Kayla Pedersen
Encyclopedia
Kayla Pedersen is an American basketball forward for Tulsa Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA). She was selected 7th overall in the 2011 WNBA Draft
. She was selected for the 2006 State Farm Holiday Classic all-tournament as a senior at Red Mountain High School
in Arizona. After attending high school she went to Stanford University
, where she had a highly successful career.
in Mesa, Arizona. She led her team to a 5A-DI state title as a senior. She set records for 5A with 2,611 points, 1,444 rebounds, 434 assists and 304 blocks.
(the coach at Stanford) has complemented her many times. In her freshman year, the team reached the final four, Pedersen being a huge contributor, averaging 12.6 points per game. She also averaged 8.4 rebounds a game. She was named Pac-10 freshman of the year. She also set a Stanford freshman record by starting all 39 games. They eventually lost to UConn (Connecticut) in the final four, but Pedersen managed 17 points and 7 rebounds and received much praise from the fans. During her remaining years in college, the Cardinals reached the final four every single year, with Pedersen being a consistent stand-out contributor. UConn continued to be a huge barrier to success for them, but Stanford finally beat them on December 30, 2011. However, they then went on to lose in the final four to Texas A&M. Pedersen has set Stanford's career record in both games (150) and minutes played (4,762), and she is seventh in the all-time points list (1,941 points).
by Tulsa Shock. She now plays for a Tulsa Shock team, where she has been contributing well. She averages 11.1 points per game. Former head coach, Nolan Richardson, once called her the "female Larry Bird-type player".
on April 14, 1989 to Kelli and Gary Pedersen. Her father played basketball at Saint Mary's in California. Her family later moved to Fountain Hills, Arizona when she was six years old, where she still resides. She has one younger brother, Kyle.
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). She was selected 7th overall in the 2011 WNBA Draft
2011 WNBA Draft
The 2011 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 11, 2011 at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut...
. She was selected for the 2006 State Farm Holiday Classic all-tournament as a senior at Red Mountain High School
Red Mountain High School
Red Mountain High School is a secondary school in Mesa, Arizona. It opened in 1988, with Robert Free the founding principal.-Athletics:-Notable alumni:*Brian Jennings - NFL player*Vance Wilson - MLB player...
in Arizona. After attending high school she went to Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where she had a highly successful career.
High School
Pedersen went to Red Mountain High SchoolRed Mountain High School
Red Mountain High School is a secondary school in Mesa, Arizona. It opened in 1988, with Robert Free the founding principal.-Athletics:-Notable alumni:*Brian Jennings - NFL player*Vance Wilson - MLB player...
in Mesa, Arizona. She led her team to a 5A-DI state title as a senior. She set records for 5A with 2,611 points, 1,444 rebounds, 434 assists and 304 blocks.
USA Basketball
Pedersen has three international gold medals; her first was in 2006 at under-18 level, her second as a member of the Under 19 Championships in 2007, and her third in 2009.Stanford
At Stanford, Pedersen was a huge contributor; Tara VanDerveerTara Vanderveer
Tara VanDerveer has been the Stanford University women's basketball coach since 1985. She led the Stanford Cardinal to two NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships: in 1990 and 1992. She stepped away from the Stanford program for a year to serve as the U.S. national team head coach at the...
(the coach at Stanford) has complemented her many times. In her freshman year, the team reached the final four, Pedersen being a huge contributor, averaging 12.6 points per game. She also averaged 8.4 rebounds a game. She was named Pac-10 freshman of the year. She also set a Stanford freshman record by starting all 39 games. They eventually lost to UConn (Connecticut) in the final four, but Pedersen managed 17 points and 7 rebounds and received much praise from the fans. During her remaining years in college, the Cardinals reached the final four every single year, with Pedersen being a consistent stand-out contributor. UConn continued to be a huge barrier to success for them, but Stanford finally beat them on December 30, 2011. However, they then went on to lose in the final four to Texas A&M. Pedersen has set Stanford's career record in both games (150) and minutes played (4,762), and she is seventh in the all-time points list (1,941 points).
WNBA
Pedersen was selected 7th overall in the 2011 WNBA Draft2011 WNBA Draft
The 2011 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 11, 2011 at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut...
by Tulsa Shock. She now plays for a Tulsa Shock team, where she has been contributing well. She averages 11.1 points per game. Former head coach, Nolan Richardson, once called her the "female Larry Bird-type player".
Personal
Pedersen was born in Flint, MichiganFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
on April 14, 1989 to Kelli and Gary Pedersen. Her father played basketball at Saint Mary's in California. Her family later moved to Fountain Hills, Arizona when she was six years old, where she still resides. She has one younger brother, Kyle.