These WNBA players’ personalities come through when they let their game faces and hair down. Many of them have taken part in photo shoots and modeling, and some have even gained thousands of followers on social media.
These women, however, are more than just attractive faces. These tall beauties tear up domestic and international ball courts through hard work and dedication, garnering praise from their teams and nations as well as awards and honors.
Abby Bishop
Abby Bishop is a tall, 6’2″ professional basketball forward/center who was born in Australia in 1988. She played basketball for Australian basketball teams as well as the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, where she started her WNBA career in 2010.
Wilson left the Seattle Storm in 2011 to concentrate on the Olympics after assisting them in capturing their second WNBA championship. She won the 2012 Olympic bronze medal while playing for the Australian Adelaide Lightning team. In 2015, she rejoined Seattle Storm.
Aerial Powers
Aerial Powers, a native of Detroit, began his high school career by winning four straight regional championships. She continued to excel while attending Michigan State University, breaking tournament single-game records, winning Player of the Year, and winning a gold medal at the World University Games.
She was a professional baller who played for the Washington Mystics in the 2019 WNBA championship and was a member of the 2016 WNBA All-Rookie Team. She later signed with the Minnesota Lynx for a salary of $190,550 as an unrestricted free agent.
Katie Lou Samuelson
In 2013 and 2014, Katie Lou Samuelson won the FIBA U-16 and U-17 World Championships to start her high school career. Later, while playing for UConn, she reached the milestone of 2,000 career points.
Samuelson, who was selected by the Chicago Sky as the fourth overall pick, dominated the court before being traded to the Dallas Wings, who waived her prior to the start of the season. Her sister Karlie joined her as a teammate with the Seattle Storm after she was traded there, where she now makes $60,069 a year.
Kaila Charles
Kaila Charles received over thirty scholarship offers as a result of her championship-winning high school athletic career. She joined the Maryland Terrapins, staying close to home, and recorded a double-double in her first game.
Charles was selected by the Connecticut Sun in the 2020 draft as a shooting guard and small forward, earning a $60,946 yearly salary. Her mother and sister, who competed for Antigua and Barbuda in the Olympics, are among the athletes in Charles’ family.
Cheyenne Parker
Standing at a commanding 6’4″, power forward Cheyenne Parker has been sweeping the court with grace since her high school days. She was the Chicago Sky’s fifth-overall pick in the 2015 draft, and her breakthrough season in 2018 featured a career-high average of 20 points and 13 rebounds.
It was Parker’s best season despite the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the 2020 campaign. She has also participated in international competitions for China, Poland, South Korea, and France. Parker signed a contract with the Atlanta Dream in 2021, receiving a $185,000 yearly salary.
Brittany Jackson
At the University of Tennessee, Brittany Jackson played for Coach Pat Summitt after being named a WBCA All-American in high school. While attending Tennessee, she consistently advanced to the NCAA Final Four and helped the team win two titles.
With the San Jose Spiders, Jackson’s WNBA career got underway in 2006. She has also represented Poland and Turkey internationally. She left the Atlanta Dream to pursue modeling and coaching at basketball academies after finishing her career there.
Kalani Brown
The Brown family has a long history in athletics. She won numerous awards while playing basketball at Baylor and in high school. She is the daughter of former NBA champion P. J. Brown. In 2018, Baylor retired her digit.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Brown with the 7th overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he stands an impressive 6 feet 7 inches tall. She currently works as a center for the Atlanta Dream and earns $58,710 annually.
Elena Delle Donne
Elena Delle Donne was a well-known player on the court even in high school. She holds the record as the only student to score over 2,000 points and led teammates at Ursuline Academy to multiple state championship victories.
Her successful collegiate career led to the Chicago Sky selecting her in the second round of the 2013 draft. She currently earns $224,870 a year playing small forward and shooting guard for the Washington Mystics. She has three gold medals from the Olympics and the World Cup.
Candice Wiggins
From a young age, Candice Wiggins established her dominance on the court. Wiggins received basketball scholarships to Stanford University and lettered all through high school. In 2008, he was selected by the Minnesota Lynx.
Throughout her career, she received numerous accolades and awards, including three gold Olympic medals. Wiggins left his position in 2016 due to a hostile workplace. Since then, she has run a youth training camp, coached basketball and volleyball, and kept a personal blog.
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Kelsey Plum
Kelsey Plum, a point guard, was selected first overall by the San Antonio Stars in 2017. When the team’s name was changed to the Las Vegas Aces, she moved along with the group. The Aces and Plum made the playoffs in 2019 for the first time in five years.
Plum’s contract with the Aces was extended by two years in May 2020, with a $350,000 yearly salary. She missed the 2020 season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury and needing surgery to repair it, but she made a comeback in 2021.
Candace Parker
Candace Parker took up basketball at a young age, following in the footsteps of her older brother Anthony, and continued to excel through high school. She was the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game while playing for the Tennessee Lady Vols, dominating the college court.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected her first overall in the initial draft. She signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Sky in 2021, which made sense given that she is originally from Chicago. Parker has won numerous accolades and highlights throughout her WNBA career, including two gold medals for the US at the Olympics. She has also appeared as an analyst on a few NBA games that have been broadcast on television.
Cayla George
Australian-born Cayla George has dominated basketball courts in Australia and the US with her 6 feet 4 frame and distinctive high ponytail. She has won medals at the Commonwealth Games, Asia Cups, and several World Cups.
The Phoenix Mercury marked the start of her WNBA career. She was later traded to the Connecticut Sun, who waived her, and the Dallas Wings only a few weeks later picked her up. She is currently playing for the Melbourne Boomers in Australia again. She earns $56,375 annually.
Alanna Smith
Australia’s Tasmanian city of Hobart is where Alanna Smith was born in 1996. She is yet another tall Australian on this list, measuring 6 feet 3 inches. She started out as a player for Stanford University in college. Smith represented Australia and won silver medals at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and 2018 FIBA World Cup.
She traveled abroad for a season with the Incheon S-Birds of South Korea. Smith now splits her time between the WNBA and Australia’s Adelaide Lightning. She is a power forward for the Phoenix Mercury at the moment, making $54,809.
Leilani Mitchell
American-Australian Point guard for the Washington Mystics, Leilani Mitchell, signed as a free agent, earning her a yearly salary of $123,500. She was selected by the Phoenix Mercury after her collegiate career, who later traded her to the New York Liberty in the offseason.
When she requested a leave of absence to visit her family in Australia, the Liberty granted it. After playing for several Australian teams, she left for the United States. She has also participated in off-season international basketball for Croatia and France.
Chiney Ogwumike
Chinenye “Chiney” Ogwumike, a power forward who is Nigerian-American, is more than just a celebrated player in the WNBA. She also holds the distinction of being the first Black woman and WNBA player to host a national radio program for ESPN.
She was selected first overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 draft, but a knee injury prevented her from playing in 2015. Her impressive resume includes two All-Star awards and three gold medals. Ogwumike makes $190,550 a year while playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.