Alyssa Thomas

Alyssa Thomas is a professional basketball player, currently holding the forward position for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Thomas was initially drafted 4th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2014 WNBA draft but was swiftly traded to the Connecticut Sun. She made her mark in her rookie year, landing a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team. Since then, Thomas has been a 5-time WNBA All-Star, with selections in 2017, 2019, and 2022-2024. In 2023, she was named to the All-WNBA First Team, and she secured a spot on the All-WNBA Second Team in 2022.

Thomas has demonstrated remarkable defensive skills on the court, being named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2020, 2023) and the All-Defensive Second Team three times (2017, 2019, 2022). Her performance in the 2023 season was particularly exceptional, as she not only became the WNBA rebounding champion but also bagged the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year award. In the same year, she was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team, a feat she repeated in 2023. Thomas also held the title of the WNBA steals leader in 2020, highlighting her superior ball control skills.

Before her professional career, Thomas played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins, where she became the all-time leader in points (2356), rebounds (1235), and double-doubles (66). She was named the ACC Female Athlete of the Year in 2014. In addition to her domestic successes, Thomas has gained international experience in South Korea, Turkey, and the Czech Republic. The highlight of her international career came in 2024 when she was named to the US women's Olympic team and brought home a gold medal.