Former Utah Women’s Basketball Star Alissa Pili Goes No. 8 Overall In 2024 WNBA Draft

BROOKLYN, NY – Former Utah women’s basketball star Alissa Pili is heading to Minnesota after the Lynx took her No. 8 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Pili really turned heads as a prospect after posting up 37 points on the eventual National Champion South Carolina Gamecocks early in the year. Her performance was so strong that head coach Dawn Staley noted during a break in the game that they “could not stop her”.

The former Utah star is just one of many headliners in a strong 2024 WNBA class that many hope will have the same effect on the pro game as they did in college.

 

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Who Was Taken In The Top 10 Of The 2024 WNBA Draft?

1. Caitlin Clark- Indiana Fever
2. Cameron Brink- LA Sparks
3. Kamilla Cardoso- Chicago Sky
4. Rickea Jackson- LA Sparks
5. Jacy Sheldon- Dallas Wings
6. Aaliyah Edwards- Washington Mystics
7. Angel Reese- Chicago Sky
8. Alissa Pili- Minnesota Lynx
9. Carla Leite- Dallas Wings
10. Leila Lacan- Connecticut Sun

Alissa Pili ‘Wows’ In Custom Dress That Celebrates Her Samoan Heritage At 2024 WNBA Draft

Pili didn’t disappoint on the WNBA Draft orange carpet wearing a custom-made dress that celebrates her Samoan heritage.

Alissa Pili paid homage to her Samoan heritage in her custom-made dress. What. A. Queen!#GoUtes https://t.co/TAze7VpJPZ

— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) April 15, 2024

The Utah women’s basketball star gave KSL Sports a sneak peak of her custom dress during a sit-down interview that will be available later this summer.

 

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Pili has also drawn a lot of attention for being part Inupiaq (a Native tribe primarily located in Alaska and surrounding areas).

In fact, just about every place Pili went in 2024 she attracted large crowds of various Native tribes who were excited to see someone who looked like them playing basketball at a high level.

This is the crowd for @alissa_pili at a @UTAHWBB away game 😮 #RepresentationMatters pic.twitter.com/6aeCbojp05

— TOGETHXR (@togethxr) February 3, 2024

Alissa Pili’s Dominant Final Year For Utah Women’s Basketball

On average, Pili has been good for 21.4 points per game so far this season which ranks 13 in the NCAA. She also averaged 6.6 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists and was a 55 percent shooter from the field.

Pili set a new career high in points on December 1, 2023, against No. 1 South Carolina at 37 which caught national attention. Pili matched that figure against her old squad, also USC, later on January 19, 2024.

 

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The Utah forward became the fastest Ute in program history to reach 1000 career points (just at Utah) while eclipsing the 2,000-point mark for her entire career in 2024.

Last season, Pili was instrumental in helping the Utes to their first and only Pac-12 Title, as well as their first Sweet 16 berth since 2006. Pili also earned Pac-12 Player of the Year for her efforts.

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports

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