Alissa Pili has already earned a spot on the list of top players in the Women’s basketball world. Her college career began with the University of Southern California wherein she played for three seasons. After this, she transferred to the University of Utah where she is currently playing. Pili‘s popularity is significantly growing and has made everyone curious about her personal life including her ethnicity and nationality.
Recently, the Utah Utes star was named ESPN Player of the Week after she dropped her career-high of 37 points in a game against the No. 1 South Carolina. In addition to this, she has an extensive list of awards and recognitions she has received. To name a few, Pili was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, WBCA All-America honors, First Team All-Conference, etc.
So far, she has played 104 games in her college career. Out of this, 63 games were played for USC, whereas, the remaining 41 for Utah. Pili had an average score of 16.2 points, 5.9 total rebounds, and 1.6 assists in the five seasons that she has played. Additionally, she is one of the most exciting and awaited prospects for the WNBA, and with the kind of performance she is putting out, Pili would likely get drafted easily.
Alissa Pili was born in Anchorage, Alaska
The Utah forward Alissa Pili has more often than not made it to the headlines because of her remarkable performances. She was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and is of Samoan and Alaska Native descent. She is the third Alaska woman to record 1,600 points and 600 rebounds. Alissa’s father Billi was born in Hawaii and he moved to Alaska in middle school for better employment opportunities in the future and a change of scenery.
Interestingly, both of her parents, Billy and Heather Pili work as logistics managers at the same company. Their upbringing has resulted in the fierce and extraordinary basketball player Alissa Pili. However, to the surprise of many, basketball was not Pili’s first love growing up. In various interviews, she has opened up about her early life and revealed that she used to love playing football.
Furthermore, she narrated how Billy always wanted her to not only play against the boys but also win over them. Pili emphasized “Playing against boys who were bigger and stronger and faster sometimes just made me want to go harder, get better, in everything I did.” Everyone had high expectations of her when she transferred to Utah, and she has not only stood but surpassed them.