Michaela Lynn Kelly (born July 2, 1998)[1] is an American basketball player and coach. She played college basketball for Central Michigan[2] before being drafted playing professionally in Turkey and Iceland. Kelly was drafted in the second round of the 2021 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association.[3][4][5][6]

Micaela Kelly
Personal information
Born (1998-07-02) July 2, 1998 (age 26)
Listed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Listed weight160 lb (73 kg)
Career information
High schoolMartin Luther King
(Detroit, Michigan)
CollegeCentral Michigan (2016–2021)
WNBA draft2021: 2nd round, 21st overall pick
Selected by the Connecticut Sun
Playing career2021–2022
PositionGuard
Career history
2021Antalya Gunesi
2021–2022Breiðablik
2022Detroit Queens
Career highlights and awards
  • MAC Tournament MVP (2021)
  • MAC Player of the Year (2020)
  • 2× First-team All-MAC (2020, 2021)
  • MAC All-Defensive team (2020, 2021)
  • Mac All-Freshman Team (2018)
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Early life

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Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan. She played basketball for The Cooper elementary cougars A.L Holmes Eagles and Detroit King High School. She was named to the All-Detroit High School Girls Basketball first team in 2016.[7][8][9]

College career

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Kelly attended Central Michigan University. She led CMU to a Mid-American Conference title and an NCAA tournament berth. She is the second player in program history in terms of points with 2,173. She was an MAC Player of the Year in 2019–20. Her senior year, she averaged 23.9 points and 4.9 assists. She graduated in 2021 with a degree in community development.[10][11][12][13][14]

Professional career

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Kelly announced in March 2021 that she would forgo a year of eligibility to declare for the WNBA Draft. She is the second player from Central Michigan to be selected.[15][16][17]

After starting the season with Antalya Gunesi in Turkey, Kelly signed with Breiðablik of the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild in November 2021, replacing Chelsey Shumpert.[18][19] On February 13, 2022, she scored a season high 39 points in a win against Haukar. On February 19, 2022, the Indiana Fever announced that they have signed Kelly to a training camp contract[20] despite she still being under contract with Breiðablik where she was averaging 23.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.[21] She was waived by the Fever on 20 April.[22]

Coaching career

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In August 2022, Kelly joined the coaching staff of Central Michigan women's basketball team as the program's director of player development.[23]

Statistics

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College statistics

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Ratios
YEAR Team GP FG% 3P% FT% RBG APG BPG SPG PPG
2016–17 Central Michigan Did not play per NCAA transfer rules[24]
2017–18 Central Michigan 35 50.0% 38.9% 71.1% 4.34 3.51 0.40 1.23 11.54
2018–19 Central Michigan 33 49.3% 41.7% 81.0% 4.27 3.85 0.15 1.55 14.58
2019–20 Central Michigan 30 42.8% 35.5% 80.9% 6.47 4.93 0.33 1.77 21.47
2020–21 Central Michigan 27 48.8% 35.7% 80.5% 4.85 4.26 0.22 2.19 23.85
Career 125 47.3% 37.6% 78.9% 4.94 4.10 0.28 1.65 17.38
Totals
YEAR Team GP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB A BK ST PTS
2016–17 Central Michigan Did not play per NCAA rules[24]
2017–18 Central Michigan 35 148 296 44 113 64 90 152 123 14 43 404
2018–19 Central Michigan 33 174 353 65 156 68 84 141 127 5 51 481
2019–20 Central Michigan 30 219 512 75 211 131 162 194 148 10 53 644
2020–21 Central Michigan 27 233 477 71 199 107 133 131 115 6 59 644
Career 125 774 1638 255 679 370 469 618 513 35 206 2173

Source[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Micaela Kelly". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  2. ^ David Goricki (22 January 2020). "'As I go, the team goes': CMU women haven't lost a step with Micaela Kelly leading the way". The Detroit News. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  3. ^ CMUChippewas.com, Andy Sneddon. "CMU's Micaela Kelly drafted 21st overall in WNBA Draft". The Morning Sun.
  4. ^ "Central Michigan's Micaela Kelly selected in WNBA Draft second round". WXYZ. April 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Philippou, Alexa. "Connecticut Sun select Baylor's DiJonai Carrington, Central Michigan's Micaela Kelly, Oregon State's Aleah Goodman in 2021 WNBA Draft". courant.com.
  6. ^ "Connecticut Sun pick DiJonai Carrington, Micaela Kelly, Aleah Goodman in 2021 WNBA Draft". fox61.com. 16 April 2021.
  7. ^ Wright, Imanni (April 16, 2021). "Two players with Michigan roots selected in 2021 WNBA draft". WDIV.
  8. ^ "All-Detroit high school girls basketball teams". April 1, 2016.
  9. ^ "Micaela Kelly's High School Timeline". MaxPreps.com.
  10. ^ "MICAELA KELLY". 247Sports.
  11. ^ "Central Michigan's Micaela Kelly picked in second round of WNBA Draft". mlive. April 16, 2021.
  12. ^ Stats, Her Hoop (12 April 2021). "2021 WNBA Draft Prospect Micaela Kelly". herhoopstats.substack.com.
  13. ^ "Kelly, Davis lead Central Michigan women to MAC title". ABC News.
  14. ^ Writer, Jack Carle, Sentinel-Tribune Sports. "CMU downs Falcons in MAC title game". Sentinel-Tribune.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Ritchey, Isaac. "Micaela Kelly to forgo final season of eligibility, enter WNBA Draft". www.cm-life.com.
  16. ^ Deutsch, Jonathan (April 15, 2021). "CMU's Micaela Kelly drafted 21st in WNBA Draft". WEYI.
  17. ^ "CMU's Kelly Enters WNBA Draft". March 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "Breiðablik fær Micaela Kelly í stað Chelsey Shumpert". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  19. ^ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (16 November 2021). "Valin í WNBA nýliðavalinu í apríl en er nú komin í Breiðablik". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Fever Sign Micaela Kelly". fever.wnba.com.
  21. ^ Davíð Eldur (23 February 2022). "Ívar um brotthvarf Michaela Kelly úr liði Blika "Ljóst að það er verið að brjóta á okkur"". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Fever Waive Micaela Kelly". Indiana Fever. WNBA. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  23. ^ Ashley Birkeness (30 August 2022). "Micaela Kelly returns to CMU women's basketball program". Central Michigan Life. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  24. ^ a b Ritchey, Isaac. "Micaela Kelly to forgo final season of eligibility, enter WNBA Draft". www.cm-life.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01. Kelly initially started her career at DePaul but did not appear in any games for the Blue Demons before transferring to Central Michigan.
  25. ^ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
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