Kristine Anigwe


Kristine Chioma Anigwe is an American professional basketball player for SERCO UNI Győr in the EuroLeague.

Early life

Kristine Anigwe was born in London to Nigerian parents. She and her siblings were raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and attended Desert Vista High School. At age 17, Anigwe became a U.S. citizen in June 2014.
In her upperclassman years, Anigwe won two consecutive FIBA age group World Championships competing for the United States women's national [basketball team|United States], first with the under-17s in 2014 [FIBA Under-17 World Championship for Women|2014] and then with the under-19s in 2015 [FIBA Under-19 World Championship for Women|2015]. Anigwe scored in double figures in all 27 games for Desert Vista in her senior season, leading the state with 21.1 points and 13.3 rebounds per game and registering 17 double-doubles.

College career

Before her junior year of high school, Anigwe accepted an offer to play college basketball at the California, Berkeley">California Golden Bears women's basketball">California, Berkeley, where she would major in sociology.

Freshman season

In her first season with California in 2015–16, Anigwe won eight consecutive Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Week honors. She led the Golden Bears in points, rebounds, field goal percentage, field goals made, blocks, free throws made, and free throw attempts. Anigwe was voted to the 2016 [Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament] All-Tournament Team, and she was named the women's USBWA National Freshman of the Year following the season.

Sophomore season

Anigwe's success continued as a sophomore, as she became the first player in California history to average 20 points per game in consecutive seasons. On December 8, 2016, Anigwe recorded the first 50-point game in Golden Bears history, scoring 50 in only 24 minutes against 2016–17 [Sacramento State Hornets women's basketball team|Sacramento State]. A month later, on January 8, she became the fastest player in Pac-12 history to reach 1,000 points, hitting the milestone in a loss to eventual Elite Eight participant 2016–17 [Oregon Ducks women's basketball team|Oregon]. Anigwe continued to lead the Golden Bears in points and rebounds, also leading in field goal percentage and blocks.
For the second consecutive year, Anigwe was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team. Anigwe saw her first NCAA tournament action, in which the Golden Bears narrowly defeated 2016–17 [LSU Lady Tigers basketball team|LSU] before falling to No. 1 seed 2016–17 [Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor].

Junior season

Anigwe registered 28 points and 25 rebounds in a win against 2017–18 [Brown Bears women's basketball team|Brown] on November 19, 2017, achieving the first 25–25 game in Division I women's basketball in three years.
For the third consecutive season, Anigwe led California in points and rebounds as a junior, and was named to the All-Pac-12 Team. She was also a late season nominee for the 2018 Wade Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year, and Katrina McClain Awards. California were upset in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament by 2017–18 [Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team|Virginia].

Senior season

As a senior in 2018–19, Anigwe posted career highs in points and rebounds per game, leading the country in rebounds. She became the third California Golden Bear to score 2,000 career points on December 2, 2018, in a win against Cal State Northridge.
Anigwe set multiple school and conference records during her senior season. On February 8 and 10, 2019, Anigwe broke California's scoring and rebounding records in consecutive home losses to 2018–19 [Oregon State Beavers women's basketball team|Oregon State] and Oregon Ducks women's basketball team|Oregon.]
In her final regular-season college game on March 3, 2019, at 2018–19 [Washington State Cougars women's basketball team|Washington State], Anigwe scored 32 points and added 30 rebounds. In doing so, she both set the Pac-12 women's rebounding record, and became the first Division I player since 2002 to record 30 points and rebounds in a single game.
Anigwe and California received an at-large bid to the 2019 NCAA tournament, in which they defeated 2018–19 [North Carolina Tar Heels women's basketball team|North Carolina] before falling to eventual national champions Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor].
Following the season, Anigwe was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

California statistics

Source

Professional career

Anigwe was selected ninth overall in the 2019 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun.
On August 6, 2019, Anigwe was traded to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Theresa Plaisance.
On May 26, 2020, Anigwe was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for a second-round 2021 draft pick.
After spending time with both the Wings and Sparks in 2021, Anigwe was signed by her hometown Phoenix Mercury ahead of the 2022 WNBA season.
On July 3, 2023, Anigwe was waived from the Chicago Sky after Ruthy Hebard was activated from the Inactive/Pregnancy List.
Anigwe joined the Connecticut Sun in July 2023 after being waived by the Sky. She signed a 7-Day Contract with the Sun. She was brought back on a 2nd 7-Day Contract with the Sun in August 2023. She signed a second 7-Day Contract with the Sun in August 2023.