Kia Vaughn

Kia Vaughn (born January 24, 1987) is an American-Czech born professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[1] She attended high school at St. Michael's All Girls High School in New York, and later went on to star at Rutgers University.[2]

Kia Vaughn
No. 1 – Phoenix Mercury
PositionCenter
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1987-01-24) January 24, 1987
Bronx, New York
NationalityAmerican / Czech
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolSt. Michael Academy
(New York City, New York)
CollegeRutgers (2005–2009)
WNBA draft2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall
Selected by the New York Liberty
Playing career2009–present
Career history
2009–2012New York Liberty
2009–2010Ramat Hasharon
2011Elitzur Ramla
2011–2012Taranto Cras Basket
2012–2017USK Praha
2013–2016Washington Mystics
2017–2018New York Liberty
2017–2019Fenerbahçe Istanbul
2019–2020Elazığ İl Özel İdarespor
2020–presentPhoenix Mercury
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

High school

Born in the Bronx, New York, Vaughn played for St. Michael Academy in New York City, where she was named a WBCA All-American. Her father Linzell "Predator" Vaughn is a noted street ball player at Rucker Park.[3] She participated in the 2005 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored two points.[4]

College

Vaughn attended Rutgers University from 2006–2009, playing under legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer. She helped Rutgers to a perfect 16–0 record in the Big East conference her freshman year, averaging 6.3 points per game and 7 rebounds a game. During her sophomore season, she was named the All-Met Division I Women's College Basketball Player of the Year. She averaged 12.8 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and 2.5 blocks per game.[5] That year, she helped lead the Rutgers women's basketball team to a Big East Conference championship. The Lady Scarlet Knights lost to the Tennessee Lady Vols in the NCAA championship game.[6]

Vaughn continued to excel in her junior season, garnering Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association All-Met First Team honors along with being named to the All Big-East second team. She averaged 10 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game on the season. Her senior campaign was solid, but a little underwhelming as she averaged only 9.7 points per game 6.7 rebounds per game.[5] Nevertheless, she was named All-Big East Honorable Mention at the season's conclusion.[7]

Rutgers statistics

Source[8]

Legend
  GP Games 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
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2005-06 Rutgers 32 200 53.6 - 53.5 7.0 0.2 0.6 2.1 6.3
2006-07 Rutgers 36 462 55.7 100.0 67.8 9.3 0.6 1.1 2.6 12.8
2007-08 Rutgers 34 339 54.9 - 47.5 8.3 0.8 0.9 1.7 10.0
2008-09 Rutgers 33 328 58.5 - 44.1 7.2 0.8 1.1 1.9 9.9
Career Rutgers 135 1329 55.9 100.0 55.9 8.0 0.6 0.9 2.1 9.8

USA Basketball

Vaughn was also a member of the Championship winning 2006 USA National Team FIBA Americas U20 Championship for Women in Mexico City, Mexico. Kia averaged 12 points and 3 rebounds in 5 games.

Professional career

WNBA

Vaughn was drafted 8th overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by her home state team, the New York Liberty. In her first two seasons with the Liberty, she was a reserve on the team's roster. In her third season with the Liberty, she was the starting center for the team and averaged career-highs in scoring and rebounding. For these efforts, she would win the 2011 WNBA Most Improved Player Award. In her fourth season with the Liberty, Vaughn became a role player on the roster, playing 31 games with 17 starts. Upon the 2013 season, Vaughn was a restricted free agent and was traded to the Washington Mystics along with a 2013 first round pick in exchange for the seventh overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.[9]

In her first season with the Mystics, she was a role player on the roster and then would be upgraded in the Mystics' starting lineup the following year at the five spot. In 2015, Vaughn would have an injury-riddled season, she missed the first half of the season due to a concussion, she made her return in the beginning of August and played 20 games.[10] In the 2016 season, Vaughn would be fully healthy, playing all 34 games with 4 starts. In January 2017, the New York Liberty re-acquired Vaughan in a three-team trade deal that sent teammate Bria Hartley also to the Liberty, Carolyn Swords along with the 15th overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft to the Seattle Storm and the Mystics receiving two 2017 first round draft picks from the Storm.[11]

In February 2018, Vaughn re-signed with the Liberty.[12]

Vaughn did not play in the 2019 WNBA season, choosing to focus on her season in Turkey.[13]

Vaughn signed with the Phoenix Mercury for the 2020 season.[14]

Overseas

From 2012 to 2015, Vaughn played three off-seasons in Czech Republic for ZVVZ USK Praha.[15] In August 2016, Vaughn re-signed with ZVVZ USK Praha for the 2016-17 WNBA off-season[16] In September 2017, Vaughed signed with Fenerbahçe Istanbul of the Turkish League for the 2017-18 off-season.[17]

Litigation

On August 14, 2007, Kia Vaughn, one of the women involved in the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team controversy, filed suit against Don Imus, NBC Universal, CBS Corporation, MSNBC, CBS Radio, Viacom, Westwood One radio, and Bernard McGuirk, citing slander, libel, and defamation of character. Vaughn was the only player to pursue legal damages brought on by the controversy.[18] Vaughn dropped the lawsuit against Imus on September 11, 2007, citing her desire to "concentrate on her studies and basketball training."[19][20]

Personal

Vaughn's fiancé, Gary Ervin, is a professional basketball player himself. He has played in both the NBA Development League and the Australian NBL.[21]

References
  1. "Kia Vaughn Playerfile". WNBA. Archived from the original on July 21, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  2. Ackert, Kristie "Liberty's Kia Vaughn is feeling right at home in Madison Square Garden", Daily News (New York), May 18, 2009. Accessed August 7, 2009.
  3. https://nypost.com/2013/12/20/hoops-scion-vaughn-making-a-name-for-himself/
  4. "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  5. "Prospect: Kia Vaughn". WNBA. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  6. "Prospect: Rutgers Women's Basketball History". Rutgers University. Archived from the original on March 30, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  7. Mehta, Manish (March 5, 2009). "Rutgers guard Epiphanny Prince earns first-team All-Big East honors for second straight season". www.nj.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  8. "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  9. Washington Mystics acquire Kia Vaughn and the 17th pick of the 2013 Draft from the New York Liberty in exchange for the 7th pick in the 2013 Draft
  10. After missing 14 games, Kia Vaughn is back dominating
  11. Vaughn And Hartley to New York, Swords to Seattle in Three-Team Trade
  12. Bria Hartley, Kia Vaughn re-sign with Liberty
  13. "Kia Vaughn WNBA Stats & News". www.rotowire.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  14. "Kia Vaughn Chooses Phoenix in Free Agency". WNBA.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  15. Gamecenter Player Profile
  16. "2016-2017 WNBA Overseas Signings". Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  17. Kia Vaughn agreed terms with Fenerbahce
  18. "ABC News:Rutgers' Player sues Imus, NBC, CBS". ABC News. August 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  19. "Rutgers' Vaughn withdraws lawsuit against Imus, CBS". USA Today. Associated Press. September 12, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2007.
  20. Josh Grossberg (September 12, 2007). "Rutgers Player Drops Imus Suit". E! Online. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2007.
  21. Take 40: Gary Ervin Archived March 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
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