Kiana Williams

Kiana Williams
Personal information
Born (1999-04-09) April 9, 1999 (age 25)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Listed weight140 lb (64 kg)
Career information
High schoolKaren Wagner
(San Antonio, Texas)
CollegeStanford (2017–2021)
WNBA draft2021: 2nd round, 18th overall pick
Selected by the Seattle Storm
Playing career2021–present
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
Career history
2021–2022Seattle Storm
2021–2022Adelaide Lightning
2022Connecticut Sun
2022–2023Ceglédi EKK
2023–2024Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor
2024Seattle Storm
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2019 Lima Team

Kiana Williams (born April 9, 1999) is an American basketball player who last played for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted 18th overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2021 WNBA draft after playing college basketball at Stanford.[1]

College career

Senior season

In her senior season, Williams was named an All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association, Associated Press, and Women's Basketball Coaches Association.[2][3] In the 2021 Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament, she put up 26 points in the championship match and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.[4]

With the 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament being held in her hometown San Antonio, Williams helped lead the Cardinal to their first national championship since 1992 and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player in the Alamo Region.[5] After winning the national championship, Williams and her Stanford teammates donated the ping-pong table the university bought for them in the tournament bubble to the Eastside Boys and Girls Club, where the San Antonio native Williams had spent time growing up.[6]

Williams declared for the WNBA draft at the end of the season, finishing her collegiate career at the program's career 3-point leader and did not miss a game, starting 128 consecutive games over her career.[7][8]

Professional career

Seattle Storm (2021)

Williams was drafted by the Seattle Storm in the second round of the 2021 WNBA draft with the 18th overall pick.[1] Considered a longshot to make the Storm roster with one of the deepest backcourts in the WNBA, Williams made the final roster for the opening game of the 2021 season.[9][10] She was released from the Seattle Storm roster on June 28, 2021. On October 25, 2021 she signed to play overseas with the Adelaide Lightning.[11]

Phoenix Mercury

On March 1, 2022, Williams signed a training camp contract with the Phoenix Mercury prior to the 2022 WNBA season.[12] She was ultimately released at the end of training camp and did not make the roster.

Seattle Storm (2022)

Williams signed a hardship contract with the Storm on May 27, 2022, and played 3 games with the Storm before being released from her hardship.

Connecticut Sun

On July 27, 2022, Williams signed a 7-Day Contract with the Connecticut Sun.[13]

Seattle Storm (2024)

On February 23, 2024, Williams signed a training camp contract with the Storm[14] and made the final roster. On July 2, 2024, she was waived by the Storm.[15] On July 5, 2024, she was re-signed by the team to a seven-day contract[16] and then to a second one on July 14.[17] Upon its expiration on August 18, Williams was released by the Storm.[18]

National team career

Williams played for the United States women's national basketball team at the 2019 Pan American Games, where they earned a silver medal after placing second.[19][20]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

WNBA

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2021 Seattle 10 0 3.5 .143 .167 1.000 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.4
2022 Seattle 3 0 9.0 .250 .250 .000 0.7 1.7 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.7
Connecticut 1 0 3.0 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2023 Did not play (waived)
2024 Seattle 13 0 3.5 .250 .333 .000 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.8
Career 3 years, 2 teams 27 0 4.1 .226 .263 1.000 0.3 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.7

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2017–18 Stanford 35 26 25.7 .414 .384 .818 1.7 1.9 0.9 0.1 1.1 10.4
2018–19 Stanford 36 36 34.5 .422 .367 .793 2.8 4.7 1.2 0.1 2.4 14.3
2019–20 Stanford 33 33 34.2 .416 .347 .840 3.2 3.8 1.1 0.0 2.1 15.0
2020–21 Stanford 33 33 32.3 .410 .383 .895 2.0 3.1 1.3 0.0 1.5 14.0
Career 137 128 31.6 .416 .370 .833 2.4 3.4 1.1 0.1 1.8 13.4

Personal life

Williams is the daughter of LaChelle and Michael Williams and has three older brothers.[21] During Stanford's tournament run in 2021, Williams' father, a former barbecue joint owner, delivered homemade meals to the team's hotel.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b "2021 WNBA Draft: Seattle Storm draft Stanford G Kiana Williams". NBC Sports Northwest. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  2. ^ "McDonald and Williams selected as WBCA All-Americans". Pac-12 Conference. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Pac-12 women's basketball standouts honored as USBWA All-Americans". Pac-12 Conference. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Kiana Williams helps Stanford stomp UCLA, win Pac-12 Tournament". Santa Cruz Sentinel. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  5. ^ Stanford Women's Basketball [@StanfordWBB] (March 31, 2021). "he Alamo Region Most Outstanding Player... 𝐊𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐌𝐒 #GoStanford" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "San Antonio Proud: National Champion Kiana Williams gives back". FOX San Antonio. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Kiana Williams becomes 27th Cardinal drafted to play in the WNBA". Stanford University. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Stanford point guard Kiana Williams declares for WNBA draft". ESPN. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Stanford standout Kiana Williams is a longshot to make the Storm's roster. But she's excited for the chance to prove she belongs". Seattle Times. April 28, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  10. ^ "SEATTLE SETS ROSTER FOR SATURDAY'S HOME OPENER". Seattle Storm. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Adelaide (October 25, 2021). "KIANA SHOOTING STORM READY TO HIT ADELAIDE". Adelaide Lightning. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  12. ^ Ortiz, Jenna. "Local product Kristine Anigwe among four added to Phoenix Mercury training camp roster". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  13. ^ "Connecticut Signs Kiana Williams". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  14. ^ "Storm make several roster moves, including bringing back Kiana Williams". The Seattle Times. 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  15. ^ "Storm waives guard Kiana Williams". storm.wnba.com. WNBA. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "Storm re-signs Kiana Williams to seven-day contract". Seattle Storm. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  17. ^ Seattle Storm PR (2024-07-14). "ROSTER UPDATE". Twitter. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  18. ^ Yapkowitz, David (2024-08-19). "Storm make key roster decision on former Pac-12 star". ClutchPoints. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  19. ^ "USA women open Pan Am basketball tournament with a victory". Palo Alto Online. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Senior Spotlight: Kiana Williams". The Stanford Daily. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  21. ^ "Hear that? It's Kiana Williams' family, giving Stanford a home-court advantage this NCAA Tournament". The Athletic. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Joyful play from Stanford's Kiana Williams could help Cardinal win women's hoops title". USA Today. Retrieved 15 May 2021.