Utah Women’s Basketball Star Alissa Pili Named A Top Finalist For John R. Wooden Award
Mar 10, 2024, 11:15 AM
LAS VEGAS – Utah women’s basketball star Alissa Pili was named a top finalist for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award Sunday morning.
Pili has been an absolute force for the Utah women’s basketball team since arriving on campus in 2022 after transferring from USC.
The Utes phenom is in consideration for the award among some of college women’s basketball’s best including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink among others.
TOP FINALIST 🔝
Alissa Pili has been named as a 2023-24 John R. Wooden Award Top Finalist#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/2CILsny7Pr— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 10, 2024
Taking At Look At Alissa Pili And Her John R. Wooden Campaign In 2023-24
In the 2023-24 season, Pili has accounted for 630 total points which averages to 21 points per game (both stats are good for second in the Pac-12).
Pili set a new career high in points on December 1, 2023, against No. 1 South Carolina at 37. Pili matched that figure against her old squad, also USC, later on January 19, 2024.
The sharpshooter led the Utes all season shooting 55% from the field, 40% from the field and 81.9% from the free throw line.
In addition to being named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, Alissa Pili has already been named to the All-Pac-12 Team and a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award.
Perhaps most importantly of all however, has been the impact Pili has had off the court this past season.
Pili has been drawing crowds of Indigenous and Polynesian fans wherever the Utes have gone in the 2023-24 season wanting to see a little of themselves being great out on the hardwood.
“It’s honestly really crazy to me that I’m one of the first ones to be in this position with where I come from and what backgrounds I have,” Pili said. “It brings me so much joy after games to have little girls come up to me and everyone is telling me how much of a role model I am for these little girls. In the past, they’ve never had someone to look up to and I’m that person now. It’s a lot of pressure, but I think it’s a blessing to be that person for other people. I do wish I had somebody like that growing up to look up to and follow in their footsteps.”
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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