Leilani Mitchell facts for kids
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Mitchell with the Mercury in 2019
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| No. 5 – Southside Flyers | |||||||||||||||||
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| Point guard | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | June 15, 1985 Richland, Washington, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American / Australian | ||||||||||||||||
| High school | Kennewick (Kennewick, Washington) |
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| Listed height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 138 lb (63 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 25th overall | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Phoenix Mercury | |||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2008–present | ||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBL | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| 2008-2013 | New York Liberty | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | ASPTT Arras | ||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | ŽKK Novi Zagreb | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Dandenong Rangers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Sydney Uni Flames | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Phoenix Mercury | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Adelaide Lightning | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Washington Mystics | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Sydney Uni Flames | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Phoenix Mercury | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Canberra Capitals | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Southside Flyers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Washington Mystics | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Bendigo Spirit | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023–present | Southside Flyers | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Leilani Seamah Mitchell (born June 15, 1985) is a professional basketball player. She plays as a point guard for the Southside Flyers in Australia's Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Leilani was picked 25th in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury.
Leilani is a citizen of both the United States and Australia. She plays for the Australian women's national basketball team, known as the Opals. In 2019, she made history by becoming the first WNBA player to win the Most Improved Player Award twice. She was also part of the Opals team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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Early Life and Family
Leilani Mitchell was born in Richland, Washington, USA. Her father is American, and her mother was Australian. She is the only girl in her family, with five brothers: Tyler, Troy, Travis, Reggie, and Robbie. Leilani holds citizenship in both the United States and Australia. Sadly, her mother passed away from cancer in 2009.
High School Basketball Career
Leilani went to Kennewick High School in Kennewick, Washington. She was a key player for her high school team for four years. During her junior and senior years, she was named first-team all-state and all-conference. She also won the Big Nine Conference Player of the Year award as a senior. Leilani led Kennewick High School to the state championship games four times in a row. Her team even won the state title in 2000.
College Basketball Journey
Playing for Idaho Vandals
From 2003 to 2006, Leilani played basketball for the Idaho Vandals. She was named the 2004 Big West Freshman of the Year. She also set many school records during her time there. Leilani finished her time at Idaho as one of their top players. She ranked high in points, three-pointers, free throws, assists, and steals.
Transferring to Utah Utes
Leilani then moved to the University of Utah. She had to sit out the 2006–07 season due to NCAA rules. She played for the Utah Utes in the 2007–08 season. In her single season at Utah, Leilani helped her team achieve a great 27–5 record. She made 240 assists, which was the second-highest in the team's history. Leilani also won the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week award five times. After the season, she was named the Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year.
Professional Basketball Career
In the 2008 WNBA draft, the Phoenix Mercury picked Leilani 25th overall. She was then traded to the New York Liberty before the 2008 season began. At first, Leilani came off the bench as a substitute player. But on June 6, 2008, she started her first professional game. She scored 18 points, making all her shots, which was a great start! Fans loved her fearless style of play.
Leilani had a fantastic year in the 2010 WNBA season. She became the main starting point guard for the Liberty. She averaged 9.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. She also led the league in three-point shooting, making 48.6% of her shots. Leilani won the WNBA Most Improved Player Award in 2010. In 2011, she scored a career-high 24 points in a game against the Minnesota Lynx.
In 2014, Leilani took a break from the WNBA to spend time with her family in Australia. She returned to the WNBA in 2015, signing with the Phoenix Mercury. On June 12, she scored a then-career-high 25 points against the Indiana Fever. She also made some exciting game-winning shots for the Mercury. In 2016, she played for the Washington Mystics for a short time. She returned to the Phoenix Mercury in 2017.
In 2019, Leilani rejoined the Phoenix Mercury. On June 28, she achieved her first career "double-double" with 18 points and 11 assists. On July 30, she scored a then-career-high 28 points and tied a WNBA record by making 8 three-pointers in one game. Later, she set a new career-high with 29 points. Leilani finished the 2019 season averaging double-digit points for the first time. She also won the WNBA Most Improved Player Award again, becoming the first player to win it twice!
In February 2020, Leilani signed with the Washington Mystics. On September 4, she had her second career double-double with 20 points and 12 assists. She scored a playoff career-high 25 points in a close game against her former team, the Phoenix Mercury.
International Basketball Play
When the WNBA season is over, Leilani often plays basketball in other countries. She has played for teams in France and Croatia. Since 2013, she has played in the WNBL in Australia. She has won national championships with the Southside Flyers (2020), Canberra Capitals (2019), and Sydney Uni Flames (2017). In 2020, she was named the MVP of the Grand Final and the team MVP when the Southside Flyers won the championship.
Leilani has been a regular player for the Australian national team, called the 'Opals', since 2014. She won a bronze medal with the Opals at the 2014 World Championship. She also played for Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Opals had a tough tournament. They lost their first two games but managed to win their last group match by enough points to move on. However, they lost to the United States in the quarterfinals.
Personal Life
Leilani Mitchell has a family with her partner, Mikaela Dombkins, who is also a WNBL basketball player. They welcomed their son, Kash Maxwell, on July 24, 2018. On June 4, 2022, Leilani announced the birth of their daughter, Elle.
See also
In Spanish: Leilani Mitchell para niños
- List of Australian WNBA players
