Alissa Pili probably is tired of being described as “unique.”
The No. 8 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx, Pili is a 6-foot-2 power point forward, possessing of suite of offensive skills that made her nearly unstoppable in her two seasons starring at the University of Utah. From Anchorage, AK, she’s Samoan and Iñupiaq. Her game and heritage, in short, are not those typical to women’s basketball or the WNBA.
Because of her ability and identity, she’s the kind of paradigm-busting player the Lynx—and the league—needs.
Unstoppable Alissa Pili can unleash the Lynx
As WNBA teams increasingly hew to modern basketball principles, certain player archetypes often are more valued than others. It is accepted that teams with title ambitions should want a ball handler who is proficient in the pick and roll and possesses a pull-jumper; 3-and-D wings who can knock down open shots, attack closeouts and guard across multiple positions; and bigs who can defend in different coverages, protect the rim and score efficiently around the basket.
Alissa Pili, however, does not easily fit into those prescribed roles. She’s an amalgamation of all of them. Her combination size and strength suggests she should be an undersized post. But, she often was the orienting…
