Slovenian basketball star makes WNBA history

Slovenian basketball star makes WNBA history

Sports

Ajša Sivka, a 19-year-old Slovenian basketball talent, has been selected by the Chicago Sky as the 10th overall pick of the first round of the 2025 draft of the WNBA, the world's strongest basketball league. She is the second Slovenian ever to be picked by a WNBA team.

Sivka, a forward, most recently played in the French league for Tabes, where she averaged 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.9 steals while shooting 35.6% from three on 5.5 attempts per game across 29 total appearances in the tier-one French league and Eurocup, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The 192 cm player has represented Slovenia at several international events. In the 2023 FIBA U18 Women's European Championship, she helped Slovenia to a surprising gold medal, averaging 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals to be named the tournament's most valuable player. She has also played for the proper national team, being the youngest participant of the 2023 EuroBasket.

"Forwards who can stretch the floor will always hold high value in this game, and that's exactly what Ajša Sivka provides," Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said. "We're excited to land someone who is not only skilled, but has been playing at a high level professionally for years," he added.

Upon being drafted on 14 April, Sivka thanked her father, saying "it was because of him that I started playing".

"He has always been my idol," she told the crowd, which included her teary-eyed father.

Sivka is the second Slovenian to be drafted into the WNBA. Nika Barič was picked in 2012 in the second round by Minnesota Lynx, but she never played for the team.

The Chicago Sky are entering their 20th season in the WNBA under new head coach Tyler Marsh. They missed the WNBA playoffs in the 2024 season, finishing 10th in the 13-team competition with a 13-27 record.

Tags

Related articles

Bulgaria to Form Alpine Ski Team for Parallel Events
Anatoliy Zamfirov, head coach of Bulgaria’s national snowboard team, announced he is in talks with the Bulgarian Ski Federation about creating a national alpine ski team to compete in parallel events at the World Championships.
Football Matches Postponed After Pope Francis' Death
Football matches in Italy and Argentina were postponed on Monday after the death of Pope Francis at 88.
Kendrick Nunn Named EuroLeague MVP
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard Kendrick Nunn has been named the 2024–25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season MVP.
Bulgaria Wins Two More Bronzes
Bulgaria secured two bronze medals on the final day of the Acrobatic Gymnastics European Championships in Luxembourg.
Marin Robu Wins Three Medals for Moldova
Moldova has added three more medals to its tally at the European Weightlifting Championships, currently held in the capital.
Bulgaria Hosts Calisthenics Worlds
Twenty athletes will represent Bulgaria at the 14th World Calisthenics Championships, set to take place from April 24 to 27 at Sofia’s Asics Arena.