UCLA Women’s Basketball Represented Across WNBA
LOS ANGELES – The 2021 WNBA season kicks off on Friday, May 14 and UCLA Women's Basketball is well represented on rosters throughout the league. Bruin alumnae Michaela Onyenwere ('21), Kennedy Burke ('19), Monique Billings ('18), and Jordin Canada ('18) have all made active WNBA rosters while UCLA Hall of Fame inductee Noelle Quinn ('07) serves as an assistant coach for the Seattle Storm. Kari Korver ('17) serves as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Sparks and the Bruins' Assistant Video Coordinator/Director of Creative Video, Rachel Schrote is the Sparks' Video Coordinator.
Michaela Onyenwere ('21) – Forward, New York Liberty – 1st Season
UCLA star Michaela Onyenwere enters her first season in the WNBA after being selected with the sixth overall pick by the New York Liberty in the 2021 WNBA Draft. Onyenwere finished her career with the Bruins as the No. 4 scorer in program history, compiling 1,888 points across her four seasons in Westwood. She also became the first two-time AP All-American in program history after receiving Third Team honors in each of her final two seasons. She joins a Liberty squad that went just 2-20 last season, but was without star guard Sabrina Ionescu for most of the year. Onyenwere figures to be an important contributor for Head Coach Walt Hopkins' young team.
Kennedy Burke ('19) – Guard, Seattle Storm – 3rd Season (1st with Storm)
Former Bruin guard Kennedy Burke is set to enter her third season in the WNBA and first with the Seattle Storm after she was traded away from the Indiana Fever this past offseason. Burke showed clear improvement across the board in her second year in the pros, making 11 starts for the Fever and averaging a career-high 7.7 points. She also increased her field goal percentage from 38.5 percent as a rookie to 44.9 percent this past season. She reunites with former Bruin teammate Jordin Canada in Seattle as the Storm look to capture their third WNBA title in four years. Burke compiled 1,515 points across her career with UCLA and was a member of the senior class that advanced to the Sweet 16 in four-straight seasons, including an Elite 8 appearance in 2018.
Monique Billings ('18) – Forward, Atlanta Dream – 4th Season
Monique Billings is back for her fourth season with the Atlanta Dream after a breakout campaign in 2020. The dynamic forward averaged career-highs in points (8.5 ppg) and rebounds (8.5 rpg) last season and started 16 of the Dream's 22 games. She compiled four double-doubles on the year, including a dominant opening-night performance that saw her put up 30 points and 13 rebounds in the Dream's win over Dallas (July 26). She looks to take another leap forward this season for the Dream, who just missed out on a playoff spot in 2020. Billings was one of UCLA's most prolific players, graduating in 2018 as the program's all-time leader in blocks with 228. She is No. 10 on UCLA's all-time scoring list with 1,761 points and second all-time in rebounds with 1,159. She helped lead the Bruins to a WNIT title in 2015 and an Elite 8 appearance in 2018.
Jordin Canada ('18) – Guard, Seattle Storm – 4th Season
Former UCLA star point guard Jordin Canada is back for her fourth season with the Seattle Storm, fresh off a WNBA title campaign in 2020. It was the second title in three years for Canada, who earned her first ring in 2018 as a rookie in Seattle. Canada did it all for the Storm this past season, putting up 7.9 points and 5.5 assists across 26 games. She totaled seven double-digit scoring games and notched 10 assists twice last season. She also put up 15 points in Seattle's closeout game against the Aces in the Finals (Oct. 6). Canada's fourth season in the WNBA follows an historic career in Westwood, one that saw her graduate as the program's all-time leading assister (831 ast) and second all-time leading scorer (2,153 points). She earned AP All-America honors after leading the Bruins to the Elite 8 in 2018 and picked up All-Pac-12 accolades for the third-straight season. She was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2015 and led the Bruins to a WNIT title.
Noelle Quinn ('07) – Assistant Coach, Seattle Storm – 3rd Season
UCLA Athletics Hall of Famer Noelle Quinn enters her third season as an Assistant Coach for the Seattle Storm following a 13-year playing career. She was elevated to the role of Associate Head Coach in 2020, helping the Storm to their second title in three years. Quinn joined the coaching staff after winning a title as a player with Seattle in 2018 to cap her professional playing career. Quinn compiled 1,867 points for the Bruins from 2003-07 and helped UCLA to a Pac-10 Tournament title in 2006.
Kari Korver ('17) – Director of Basketball Operations, Los Angeles Sparks – 2nd Season
Former Bruin sharpshooter Kari Korver enters her second season as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Sparks. Korver helped facilitate all operations and logistics for the Sparks during their stint in the "Wubble" in 2020 and sat on the bench with Head Coach Derek Fisher and the rest of the coaching staff. Korver is among the youngest executives in professional basketball.
Rachel Schrote – Video Coordinator, Los Angeles Sparks – 4th Season (3rd with Sparks)
UCLA Women's Basketball's Assistant Video Coordinator/Director of Creative Video Rachel Schrote enters her third season with the Los Angeles Sparks as the team's Video Coordinator. She supports the Sparks' coaching staff with all video operations needs. Schrote plays a pivotal assists with game, practice, and creative video operations for the Bruins and also plays a pivotal role on the team's coaching staff.