Leslie, Ogwumike, Plum and Ionescu: Ranking the top 50 Pac-12 players ever
Credit to Author: Michael Voepel| Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2024 09:25:28 EST
The clock is winding down on the Pac-12 Conference as we’ve known it. As the teams gather in Las Vegas for the league tournament, we ask: Who are the 50 greatest women’s basketball players who’ve come from the Pac-12?
There is a USC legend in the top spot of our list, but it’s not Cheryl Miller. That’s because the two-time NCAA champion didn’t play in the Pac-10/Pac-12. The league didn’t begin governing women’s sports until the 1986-87 academic year, right after Miller finished her college career.
Thus, names such as Miller, USC teammate Cynthia Cooper or UCLA‘s Ann Meyers won’t be on this list, since they played in the Western Collegiate Athletic Association (named the PacWest in its final year). Also at that time, five schools now in the Pac-12 were in the Northern Pacific Conference.
So the players we are ranking here competed at Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, USC, Stanford, Washington and Washington State since 1986-87, and at Colorado and Utah since 2011-12 (when those schools joined the Pac-10 to make it the Pac-12).
While there is little doubt an outstanding freshman such as USC’s JuJu Watkins would make this list if the Pac-12 were staying around, she will spend more of her college career in the Big Ten, where USC goes next season.
Because the short-lived ABL began in 1996 and the WNBA in 1997, most of the players on this list at least had a chance to play professionally in the United States. Our rankings take that into account, and weigh in success the players have had not just in college, but in their professional and international careers as well.
Next season, things will be very different with the Pac-12 schools dispersing to other leagues. But right now, while the Pac-12 still stands, here are the top 50 players who’ve come through the conference, plus a list of many others meriting consideration. These are the players who helped make Pac-12 women’s basketball great the past 38 seasons.
1. Lisa Leslie, USC, 1990-94, center
Top 10 among all Pac-12 players in career points, rebounds and blocked shots, Leslie was a four-time all-league selection, three-time All-American and the 1994 Naismith player of the year. She didn’t reach the Final Four, but it’s the only thing she didn’t do in basketball. One of the WNBA’s foundational players, she was a three-time WNBA MVP and two-time champion with the Los Angeles Sparks. Leslie won four Olympic gold medals as the best center in Team USA women’s history. A Naismith Hall of Famer, she’s the namesake for the hall’s college center of the year award.
2. Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford, 2008-12, forward
A three-time All-American and two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, Ogwumike helped the Cardinal reach four consecutive Final Fours. The WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick in 2012, Ogwumike has averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in her 12 seasons in the league, all with Los Angeles, before signing this offseason with the Seattle Storm. She won the 2016 MVP award and is a six-time all-WNBA honoree, six-time all-defensive team pick and eight-time All-Star. President of the WNBA players’ union, she has been one of the most involved participants in every aspect of the league’s growth.
3. Kelsey Plum, Washington, 2013-17, guard
The Pac-12’s all-time leading scorer (3,527), she was also the NCAA record-holder from 2017 to ’24, until being passed by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark in February. Plum led the Huskies to their only Final Four (2016), and in 2017 was the Pac-12 Player of the Year and the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick. She won two WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces and a gold medal with the United States in the inaugural 3×3 basketball competition in the Tokyo Olympics.
4. Tina Thompson, USC, 1993-97, forward
Thompson’s USC career overlapped with Leslie’s by one season, in 1993-94, when Thompson was Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. And like Leslie, she is also in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thompson finished in the top 15 in the Pac-12 in scoring and rebounding. She was the WNBA’s No. 1 pick in the 1997 college draft for the new league and won four WNBA titles with the Houston Comets. She also won two gold medals for the U.S. Olympic team.
5. Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon, 2016-20, guard
The NCAA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles (26), she helped lead Oregon to its only Final Four (in 2019) and appeared on track for a second appearance before the 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ionescu finished her Ducks career with more than 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists, and was a three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year. The 2020 WNBA No. 1 draft pick, Ionescu made her first appearance in the WNBA Finals this past season with the New York Liberty.
6. Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford, 2010-14, forward
Get exclusive access to thousands of premium articles a year from top writers.
• Yates’ top draft prospects, post-combine »
• Why $500M is next milestone for LeBron »
• Which ’23 MLB playoff teams won’t return »
More ESPN+ content »
The younger sister of Nneka, Chiney Ogwumike is Stanford’s all-time leader in points and rebounds, ranking second in Pac-12 history in both categories. A two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year and three-time All-American, she helped Stanford make three Final Four appearances. In 2014, Ogwumike won the Wooden Award as the national player of the year and was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft. Ogwumike has played seven seasons in the league.
7. Natalie Williams, UCLA, 1990-94, forward
A two-time national champion in volleyball as well for the Bruins, Williams is one of the best multisport athletes in women’s college history. She was 1994 Pac-10 hoops player of the year (over Leslie) and a three-time all-conference selection. Williams, who earned All-American honors in basketball and volleyball, played professionally in the ABL and WNBA and won Olympic gold in 2000. A member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, she is now the general manager of the Las Vegas Aces.
8. Candice Wiggins, Stanford, 2004-08, guard
A four-time WBCA All-American and two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year, Wiggins has the highest career scoring average (19.2 PPG) in Stanford history, and as a senior won the Wade Trophy in leading the Cardinal to the Final Four. The third pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by Minnesota, she won a title with the Lynx in 2011 and spent eight seasons in the league.
9. Nicole Powell, Stanford, 2000-04, guard/forward
A three-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year, Powell is one of the most versatile players in both Stanford and conference history, with six career triple-doubles. The third pick in the 2004 draft, she played 11 seasons in the WNBA and won a league championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005.
10. Jennifer Azzi, Stanford, 1986-90, guard
Complete your bracket by selecting the winner for each game of the 2024 women’s NCAA tournament. Play Women’s Tournament Challenge
Azzi was the Final Four’s most outstanding player in 1990, when Stanford won its first NCAA championship. Winner of the Wade Trophy and Naismith Award in 1990, she was also a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year and is in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Azzi played on the 1996 “Dream Team” that started the U.S. women’s current run of seven consecutive Olympic gold medals. She also played in both the ABL and WNBA, and currently is an executive with the Las Vegas Aces.
11. Jordin Canada, UCLA, 2014-18, guard
Canada ranks second in assists, in the top 10 in steals and the top 20 in scoring in Pac-12 history. Canada did it all for the Bruins, including recording two triple-doubles. A three-time all-Pac-12 selection, Canada was the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft and has won two WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm. Now with the Atlanta Dream, she’s about to start her seventh season in the WNBA.
12. Briann January, Arizona State, 2005-09, guard
The most accomplished player in Sun Devils women’s hoops history, January was an all-Pac-10 first-team selection as a senior and the league’s defensive player of the year as a junior and senior. January was the No. 6 pick in 2009 — one of the WNBA’s best draft classes — and played 14 seasons in the league. She won the 2012 WNBA title and made two other WNBA Finals appearances with the Indiana Fever.
13. Jayne Appel, Stanford, 2006-10, center
Appel is in the top five in Stanford history in points, rebounds and blocked shots and in the top 10 in Pac-10 history in rebounds and blocks. The 2009 Pac-10 Player of the Year, she helped the Cardinal reach the Final Four three times. The fifth pick in the 2010 WNBA draft, she played seven seasons in the league, all with San Antonio, and is now director of player relations with the WNBPA.
14. Satou Sabally, Oregon 2017-20, forward
Sabally played just three seasons at Oregon but was part of the program’s peak period, along with teammates Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard, as the Ducks won two Pac-12 tournament titles and advanced to the Final Four for the first time (2019). The No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, she was the WNBA’s most improved player in 2023 and this year has helped Germany’s women’s national team qualify for the Olympics for the first time.
15. Adia Barnes, Arizona, 1994-98, guard/forward
The 1998 Pac-10 Player of the Year, Barnes was a three-time all-conference selection and ranks in the top 15 in the conference in scoring. She played seven seasons in the WNBA, winning a title with Seattle. As a coach, she led Arizona to its first Final Four appearance in 2021, losing the championship game to Stanford.
16. Noelle Quinn, UCLA, 2003-07, guard
A three-time all-conference pick, Quinn was part of an outstanding guard-dominant lineup for UCLA. She had a triple-double with the Bruins and was the No. 4 pick in the 2007 draft. She played 12 seasons in the WNBA, winning a title in her last year with the Seattle Storm (2018) and is now the Storm’s head coach.
17. Kristine Anigwe, California, 2015-19, forward/center
A four-time all-Pac-12 selection, Anigwe is in the top five in scoring and rebounding in league history. She had 73 career double-doubles for the Bears and was the ninth pick in the 2019 WNBA draft.
18. Ruthy Hebard, Oregon, 2016-20, forward
Along with Ionescu and Sabally, Hebard helped take Oregon to new heights as a program, including its first Final Four. She finished her career in the top 10 in the Pac-12 in scoring and rebounding and was an all-conference selection for four years. The eighth pick in the 2020 draft, she is entering her fifth season in the WNBA.
19. Ebony Hoffman, USC, 2000-04, center
Hoffman was known for her power in the paint, which helped her earn all-conference honors three times. The ninth pick in a stacked 2004 WNBA draft, she spent 11 seasons in the league and was the most improved player in 2008.
20. Kate Starbird, Stanford, 1993-97, guard/forward
Starbird was a Pac-10 Player of the Year twice (she shared the honor one season) and finished in the top five in points and steals for the Cardinal. She helped Stanford advance to the Final Four three times. After starting her pro career in the ABL, she spent five seasons in the WNBA.
21. Aari McDonald, Arizona, 2016-21, guard
McDonald started her college career at Washington, but then transferred to Arizona. With the Wildcats, she was named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2021 and led Arizona to its first Final Four. After the Wildcats lost to rival Stanford in the championship game, she was the No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft. She starts her fourth season in the league this year, having been traded from the Atlanta Dream to Los Angeles.
22. Kayla Pedersen, Stanford, 2007-11, forward
Pedersen helped the Cardinal make four consecutive Final Four appearances and played the most minutes (4,762) of any player in Stanford history. Pedersen was all-conference four times and finished in the top 10 in scoring and rebounding for the Cardinal. The No. 7 pick in the 2011 draft, she spent six seasons in the WNBA.
23. Monique Billings, UCLA, 2014-18, forward
Billings and Canada were a dynamic duo for the Bruins, reaching the Elite Eight as seniors. Billings was a two-time all-conference pick and had 46 double-doubles for UCLA. A 2018 second-round draft pick, she played six seasons with Atlanta but recently signed with Los Angeles as a free agent.
24. Cameron Brink, Stanford, 2020-present, forward
As a freshman, Brink helped Stanford end its 29-year national championship drought by winning the title in 2021. This season, she was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. She is projected to be the No. 2 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft if she declares for it, but she could return to play in college another year.
25. Layshia Clarendon, California, 2009-13, guard
A two-time all-conference pick, Clarendon helped lead Cal to its only Final Four appearance (2013). The No. 9 pick in the 2013 WNBA draft, Clarendon has spent 10 seasons in the league.
26. Val Whiting, Stanford, 1989-93, center
27. Brittany Boyd, California, 2011-15, guard
28. Haley Jones, Stanford, 2019-23, guard
29. Kristin Folkl, Stanford, 1994-98, forward
30. Tanja Kostic, Oregon State, 1992-96, forward
31. Sonja Henning, Stanford, 1987-91, guard
32. Sydney Wiese, Oregon State, 2013-17, guard
33. Katy Steding, Stanford, 1986-90, forward
34. Alissa Pili, Utah, 2019-present, forward
35. Jillian Alleyne, Oregon, 2012-16, forward
36. Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA, 2017-21, forward
37. Ruth Hamblin, Oregon State, 2012-16, center
38. Maylana Martin, UCLA, 1995-99, forward
39. Ashley Walker, California, 2004-09, forward
40. Nikki Blue, UCLA, 2002-06, guard
41. Cherie Nelson, USC, 1985-89, forward
42. Alanna Smith, Stanford, 2015-19, forward
43. Chantel Osahor, Washington, 2013-17, center
44. Charisma Osborne, UCLA, 2019-present, guard
45. Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State, 2020-present, guard
46. Lisa Willis, UCLA, 2002-06, guard
47. Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford, 2007-11, guard
48. Giuliana Mendiola, Washington, 2000-04, guard
49. Mya Hollingshed, Colorado, 2017-22, forward
50. Borislava Hristova, Washington State, 2016-20, forward
Also considered (by school, in alphabetical order):
Arizona: Ify Ibekwe, Shawntinice Polk, Davellyn Whyte
Arizona State: Sophie Brunner
California: Gennifer Brandon, Reshanda Gray, Alexis Gray-Lawson
Colorado: Chucky Jeffery, Kennedy Leonard, Jaylyn Sherrod
UCLA: Nirra Fields, Rehema Stephens
USC: Cassie Harberts, Briana Gilbreath
Oregon: Maite Cazorla, Cathrine Kraayeveld, Stefanie Kasperski, Shaquala Williams
Oregon State: Mikayla Pivec, Felicia Ragland, Jamie Weisner
Stanford: Lexie Hull, Erika McCall, Olympia Scott, Trisha Stevens, Kiana Williams
Utah: Megan Huff, Michelle Plouffe
Washington: Jazmine Davis, Amber Hall, Jamie Redd, Rhonda Smith, Talia Walton
Washington State: Lia Galdeira