Imani McGee-Stafford

Imani Trishawn McGee-Stafford (born October 11, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. She played college basketball for University of Texas at Austin.

Imani McGee-Stafford
No. 34 – Shaanxi
PositionCenter
LeagueWCBA
Personal information
Born (1994-10-11) October 11, 1994 (age 29)
Inglewood, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolWindward (Los Angeles, California)
CollegeTexas (2012–2016)
WNBA draft2016: 1st round, 10th overall pick
Selected by the Chicago Sky
Playing career2016–present
Career history
20162017Chicago Sky
2016–2017Bnot Herziliya
20172018Atlanta Dream
2017Beijing Great Wall
2018Liaoning Flying Eagles
2019Adana Basketbol
2019Dallas Wings
2019Perth Lynx
Career highlights and awards
  • WNBA All-Rookie Team (2016)
  • Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year (2016)
  • Honda Sports Award (2015)
  • Big 12 Female Sportsperson of the Year (2015)
  • 2× First-team All-Big 12 (2015, 2016)
  • Second-team All-Big 12 (2014)
  • 2× Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2013, 2016)
  • Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2013)
  • Big 12 All-Freshman Team (2013)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Women's Basketball
Representing the  United States
FIBA Under-17 World Championship
Gold medal – first place2011 Toulouse and Rodez Team

College

In 2015, while at Texas, McGee-Stafford was awarded the Honda Inspiration Award which is given to a collegiate athlete "who has overcome hardship and was able to return to play at the collegiate level". She grew up in a challenging home environment, but overcame the challenge and became a voice for others.[1][2][3]

Texas statistics

Source[4]

Legend
  GPGames 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 PPG Points per game Bold Career high
YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2012-13Texas3033448.3%22.2%64.4%9.41.00.72.511.1
2013-14Texas3335649.8%57.1%62.8%7.30.50.52.210.8
2014-15Texas2726656.2%0.0%70.0%7.10.60.71.99.9
2015-16Texas3640550.3%30.0%78.6%8.90.80.82.911.3
Career126136150.6%32.1%69.6%8.20.70.72.410.8

Professional career

WNBA

McGee-Stafford was drafted 10th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2016 WNBA draft. In her rookie season, she was ranked seventh in the league in blocks per game and was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team. In her first playoff game, she broke the WNBA playoff rookie record for blocks in a game with 6. Midway through the 2017 season, McGee-Stafford was traded to the Atlanta Dream along with teammate Tamera Young in exchange for Jordan Hooper and a first-round draft pick.[5] She continued on with Atlanta in 2018 before joining the Dallas Wings for the 2019 season.

Overseas

In December 2016, McGee-Stafford moved to Israel to play for Bnot Hertzeliya. In 16 games during the 2016–17 season, she averaged 14.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. Between November and December 2017, she played in China for Beijing Great Wall of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association. She returned to China a year later, where she played for the Liaoning Flying Eagles between October and November 2018. In February 2019, she had a four-game stint in Turkey with Adana Basketbol.[6]

On June 13, 2019, McGee-Stafford signed with the Perth Lynx in Australia for the 2019–20 WNBL season.[7][8]

WNBA career statistics

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

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2016Chicago311618.955.40.066.05.60.60.61.30.96.7
2017Chicago22415.544.433.370.64.40.50.40.81.04.6
Atlanta1009.254.20.050.02.90.20.10.70.32.9
2018Atlanta29210.545.346.73.40.60.40.40.81.52.9
2019Dallas29611.946.825.064.33.80.6'0.60.61.23.9
Career4 years, 3 teams1212813.849.328.662.74.20.60.50.80.94.4

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2016Chicago5520.450.00.060.08.20.80.02.01.08.4
2018Atlanta405.833.30.050.02.00.00.00.30.01.3
Career2 years, 2 teams9513.947.60.058.35.40.40.01.20.65.2

Personal life

McGee-Stafford was married to former Texas Longhorns football player Paul Boyette Jr. in 2015, but the couple divorced in 2017.[9] She is the daughter of former WNBA player Pamela McGee, the younger maternal half-sister of current NBA player JaVale McGee, and a cousin of NFL player Jarron Gilbert. She also appeared on Let's Make a Deal with her grandmother on March 8, 2018 and received a pair of scooters. In the spring of 2020, she announced that she is stepping away for the next two WNBA seasons to pursue a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.[10] In March 2023, McGee-Stafford was announced as a partner in MOORvision Technologies and Ucam, a camera built to capture athlete's point of view during games.[11]

References