Hoop Genes
The 11-time national champion UConn women’s basketball team has a long history of landing players from high-level athletic families. Freshman Aubrey Griffin, daughter of an NBA player and college track athlete, is just the latest.
A look at some notable Huskies with elite athletic genes:
Aubrey Griffin, 2019: Father Adrian had a long professional career — nine years in the NBA after three seasons with the CBA’s Hartford-based Connecticut Pride — and is now an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. Mother Aubrey was an all-America runner at Seton Hall and brother Alan plays basketball at Illinois.
Kyla Irwin, 2016-2020: The senior’s mother Bethany (Collins) Irwin is a member of the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, winning two state titles at Branford High before playing at Penn State. Bethany Irwin scored 1,339 points in high school, leading her team to a top 25 national ranking. She averaged 9.3 points and 5.9 rebounds at Penn State and she spent 23 years as a high school coach in Pennsylvania, including a stint as her daughter’s coach.
Kia Nurse, 2014-2018: Father Richard spent six seasons as a receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. Mother Cathy played basketball at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Older sister Tamika played basketball at Oregon and Bowling Green, while brother Darnell is in his fifth season with the Edmonton Oilers.
Katie Lou Samuelson, 2015-2019: Father Jon played basketball at Cal State Fullerton and Chapman College before playing professionally in England. Mother Karen was an All-England netball — players shoot a ball into a basket, but there is no backboard and no dribbling in netball — player. And sisters Bonnie and Karlie played at Stanford, and Karlie has played in the WNBA.
Gabby Williams: 2014-2018: Father Matt played at NevadaReno from 1988 to 1992 and later became an AAU coach. Sister Kayla played at Nevada-Reno from 2008 to 2012.
Kiah Stokes, 2011-2015: Father Greg was a 6-foot-10 center for the University of Iowa, averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. He was picked 33rd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1985 NBA Draft and played 42 games over two NBA seasons before playing in Italy, Spain and Australia.
Maya Moore, 2007-2011: Father Mike Dabney played at Rutgers in the 1970s, averaging 19.1 points and earning honorable mention All-America for the 1975-76 Final Four team. Dabney was the 36th overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1976 NBA Draft. Moore’s sister, Oliva Dabney, is a junior guard on the Sacred Heart basketball team.
Shea Ralph, 1996-2001: Mother Marsha (Mann) was the first women’s basketball All-American at the University of North Carolina. She played in the 1973 World University Games and her No. 44 is retired by North Carolina.
Kara Wolters, 1993-1997: Father Willie was a 6-8 center for Boston College in the mid-1960s. Willie Wolters averaged 12.0 points and 12.7 rebounds in 77 games for BC and is in the school’s athletic hall of fame. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with 91st pick in the 1967 NBA Draft. Mother Liz was a high school basketball star in Wellesley, Mass., once scoring 50 points in a game.