Kenyan basketball forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa has been drafted to the Los Angeles Sparks squad for the 2022 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Along with Christyn Williams and Evina Westbrook, they were selected in the second round of the WNBA draft on Monday night.
Nelson-Ododa, whose father Sebastian Ododa represented Kenya at the 1987 All African Games in Nairobi, was taken 19th overall in the second round Monday by the L.A. Sparks.
The 6-foot-5 forward/center averaged 9.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists for UConn this past season.
She led the Huskies with a 59.5 percentage shooting clip from the field and was a 2022 All-Big East First Team selection.
“I think with Olivia, it’s the consistency she has shown throughout her career in terms of getting better each year,” said Sparks coach Derek Fisher.
“When you play at a high-level program the way she has over the last four years, going to four consecutive Final Fours, she has played a lot of basketball.”
Known for her play in the post, Nelson-Ododa averaged 1.7 blocks per game in 2021-22.
Olivia, who will turn 22 on August 17 , was named the Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2020-21 and will look to establish herself in the WNBA with her prowess on that end of the floor.
“She’s all about winning, and that’s what we want to continue to build in L.A.,” Fisher said.
Nelson-Ododa will join fellow UConn alum Katie Lou Samuelson, who signed with Los Angeles this offseason.
Last year, Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Secretary General Ambrose Kisoi told Nation Sport that Olivia was on Kenya’s radar.
“We were unable to convince her to play for Kenya. She is more interested in trying to get a spot on the US team,” KBF Assistant Secretary General Angela Luchivya confirmed on Tuesday.
Olivia, an All-BIG EAST First Team Selection in 2022, played in 133 total games for the Huskies, holding career averages of 9.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
She helped lead UConn to four consecutive Final Fours in her collegiate career.
“Olivia Nelson-Ododa was a contributor on both ends of the floor for a UConn program that went to four consecutive Final Fours in her tenure,” Fisher said.
“We’re excited to see how her size, length, rebounding, and passing ability can translate at the next level.
Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles Sparks are one of three original franchises in the WNBA. The Sparks have won three WNBA Championships (2001, 2002, 2016), have qualified for the playoffs in 20 of their 25 seasons and remain the only active team in the league to win back-to-back titles.
Olivia has won bronze with USA in 2016 FIBA U17 World championship and gold in 2018 FIBA Americas U-18 championship.
Westbrook and Williams have been drafted by Seattle and Washington respectively. Additional reporting by Los Angeles Sparks.
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