Valkyries
Career highlights and awards
WNBA Commissioner's Cup Champion (2024) 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship for Women MVP WNBA champion (2017) 2x Turkish Super League champion (2019, 2021) 2x Turkish Cup champion (2019, 2020) Turkish Presidential Cup champion (2019) Italian Supercup champion (2023)
Medals EuroBasket Bronze 2025 Greece

Cecilia Zandalasini (born March 16, 1996) is a talented Italian basketball player. She currently plays for the Golden State Valkyries in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Cecilia also represents her home country on the Italian national team. She was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship for Women.

Early Life and Youth Career

Cecilia Zandalasini was born in Broni, Italy. Her parents are Roberto Zandalasini and Paola Lombardi. When she was younger, she played for a team called Geas Basket. During her time there, she helped her team win six Italian youth club championships. This showed her amazing basketball skills from a young age!

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting with Geas Basket (2013–2014)

Cecilia began her professional career at just 17 years old. She played as a guard for Geas Basket during the 2013–14 season. She was a top scorer for her team, getting a total of 314 points in 20 games. That's about 15.7 points per game!

Playing for PF Schio (2014–2018)

After Geas Basket, Cecilia joined PF Schio in 2014. In her third season with the team (2016–17), they won the Coppa Italia. They also made it to the finals of the Serie A1 playoffs. Cecilia continued to shine in the EuroLeague Women postseason, where she led her team with 13.5 points per game.

EuroBasket Success

At the EuroBasket Women 2017 tournament, Cecilia had an incredible performance. She averaged 19.0 points per game, which was the second-highest in the event. She also grabbed 9.6 rebounds per game, ranking third overall. Because of her outstanding play, she earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Many people called her performance one of the best debuts ever at the EuroBasket Women's event.

Time with the Minnesota Lynx (2017–2018, 2024)

Zandalasini with the Minnesota Lynx in 2018

The Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA signed Cecilia in August 2017. This was near the end of their 2017 season. Even though she played limited minutes, the Lynx went on to win the WNBA championship that year!

In 2018, the Lynx re-signed Cecilia. She became a breakout player that season. She even made a game-winning shot at the buzzer against the New York Liberty in June. This helped her get more playing time and become known for her "sixth woman" role, meaning she was a key player coming off the bench.

Cecilia did not play for the Lynx in 2019 or 2020. This was due to her commitments with her international team and an ankle injury. She also chose not to play in the shortened 2020 season.

She returned to the Minnesota Lynx in 2024, signing a training camp contract. She successfully made the final roster and played for the team during the 2024 season.

Playing in Turkey: Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray

Zandalasini with Fenerbahçe in 2019

In July 2018, Cecilia signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahçe, a top women's basketball club in Turkey. She played there until 2021.

Later, on July 24, 2024, she signed with Galatasaray, another Turkish team in the Women's Basketball Super League. She played for Galatasaray until May 2025.

Return to Italy with Virtus Bologna (2021–2024)

In May 2021, Cecilia signed a two-year deal with the Italian club Virtus Bologna. The team played in the EuroCup Women and later the EuroLeague Women. Virtus Bologna reached the national finals in Italy for the first time in their history. However, they were defeated by Famila Schio in both 2022 and 2023.

Joining Golden State Valkyries (2025–present)

On December 6, 2024, Cecilia Zandalasini was chosen by the new WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries, in the league's expansion draft. This means she will be playing for the Valkyries starting in the 2025 WNBA season.

Career Statistics

WNBA Regular Season

WNBA Playoffs