WNBA draft: Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim selected by Indiana Fever with 33rd pick
Arguably the best player in Gonzaga women’s basketball history heard her name called in the WNBA draft Monday.
Yvonne Ejim, a 6-foot-1 graduate forward, was selected 33rd by the Indiana Fever. She is the ninth player in Gonzaga history to be drafted.
Ejim will join former Central Valley standout Lexie Hull with the Fever along with the league’s 2024 darling, Caitlin Clark.
“Couldn’t be more grateful to my teammates and all my staff at Gonzaga for putting me in the position I am at today,” Ejim said in a statement released by Gonzaga. “To say that I would be in the WNBA draft looking ahead to the start of my professional career is a dream come true.”
The Calgary, Alberta, native is projected as a small forward in the WNBA.
Ejim’s final season at Gonzaga was record breaking. She is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,385 and all-time leading rebounder with 1,140. Those are records that are likely to stand for seasons to come.
She also became the school’s unofficial leading scorer, male or female. She surpassed Drew Timme (2,307).
Ejim is the first player in West Coast Conference history to score more than 2,000 points and collect more than 1,000 rebounds.
For a second straight year she was named the WCC’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Her streak of scoring in double figures was snapped this season at 72 games. She finished with 40 double-doubles, 15 coming this season.
The other significant career record Ejim owns is most field goals made (970).
She averaged career highs for points (20.7) and rebounds (9.3) this year.
Ejim was a Becky Hammon Player of the Year finalist and a Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year finalist the last two seasons.
Ejim accompanied Team Canada to the Paris Olympics last summer.
Ejim led the Zags (24-11) to a share of the WCC championship, but Gonzaga’s hope of earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament was crushed in a 63-61 loss to Oregon State in the WCC Tournament semifinals.
Gonzaga was selected to play in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, and the Zags beat UTSA at home and knocked off Colorado on the road before their season ended a win short of advancing to the WBIT Final Four in an overtime loss at eventual champ Minnesota.
Ejim, who plans to be a doctor when her playing career ends, is looking forward to the next chapter in her story.
“I’m proud of myself and the people that have supported me, my family, friends and my team,” Ejim said. “The work is only about to begin and I am excited for what is to come next.”
The WNBA begins its 29th season May 15 with a record 44-game regular-season schedule.