Kayla Alexander facts for kids
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| No. 40 – Valencia Basket | |||||||||||||||||
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| Centre | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 5, 1991 Milton, Ontario, Canada |
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| High school | Milton District (Milton, Ontario) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 186 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| College | Syracuse (2009–2013) | ||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the San Antonio Silver Stars | |||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2013–present | ||||||||||||||||
| League | Liga Femenina EuroLeague |
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| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2017 | San Antonio Stars | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | WBC Sparta&K | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | CJM Bourges Basket | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Samsung Life Blueminx | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Indiana Fever | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Adelaide Lightning | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Chicago Sky | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Arka Gdynia | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Minnesota Lynx | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | BC Castors Braine | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | ASVEL Féminin | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Tango Bourges Basket | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Valencia Basket | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Kayla Janine Alexander (born January 5, 1991) is a talented Canadian professional basketball player. She currently plays as a centre for Valencia Basket in Spain. This team competes in the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto and the EuroLeague. Kayla also played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange. After a great college career, she was chosen eighth overall in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars.
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Kayla's College Basketball Journey
Kayla Alexander played college basketball at Syracuse University from 2010 to 2013. During her four years there, she set many school records. She became Syracuse's all-time leader in points scored (2,024) and blocks (350). She also made the most field goals (736) and free throws (552). Kayla played in 140 games, which was also a school record. She was only the second player from Syracuse to be picked in a WNBA draft.
To honor her amazing achievements, Syracuse University retired Kayla's No. 40 jersey on December 8, 2024. This means no other player at Syracuse will wear that number again.
Kayla's WNBA Career Highlights
Kayla was drafted eighth overall in the 2013 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. From her first year, she was an important player for the Stars. She often came off the bench as a reserve centre. She was especially good at getting rebounds.
In the 2016 season, Kayla had her best year yet. She averaged 8.0 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. In 2017, she signed again with the Stars. On February 1, 2018, Kayla was traded to the Indiana Fever. This trade involved draft picks for future players. In 2019, she played briefly for the Chicago Sky, and in 2020, she joined the Minnesota Lynx.
Playing Basketball Overseas
When the WNBA season was over, Kayla often played basketball in other countries. This is called playing "overseas."
- Russia: In the 2015-16 WNBA off-season, Kayla played in Russia for WBC Sparta&K.
- France: In August 2016, she signed a short-term deal with CJM Bourges Basket in France.
- Poland: In early 2020, she signed with Arka Gdynia in Poland. However, she returned to Canada in March because the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Spain: On May 23, 2024, Kayla signed with Liga Femenina club Valencia in Spain. She will play for them in the 2024–25 season.
Kayla's Life Off the Court
Kayla Alexander has interests beyond basketball. She has shared that she wants to become a teacher after she stops playing professionally.
Her brother, Kyle, is also a professional basketball player. He has played for the Miami Heat in the NBA.
In 2019, Kayla wrote and drew pictures for a children's book called The Magic of Basketball. Her sister, Kesia, helped write the book too. Kayla is also a strong Christian and often shares about her faith on social media.
