Charlisse Leger-Walker has become the first New Zealander ever drafted to a Women’s National Basketball Association team.
The 24-year-old guard was chosen by the Connecticut Sun with the 18th pick in the draft, which took place in New York on Tuesday, New Zealand time. This is an important moment for New Zealand basketball and for young players who hope to follow the same path. Leger-Walker said she felt honoured and humbled by the achievement.
She will be only the second woman from New Zealand to play in the WNBA. The first was Megan Compain, who played for the Utah Starzz in 1997, almost 30 years ago. After the draft, Leger-Walker said she hoped people watching from New Zealand would believe they belong at that level. She said that if they aim high, they can be limitless.
Leger-Walker was born in Hamilton and comes from a family with a strong basketball background. Her sister Krystal and her mother Leanne have both played for the Tall Ferns. In 2018, she became the youngest player to appear for New Zealand’s senior women’s team when she made her debut at the Commonwealth Games at the age of 16. She went to school in Cambridge before moving to the United States to begin her college basketball career with Washington State in 2020.
Last year, she transferred to UCLA and helped the Bruins win this year’s NCAA title. Her strong performances made her a key part of the team’s success. Leger-Walker was the sixth UCLA player selected in the draft.
