Valerie Higgins Explained

Valerie Higgins
Number:22
Position:Guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Birth Date:26 May 1998
Nationality:American
High School:Chaminade College Prep
(Los Angeles, California)
College:
Draft League:WNBA
Draft Year:2021
Draft Round:3
Draft Pick:25
Draft Team:New York Liberty
Team1:New York Liberty
Highlights:
  • 2x WCC Defensive Player of the Year (2019, 2021)
  • 3x All-WCC (2019–2021)

Valerie Higgins (born May 26, 1998) is an American professional basketball player. She was drafted 25th overall in the third round of the 2021 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association.[1] [2]

Higgins grew up in West Hills, California, where she attended Chaminade College Prep. She was named to the Naismith High School All-America Watch List and was named a Jordan Brand Classic All-American. She participated in USA Basketball's U18 National Team Trials in 2016 and was named to the team for the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Chile. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Higgins started her college career at the University of Southern California. She played one season with the Trojans, starting 15 of the 29 games she appeared in. she averaged 4.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals at USC.[7] [8]

Higgins transferred to the University of the Pacific after her freshman year. After sitting out one year, she played two at Pacific. She totaled 1,375 points, 744 rebounds, and 278 steals and became the first Pacific player ever chosen in the WNBA Draft.[9] [10] [11] [12]

Southern California and Pacific statistics

Source[13]

YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2016–17Southern California2912737.5%35.1%51.4%2.41.71.60.34.4
2017–18PacificDid not play due to NCAA transfer rules[14]
2018–19Pacific3255046.1%24.3%77.9%9.03.33.11.217.2
2019–20Pacific2846346.1%18.4%72.5%9.13.83.50.816.5
2020–21Pacific2236246.4%22.6%86.8%9.72.83.80.816.5
Career111150245.2%25.0%76.7%7.52.93.00.813.5

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Valerie Higgins becomes first Pacific WNBA Draft pick in program history. Justin. Frommer. Stockton Record.
  2. Web site: New York Liberty open preseason with closed scrimmage against Conneticut [sic] Sun. Alec. Sturm. May 4, 2021. NetsDaily.
  3. Web site: Valerie Higgins. https://web.archive.org/web/20210524163507/https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/womens/h/higgins-valerie.aspx. dead. May 24, 2021. www.usab.com.
  4. Web site: Valerie Higgins '16 Named to USA Basketball Under-18 National Team. Chaminade. News. Jun 1, 2016. CHAMINADE NEWS.
  5. Web site: Girls' basketball: Valerie Higgins named to USA U18 national team. May 31, 2016. Los Angeles Times.
  6. Web site: Chaminade's Valerie Higgins is on point as The Times' girls' basketball player of the year. Eric. Sondheimer. mcall.com.
  7. Web site: Girls' basketball: Chaminade's Valerie Higgins commits to USC. Eric. Sondheimer. chicagotribune.com.
  8. Web site: Valerie Higgins – Women's Basketball. USC Athletics.
  9. Web site: USC Women's Basketball Player Valerie Higgins Transfers. Scott. Wolf. Aug 21, 2017. Inside USC with Scott Wolf.
  10. Web site: Valerie Higgins – 2020–21 – Women's Basketball. University of the Pacific.
  11. Web site: Higgins Makes History in 2021 WNBA Draft. wccsports.com.
  12. Web site: Pacific's first WNBA draft choice optimistic for future. www.pacific.edu.
  13. Web site: NCAA Statistics. web1.ncaa.org. 2021-06-13.
  14. Web site: Valerie Higgins – 2020–21 – Women's Basketball. 2021-06-13. University of the Pacific. en.