Kiah Stokes

Kiah Stokes
No. 41 – New York Liberty
Position Center
League WNBA
Personal information
Born (1993-03-30) March 30, 1993
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight 191 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa)
College Connecticut (2011–2015)
WNBA draft 2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall
Selected by the New York Liberty
Playing career 2015–present
Career history
2015–present New York Liberty
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com

Kiah Stokes (born March 30, 1993) is an American basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She chosen by the Liberty with the No.11 pick in the first round of the 2015 WNBA Draft at Mohegan Sun Arena.[1] She played four years at the University of Connecticut where she was part of four consecutive Final Four teams and won three straight national championships [2013-15]. Prior to enrolling at UConn she played for Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa. She played on the USA Basketball U16 National Team, where she helped the team win the FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold Medal. She is the daughter of former NBA player Greg Stokes.

Early life

Stokes is the daughter of Greg Stokes and Julie Saddler and has one brother, Darius. Her father was an all-American basketball player at the University of Iowa, played for the Philadelphia 76ers and won gold with the 1983 USA Pan American Games Team.[2] When Stokes was only four years old, her father signed her up for a YMCA track team which was designed for five and six-year-olds. Despite being a year or two younger than everyone else she competed in the 60 yard dash and beat everyone by 20 yards. That's when he knew she might be a special type of athlete.[3]

High school

Stokes attended Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa. Stokes was a three-year starter at Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa, where she has started in 52 of 76 games played. In her freshman year in 2007-08, started in one of 25 games played and averaged 7.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.0 blocks to help Linn-Mar to a 22-3 record. She shot 60.0 percent from the field and 56.5 percent from the free throw line. As a sophomore, she had two triple doubles, and averaged 15.7 ppg., 12.5 rpg. and 6.7 bpg. to help Linn-Mar to a 24-1 record the 4A state semifinals. Stokes holds state sophomore and school record with 160 blocks in 2008-09. During her junior year, she averaged 19.9 ppg., 13.5 rpg. and 5.8 bpg. to help Linn-Mar to a 26-0 record and Iowa 4A state title. As a senior, Stokes averaged 25.0 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game in her final year at Linn-Mar High School. She was named the Iowa's 2010 Gatorade State Player of the year and honored as a 2011 McDonald's, Parade Magazine, WBCA All-American. She compiled 1,079 points, 867 rebounds and 515 career blocks which is the Iowa high school record for career blocked shots. In addition to basketball, she also participated in volleyball finished third at nationals in 2008.

USA Basketball

2009 U16 Mexico City

Stokes was selected to be a member of the first ever U16 team for USA Basketball. The team competed in the First FIBA Americas U16 Championship For Women held in Mexico City, Mexico in August 2009. Stokes averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She helped the team to a 5–0 record and the Gold medal at the competition. The win secured an automatic bid to the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.[4]

College career

Freshman year

Stokes ended her freshman campaign averaging 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in her 13.4 minutes per game. Stokes was second on the team in blocks as she averaged 1.4 denials per game. She led the Huskies in blocks in 13 of 38 contests. Stokes shot 60 percent from the field and 65.3 percent from the free throw line.She was named to the All-BIG EAST Rookie Team along with teammate Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.[5]

Sophomore year

Kiah Stokes, in her first career start, soars to secure the tip-off in the game against St. Johns 2013

As a sophomore in 2012-13, aided Connecticut to a 35-4 record and the 2013 NCAA National Championship. Stokes saw time in 32 games, averaging 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per contest. She was third on the team with 39 blocks, and as an efficient 35-53 from the field (.660) and dished-out 21 assists against 20 turnovers. Stokes recorded double-digit minutes in 17 games.

Junior year

Stokes helped lead her team to an undefeated 40-0 season and the 2014 National Championship. Stokes started two of 39 games and averaged 4.5 points and was third on the squad at 7.1 rebounds in only 18.5 minutes per contest. She recorded four double-doubles, after posting just one in her first two years, with double-digit rebounds on eight occasions. She had seven or more rebounds 21 times during the season.

WNBA Career

In two seasons, she has averaged 58.8 % in field goals, 65.4 % in free throws, and 6.3 points per game.[6]

Kiah Stokes and the New York Liberty played in the 2016 WNBA playoffs.

College statistics

Kiah Stokes Statistics at University of Connecticut[5]
Year G FG FGA PCT 3FG 3FGA PCT FT FTA PCT REB AVG A TO B S MIN PTS AVG
2011–12 36 65 108 .602 0 0 .000 32 49 .653 163 4.5 17 27 50 18 483 162 4.5
2012–13 32 35 53 .660 0 0 .000 18 30 .600 113 3.5 21 20 39 4 342 88 2.8
2013–14 39 69 115 .600 0 0 .000 37 53 .698 278 7.1 34 36 89 13 723 175 4.5
2014–15 39 73 128 .570 1 2 .500 30 40 .750 265 6.8 33 31 147 19 715 177 4.5
Totals 146 242 404 .599 1 2 .500 117 172 .680 819 5.6 105 114 325 54 2263 602 4.1

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ "MOSQUEDA-LEWIS AND STOKES SELECTED IN FIRST ROUND OF WNBA DRAFT". UConn Athletics. April 16, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kiah Stokes". USA Basketball. Retrieved 24 Jun 2014.
  3. ↑ Bacharach, Eric (July 21, 2015). "Kiah Stokes, Liberty rookie, shooting to be two-way player again". Newsday. Retrieved 23 Jul 2015.
  4. ↑ "First FIBA Americas U16 Championship For Women -2009". Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 "41 Kiah Stokes". Retrieved 22 Apr 2015.
  6. ↑ "Kiah Stokes WNBA career". WNBA.com. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Kiah Stokes Named Senior CLASS Award All-American". 3 April 2015. Retrieved 23 Apr 2015.
  8. ↑ "Storm's Jewell Loyd Headlines 2015 WNBA All-Rookie Team". www.wnba.com. WNBA. September 24, 2015. Retrieved 25 Sep 2015.
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