Wikipedia

Dyaisha Fair

Dyaisha Fair (born August 7, 2001) is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. Fair was the 16th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. She played college basketball at the University at Buffalo and Syracuse University, finishing her career third among the NCAA Division I women's basketball career scoring leaders and having played the most minutes ever in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.[1] As of September 2024, she is on the roster for AL ULA, a professional women's basketball club based in Saudi Arabia. She is signed to play for Haifa in Israel later in the fall.

Dyaisha Fair
Personal information
Born (2001-08-07) August 7, 2001 (age 23)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Listed weight130 lb (59 kg)
Career information
High schoolEdison Tech
(Rochester, New York)
College
WNBA draft2024: 2nd round, 16th overall pick
Selected by the Las Vegas Aces
Playing career2024–present
PositionPoint guard
Number2
Career history
2024Las Vegas Aces
2024Al Ula Club
Career highlights and awards
  • Third-team All-American – AP, USBWA (2024)
  • 2x First-team All-ACC (2023, 2024)
  • ACC All-Defensive team (2023)
  • MAC Tournament MVP (2022)
  • 2× First-team All-MAC (2020, 2021)
  • MAC All-Defensive team (2021)
  • MAC Newcomer of the Year (2020)
  • MAC All-Freshman team (2020)

Early life

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Fair attended Edison Tech High School in Rochester, New York. In her senior season she averaged 33.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game. Notable achievements include being named the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year,[2] Ronald-McDonald All-Star Team,[3] 2018 New York State Sportswriters Association All-State Team honorable mention,[4] and setting school and sectional records for points scored and three-pointers made.

College career

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Freshman season

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In her debut season with the Buffalo Bulls,[5] Fair earned accolades such as Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year[6] and Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week honors four times.[7] She averaged 22.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game.[4] She also had the highest field goal attempts in NCAA Division I women's basketball, was top five in active points and scoring average[8] and most points and points per game in the MAC conference.[9] Noteworthy achievements include recording a career-high 36 points and 11 rebounds on March 11, 2020, in a game against Kent State during the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals and her first career double-double on November 5, 2019, against Central Connecticut State with 24 points. Her performance earned her recognition on various watch lists, such as Dawn Staley Award[10] and Her Hoop Stats Mid-Major Player of the Year award.[11]

Sophomore season

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Her second season with Buffalo was played largely without attendance at home and three postponed home games due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. She started all 24 games played and was named first Team All-MAC and All-Defensive Team. Averaging 24.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.9 steals per game, she led the Bulls in scoring in 22 out of 24 games, and also topped the team in assists and steals.[4] She also held the highest active scoring average in NCAA Division I women's basketball.[8] Fair had 23 games in double figures, including 19 with 20 or more points and five with 30 or more points. She became the fastest player in Buffalo program history and the 14th fastest in Division I women’s basketball history to reach 1,000 career points, achieving this feat in her 44th career collegiate game. She recorded the program’s first triple-double in nearly two decades with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over Akron on December 13, 2020. Throughout the season she also tied her career high of 36 points twice. Finishing the season ranked sixth in the nation in scoring, she also ranked in the top 25 in various statistical categories, including free throws made, steals, and assists. Fair's achievements earned her recognition as one of the 10 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award,[12] as well as placements on the late-season watch lists for the Dawn Staley Award[13]

Junior season

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In her third and final season at Buffalo, Fair led the team to their first NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament appearance since 2019. Averaging 23.4 points per game, the 2021-2022 season comprised her highest minutes per game at 37.4, field goal percentage at 40.4%, 3 point field goal percentage at 36.8%, and total points at 796. During the season she scored in double figures 31 times, 24 times with 20 or more points and seven times with 30 or more points. She also held top five career leadership in points, scoring average, 3 point field goal attempts per game, and was top again in field goal attempts.[8] Fair scored the most points in her conference at 796 and points per game at 23.4 for the second time in her career.[9] She was honored with an All-MAC First Team and All-Defensive Team honors,[14] as well as MAC Tournament MVP after averaging a team-best 25.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.3 steals.[15] Fair was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press, was on the late season watch list for the Dawn Staley Award, the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list,[16] and as one of the 10 semifinalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award.[17] In the Bulls first round NCAA Tournament loss to Tennessee, Fair scored 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals.[18]

Senior season

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Following her junior season, she transferred to Syracuse University,[19] following her Bulls coach, Felisha Legette Jack.[20] With them, transferred fellow players, Dominique Camp, Cheyenne McEvans, Saniaa Wilson, and Georgia Wooley, and coaches Kristen Sharkey and Khyreed Carter.[21][22] These transfers immediately made an impact on the teams performance with 9 more total wins than the previous year and an appearance in the 2023 Women's National Invitation Tournament Quarterfinal.[23]

Fair was also extremely successful on the court, starting all 33 games for the Orange, averaging 19.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She tied her season-high of 36 points while tying a program record of eight made three-pointers against Virginia on January 26, 2023 and logged a high of 40 minutes in five games. Fair led the ACC in steals per game with 2.4 and shot 39.8 percent from the field, 81.8 percent from the free-throw line, and 36.2 percent from three-point range.[24] She amassed a total of 656 points during the season and reached 2500 career points against Boston College on February 5, 2023, joining Caitlin Clark as the only two active Division I Women's Basketball players to reach that level at the time.[25] She was also placed as an active career leader in 6 categories, points, scoring average, steals, field goals made, 3 point field goals attempted per game, and as number one in field goals attempted.[8] In the postseason WNIT, she averaged 21.3 points per game. Her continued performance in a power conference garnered recognition as she was named First Team All-ACC and on the All-ACC Defensive Team,[26] as well as a Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention.[27]

Following the season, Fair was selected compete at the 2023 3x3 U23 Nations League for the U.S. National Team.[28]

Graduate student season

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In her final season at Syracuse, the team improved greatly, spending multiple weeks in the AP top 25 Poll[29] with a season high at number 17.[30] On December 18, 2023, in a game against Cornell University, Fair joined the list of the Top 25 NCAA Division I women's basketball career scoring leaders.[31] Throughout the season, she continued to climb, scoring 3,000 career points on January 14, 2024, against Cornell University.[32] A season high of 38 points was reached at Boston College on February 4, 2024 and a career high 9 3-point field goals made playing Florida State on January 18, 2024. The team finished the regular season at 23-6 (13-5 in the ACC) with Fair leading the team in points, assists, steals, and 3-point percentage.

In her last home game of the regular season at the JMA Wireless Dome against Pittsburgh on February 25, 2024, she passed Brittney Griner for fifth on the NCAA Division I women's basketball career scoring leaders list. After her last regular season game she had 3,328 total points and 3,351 points following the 2024 ACC women's basketball tournament. She led her team to her second NCAA Tournament appearance with a sixth seed matchup in the 2024 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament against Arizona in the Portland Regional 3 at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT. During this first round game, Fair score a game high 32 points with a 50% Field goal percentage and created an 11-0 scoring run in the end of the fourth quarter resulting in a 74-69 win over Arizona.[33] In her last college game, Syracuse played the regional host, 3 seeded UConn Huskies, with an early scoring drought causing an eventual 64-72 loss. Fair put up 20 points with 4 three-pointers, moving into her final place as third in the NCAA Division I women's basketball career scoring leaders list. The Orange ended the season at number 20 in the AP postseason poll.[34]

Following the NCAA Tournament, Fair was invited to participate in the 2024 State Farm Slam Dunk Women's 3-Point Championship. In the first round, she scored a total of 16 points tying for third place with Unique Drake of the St John's Red Storm. In the second round, Fair put up 17 points, beating Drake by 6, but was ultimately eliminated from the final round due to tiebreaker rules involving total shots made, in a three way tie with Sara Scalia of the Indiana Hoosiers and Hayley Frank of the Missouri Tigers.[35] She also competed in 2024 Women's College All-Star Game, scoring 19 points, propelling a comeback and scoring the game winning shot for her team.[36]

Fair was named ACC Player of the Week twice,[37][38] Preseason Top 50 John R. Wooden Award Watch List,[39] 2023-24 Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Player of the Year Watch List,[40] Preseason All-ACC Team,[41] 2024 Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List,[42] U.S. Basketball Writers Association Players of the Week twice,[43] Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List,[44] Naismith Player of the Week, ESPN Player of the week, and 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Year Midseason Team.[45] She was declared All-ACC First Team and runner up for ACC Player of the Year.[46] Following the season, she was named Third Team All-American by the Associated Press, The Sporting News and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.[47] Fair was also invited to attend the 2024 WNBA Draft.[48]

Professional career

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3x3 U23 USA Team

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On July 17, 2023, Fair was a selected for the USA Basketball 3x3 U23 Nations League Team, which took part in the FIBA 3x3 Nations League Americas conference from July 24 to 30 in Rancagua, Chile.[28] The team won the top spot in their conference, earning the USA a spot in the Nations League Final.

She also participated in the U23 Women’s World Cup in late September, 2023, in Lublin, Poland in which the team went 2-2 in Pool A and finished in 11th place.[49] Fair scored a total of 19 points during those games.

WNBA

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Fair was selected in the second round as the 16th overall in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Las Vegas Aces.[50][51] On April 17, 2024, Fair was signed to the Aces' rookie scale contract.[52]

In April 2024, days after being drafted by the Aces and prior to the start of their training camp, Fair attended Kelsey Plum's second annual Dawg Class, a 3-day camp with the purpose of helping top women college athletes transition from collegiate to professional basketball.[53] The 2024 camp was held at the IMG Academy and sponsored by Under Armour.[53]

On May 13, 2024, Fair was named to the 2024 Las Vegas Aces roster.[54][55] She made her WNBA regular season debut on May 25, 2024, in a 99–80 home win against the Indiana Fever, registering 2 assists in 4 minutes played.[56] However, she was waived by the Aces the following day.[57]

Saudi-Arabia

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On July 18th, 2024, a person with sources close to Fair comfirmed a short move to Saudi-Arabia to play for the women's basketball division of Al-Ula Club via their Twitter "Steve Infanti", before Fair is set to join Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

Israel

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On June 16th, 2024, it was confirmed by the Women's Basketball League of Israel's Instagram account that Fair has signed a contract with women's club Maccabi Haifa for their 2024/2025 season, which was later on confirmed by Dyaisha Fair herself via her Instagram story.

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage
 FT%  Free throw percentage  RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high ° League leader  *  Led Division I

WNBA

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Regular season

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Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics[58]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2024 Las Vegas 1 0 3.9 .000 .000 – 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Career 1 year, 1 team 1 0 3.9 .000 .000 – 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

College

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NCAA statistics[9]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2019–20 Buffalo 30 26 36.1 .372 .314 .718 5.9 3.5 2.8 0.1 4.1 22.0
2020–21 Buffalo 24 24 36.4 .365 .316 .810 6.0 5.1 2.9 0.1 2.8 24.1
2021–22 Buffalo 34 34 37.4 .404 .368 .816 4.9 4.4 2.1 0.1 2.0 23.4
2022–23 Syracuse 33 33 35.8 .398 .362 .818 3.5 4.2 2.4 0.1 2.0 19.9
2023–24 Syracuse 32 30 37.4 .392 .377 .796 4.6 3.6 2.4 0.2 2.1 22.3
Career 159 147 36.6 .387 .350 .791 4.9 4.1 2.5 0.1 2.5 22.2

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Minutes Played Women's Career Leaders and Records". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  2. ^ Johnson, Stevie. "Edison girls basketball star Dyaisha Fair makes RCSD history as AGR Player of the Year". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ Johnson, James. "High school basketball: Seniors will showcase skills in all-star games, one matchup moved". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  4. ^ a b c "Dyaisha Fair - 2021-22 - Women's Basketball". University at Buffalo. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  5. ^ D'Arcangelo, Lyndsey. "Recruited by top programs, Dyaisha Fair chose Buffalo and is playing her way onto the national radar". The Athletic. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  6. ^ "MAC Announces 2020 Women's Basketball Postseason Awards". getsomemaction.com. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  7. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named MAC East Player of the Week". University at Buffalo. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  8. ^ a b c d "NCAA Statistics". stats.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  9. ^ a b c "Dyaisha Fair College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  10. ^ "The Dawn Staley Award". www.dawnstaleyaward.org. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  11. ^ "Fair Named To Her Hoop Stats Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List". University at Buffalo. 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  12. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named to Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List". University at Buffalo. 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  13. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named To Dawn Staley Award Late Season Watch List". University at Buffalo. 2021-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  14. ^ "Fair and McEvans Highlight MAC Postseason Awards". University at Buffalo. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  15. ^ "No. 13 Bulls To Face Off Against No. 4 Tennessee In The NCAA Tournament on Saturday". University at Buffalo. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  16. ^ "Fair Named AP Honorable Mention All-American". University at Buffalo. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  17. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named A Finalist For Becky Hammon Award". University at Buffalo. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  18. ^ "Bulls Battle To End in 80-67 Loss To Tennessee". University at Buffalo. 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  19. ^ "Syracuse lands No. 4 scorer in '21-22 as transfer". ESPN.com. 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  20. ^ Jackson, Wilton (2022-03-26). "Syracuse Hires Program Legend As New Women's Basketball Coach". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  21. ^ Mascetta, Taylor (2023-10-19). "Syracuse Men's & Women's Basketball Embracing New Beginnings". Sports Illustrated Syracuse Orange News, Analysis and More. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  22. ^ sports (2022-04-17). "Cheyenne McEvans joins Syracuse as 3rd transfer from Buffalo". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  23. ^ "Orange Lose To Columbia In WNIT". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  24. ^ "Dyaisha Fair - Women's Basketball". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  25. ^ "Syracuse Completes Season Sweep with 79-72 win over BC". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  26. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named All-ACC First Team, All-Defensive Team". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  27. ^ sports (2023-04-01). "Dyaisha Fair named WBCA All-America honorable mention". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  28. ^ a b "Fair Named to USA Basketball 3x3 U23 Nations League Team". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  29. ^ "Orange Jump One Spot to #21 in AP Top-25". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  30. ^ "Orange Climb Two Spots to #17 in AP Top-25 Poll". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  31. ^ "Fourth Quarter Comeback Helps 'Cuse Defeat Cornell". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  32. ^ sports (2024-01-14). "Dyaisha Fair reaches 3,000 career points, 16th women's player to hit milestone". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  33. ^ "Syracuse 74-69 Arizona (Mar 23, 2024) Box Score". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  34. ^ "Women's Basketball Ranked #20 in AP Postseason Poll". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  35. ^ Hanes Originals Soft Touch Women's 3-PT Championship | College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships. Retrieved 2024-04-11 – via www.youtube.com.
  36. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Shines in Women's College All-Star Game". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  37. ^ "Syracuse Earns ACC Accolades as Fair is Named Player of the Week". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  38. ^ "Syracuse's Dyaisha Fair Named ACC Co-Player of the Week". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  39. ^ "Fair Named to Wooden Award Preseason Watch List". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  40. ^ "Fair Named to Naismith Player of the Year Watch List". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  41. ^ "Fair Named Preseason All-ACC". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  42. ^ "Fair Named One of 20 on Lieberman Watch List". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  43. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named USBWA National Player of the Week". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  44. ^ "Fair Highlighted on Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  45. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Shines in the Spotlight". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  46. ^ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2023-24 Award Winners". theacc.com. 2024-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  47. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Named Third Team All-American by the Associated Press". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  48. ^ "Dyaisha Fair Headed to the WNBA Draft". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  49. ^ "United States | FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2023". fiba3x3.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  50. ^ "In the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Las Vegas Aces Select …". Las Vegas Aces (Press release). April 15, 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  51. ^ Wolf, Zak (16 April 2024). "Dyaisha Fair selected No. 16 overall by Las Vegas Aces in 2024 WNBA Draft". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  52. ^ "WNBA Transactions". acrossthetimeline.com. Across the Timeline. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  53. ^ a b "(Dawg) Class Is Back in Session". Under Armour. April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  54. ^ Schutte, Dustin (May 13, 2024). "WNBA Rookies Kate Martin, Dyaisha Fair Make Las Vegas Aces Roster". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  55. ^ @LVAces (May 13, 2024). "MEET THE ACES ♦️♠️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  56. ^ Homin, Hank (May 26, 2024). "Former Syracuse star Dyaisha Fair makes WNBA debut". Syracuse.com.
  57. ^ "Aces Waive Rookie Guard Dyaisha Fair". WNBA. May 26, 2024.
  58. ^ "WNBA Stats – Dyaisha Fair". WNBA.
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