Kelsey Griffin
 | |
| No. 23 – Bendigo Spirit | |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| League | WNBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
July 2, 1987 Eagle River, Alaska |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 179 lb (81 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Chugiak (Chugiak, Alaska) |
| College | Nebraska (2005–2010) |
| WNBA draft | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Lynx | |
| Playing career | 2010–present |
| Career history | |
| 2010–2014 | Connecticut Sun |
| 2010–2011 | Pecs 2010 |
| 2011–2012 | Maccabi Ramat Hen |
| 2012–present | Bendigo Spirit |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at WNBA.com | |
Kelsey Griffin (born July 2, 1987) is an American-Australian professional women's basketball player who last played for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted 3rd overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft. Griffin played college basketball with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Griffin was named to many All-America teams and was the winner of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Griffin is currently playing for the Bendigo Spirit in the Australian WNBL. Having obtained Australian citizenship in November 2015, Griffin pledged her allegiance to Australia before the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[1]
Early life
Griffin was born July 2, 1987 to Jim and Jan Griffin.[2] She grew up in Eagle River, Alaska, and attended Chugiak High School.[3] She has one older brother, Geoff Ferguson, and a younger sister, Jayme.
College
Griffin attended Nebraska for five years. She injured an ankle in the summer of 2008. After not being able to practice for 14 weeks, the decision was made to opt for surgery, so she miss the entire 2008–2009 season and was granted a redshirt season.[4]
Nebraska statistics
Source[5]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | Nebraska | 32 | 424 | 54.1 | 25.0 | 69.5 | 6.0 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 13.3 |
| 2006-07 | Nebraska | 32 | 480 | 54.6 | 11.1 | 72.3 | 8.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 15.0 |
| 2007-08 | Nebraska | 29 | 444 | 53.6 | 14.3 | 72.2 | 7.2 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 15.3 |
| 2008-09 | Nebraska | Redshirt | |||||||||
| 2009-10 | Nebraska | 34 | 685 | 59.6 | 25.0 | 75.6 | 10.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 20.1 |
| Career | Nebraska | 127 | 2033 | 55.8 | 20.5 | 72.7 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 16.0 |
Professional career
WNBA
The Minnesota Lynx had the third pick of the 2010 draft and selected Griffin. As she was about to pose for a picture with a Lynx jersey and WNBA President Donna Orender, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun for future draft picks.[6] In her rookie season for the Sun, Griffin averaged 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds and was able to earn a spot on the WNBA All Rookie Team.
Europe
Griffin played for Pécs 2010, a professional basketball team in Pécs, Hungary, playing in the Hungarian A league, one of the premier leagues in EuroBasketball. She led the team to a 23–1 record, which earned an entry in the championship series.[7]
Australia
Griffin signed with the Bendigo Spirit for the 2012/13 Australian Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Due to WNBA commitments, Griffin did not join the Spirit until six rounds into the season. Once cleared to play, she made an instant impact for Bendigo, averaging 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds per game. Griffin was instrumental in Bendigo's WNBL championship victory, claiming grand final MVP honours after scoring 20 points and collecting 11 rebounds. Despite missing close to a third of the season, Griffin finished sixth overall in the WNBL's end of season league MVP voting.
Awards and honors
- 2010—Lowe's Senior CLASS Award[2]
- 2010—WBCA First-Team All-American[2]
- 2010—AP First-Team All-American[2]
- 2010—USBWA First-Team All-American[2]
- 2010—Wooden First-Team All-American[2]
- 2010—Big 12 Player of the Year[2]
- 2013—WNBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player[8]
- 2013—WNBL Champion[8]
- 2014—WNBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player[9]
- 2014—WNBL Champion[9]
Notes
- ↑ Ward, Roy (November 17, 2015). Bendigo Spirit star Kelsey Griffin to receive Australian citizenship on Sunday. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "#23 Kelsey Griffin". Nebraska Huskers. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ↑ "Kelsey Griffin – Nebraska". WNBA. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ↑ "Griffin To Redshirt After Ankle Surgery". Nebraska Huskers. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ↑ "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 23 Sep 2015.
- ↑ Altavilla, John (6 May 2010). "Kelsey Griffin Fitting In With Sun". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ↑ "Kelsey Griffin among former Huskers excelling as pros". Husker Extra. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
- 1 2 Bourke, Adam (11 March 2013). "Griffin exceeds expectations". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 Bourke, Adam (9 March 2014). "Griffin has the winning Spirit". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 22 July 2014.