On Wednesday, Cal senior power forward Kristine Anigwe heard her name called at the 2019 WNBA Draft, getting selected with the 9th overall pick by the Connecticut Sun, where she’ll join former Cal standout Layshia Clarendon. There were some mock drafts that had her going top five, so it was a bit surprising to see her fall to the 9th pick. Regardless, she’s entering the WNBA and is excited to prove she belongs among the best players in the world.
“I’m just so grateful that I had an amazing coach for four years,” Anigwe said after getting selected. “Lindsay, she means so much to me. And Charmin, Dale, Kai, they really changed my perspective of life and basketball and to be at that university and to be competing at such a high level academically and on the court, it just meant the world to me.
“My family is everything to me. My older brother goes to UCSF, my younger brother goes to San Jose and they support me any free time that they have. They’re either in the gym with me or helping me with anything that I need. My brother is here and I’m grateful for him. I’m just really excited and I can’t wait for the next level.”
Anigwe’s praise of Lindsay Gottlieb and the entire Cal program speaks volumes. Committed both on the court and in the classroom, Angiwe represents what every Cal athlete is supposed to be. She understands that coming to Cal is more than just an opportunity to compete at a high level on the basketball court. It’s an opportunity to surround yourself with the brightest minds in the world.
En route to National Defensive Player of the Year honors, Anigwe averaged 22.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. Her top performance of the year came at Washington State, where she scored 32 points and grabbed 30 rebounds. Her ability to score, rebound, and block shots is something she’ll bring to the Sun in spades. She works extremely hard and is certain to bring a strong work ethic as well.
As for what areas of her game need the most work for the next level, Anigwe needs to work on her ball security first and foremost. She averaged 3.3 turnovers per game while averaging just 1 assist per game. If she can improve her ball security and ability to find open shooters, she’ll really take her game to the next level. Also, her perimeter and foul shooting needs to improve. She shot 30.4% from 3-point range and 65.6% from the foul line as a senior. If she’s able to improve in these areas, that will allow her to really take advantage of her stellar post play.
Overall, the Sun are getting a great player in Kristine Anigwe. She’s an absolute beast in the paint and with more polishing has the chance to be one of the most versatile post players the WNBA has ever seen. She’s a top five pick kind of talent, so the Sun should be feeling grateful they were able to get someone of her caliber despite picking at the back end of the first round. We look forward to following Anigwe’s career in the WNBA and seeing what she accomplishes in her rookie year.
