Layshia Clarendon

Layshia Clarendon is a retired basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks. A prominent figure in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), they were the first openly non-binary player in the WNBA who also became a leader in the WNBA's social justice initiatives.

Clarendon has held successful tenures with several teams, including the Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, Connecticut Sun, New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. Their basketball prowess was recognized early on when they were selected 9th overall in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, and further solidified by their invitation to the All-Star game in 2017. Clarendon's career is marked by consistent performance and adaptability, demonstrated by their career-high field goal percentage of 46.5% and their ability to thrive in different teams and roles.

Clarendon represented the USA in the 2009 U19 World's Championship, contributing to the team's gold medal win. Their college years were equally impressive, playing for the University of California, Berkeley, reaching the Final Four with the California Golden Bears in 2013.

Off the court, Clarendon is known for their activism, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion and social justice issues within the WNBA and wider society. Their advocacy efforts were recognized in 2015 when they won Outsports' "Female Hero of the Year" for their work supporting LGBTQ+ people in sports.