Maya Moore

Maya Moore
Name	Maya Moore
Caption	Moore with the Minnesota Lynx in 2018
Birth date	11 June 1989
Birth place	Jefferson City, Missouri, U.S.
Weight lb	175
High school	Collins Hill (Suwanee, Georgia)
College	University of Connecticut (2007–2011)
Draft year	2011
Draft team	Minnesota Lynx
Career position	Small forward
Career number	23
Years1	2011–2018
Team1	Minnesota Lynx
Years2	2011–2012
Team2	Ros Casares Valencia
Years3	2012–2014
Team3	Shanxi Flame
Years4	2015–2016
Team4	Shanxi Xing Rui Flame
Years5	2017–2018
Team5	UMMC Ekaterinburg

Maya Moore is an American former professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Her illustrious career is distinguished by unparalleled success at every level, from a record-setting tenure with the University of Connecticut Huskies to leading the Minnesota Lynx to four WNBA championships. Beyond her on-court dominance, she gained global recognition for her impactful social justice activism, which led to a landmark legal victory and a temporary hiatus from the WNBA.

Early life and education

Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina as a child before settling in Suwanee, Georgia. She attended Collins Hill High School, where she led her team to three consecutive Georgia High School Association state championships and was named a WBCA All-American. Recognized as the national player of the year by Gatorade and Naismith Prep Player of the Year, she was the top-ranked recruit in the nation before committing to the University of Connecticut.

College career

At UConn, she immediately became a cornerstone for coach Geno Auriemma, helping the Huskies achieve an unprecedented 90-game winning streak. She won two NCAA Championships (2009, 2010) and was a three-time winner of the Wade Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award. A four-time AP First-Team All-American, she finished her collegiate career as the second-leading scorer in Big East Conference history and left with a remarkable record of 150–4.

WNBA career

Selected first overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2011 WNBA draft, she became the franchise centerpiece, forming a legendary core with Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, and Rebekkah Brunson. She led the Lynx to championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017, earning Finals MVP honors in 2013. The 2014 WNBA MVP and a six-time All-Star, she also won the EuroLeague Women title with UMMC Ekaterinburg during WNBA off-seasons.

National team career

A stalwart for USA Basketball, she won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games in London and Rio de Janeiro. She also helped the U.S. women's national team secure top honors at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships. Her contributions were integral to maintaining the program's global dominance under coaches like Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley.

Activism and personal life

In 2019, she stepped away from professional basketball to focus on criminal justice reform, advocating for the case of Jonathan Irons, a man she believed was wrongly convicted. Her efforts, in collaboration with the Minnesota Freedom Fund and other organizations, culminated in Irons's release in 2020 after his conviction was overturned. She married Irons later that year. Her activism has been widely celebrated, earning her recognition such as the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year award in 2020.

Awards and honors

Her trophy case includes the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (2014), a WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2011), and four All-Star MVP selections. She was named to the WNBA's Top 20@20 list and the WNBA Top 25 team. Internationally, she is a two-time EuroLeague Women champion and a Russian Women's Basketball Premier League champion. Her collegiate honors include being enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Category:American women's basketball players Category:Connecticut Huskies women's basketball players Category:Minnesota Lynx players Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball