Emma Meesseman
Emma Meesseman (born 13 May 1993) is a Belgian professional basketball player for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League and the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). After playing basketball in Belgium, Meesseman was drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 19th overall pick in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft. She has also played for the Belgian international team and several European professional teams. She was named the 2011 FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year and the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP.[3] Meesseman studied physical education at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.[4][5]
Meesseman in 2019 | |
| No. 33 – Chicago Sky | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | WNBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 13 May 1993 Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 191 lb (87 kg) |
| Career information | |
| WNBA draft | 2013 / Round: 2 / Pick: 19th overall |
| Selected by the Washington Mystics | |
| Playing career | 2009–present |
| Career history | |
| 2009–2012 | Blue Cats Ieper |
| 2009–2012 | Lotto Young Cats |
| 2012–2014 | ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq |
| 2013–2020 | Washington Mystics |
| 2014–2016 | WBC Spartak Moscow Region |
| 2016–2022 | UMMC Ekaterinburg |
| 2022–present | Fenerbahçe Safiport |
| 2022-present | Chicago Sky |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at WNBA.com | |
Medals | |
Professional career
Europe
Meesseman's club career began at the age of 16. She played domestically for the Blue Cats, based in her birth town of Ypres, and in the EuroCup for Lotto Young Cats, also in her native Belgium. In her second season with the Blue Cats she was named Belgium Championship MVP, and took the Young Cats to two EuroCups (2010–12).[citation needed]
In 2012, she joined ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball. In her second year with the club she played in her third EuroCup, reaching the semi-finals before falling to WBC Dynamo Moscow.[6]
Meesseman played for Spartak Moscow from 2014 to 2016, competing in two EuroCup tournaments. In February 2016, she was acquired by UMMC Ekaterinburg.[7]
With UMMC Ekaterinburg, Meesseman won the Russian National League championship in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2015–16 EuroLeague, Europe's premium basketball competition for women, in April 2016. Having missed out on the final in 2017 and finished 3rd, Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2017–18 EuroLeague. Meesseman, averaging 19 points in the Final Four tournament, was elected Final Four MVP. Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg followed this up with further Euroleague wins in seasons 2018–19 and 2020–21. With this 4th victory, Meesseman equaled fellow Belgian Ann Wauters' 4 Euroleague wins.[citation needed]
She signed with Fenerbahçe Safiport on 1st of July, 2022 for EuroLeague Women season.[8]
WNBA
Meesseman was drafted 19th overall in the second round of the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. In her rookie season, Meesseman was a back-up center on the Mystics' roster, averaging 4.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game in 34 games with 1 start.[citation needed]
In the 2014 season, Meesseman became the starting center for the Mystics and averaged 10.1 points per game and a career-high 6.4 rebounds per game.[citation needed]
In the 2015 season, Meesseman would play outside her natural position after being moved to power forward in the Mystics' starting line-up to make room for Stefanie Dolson at the center position.[9][10] Meesseman would have a breakout season in 2015, averaging 11.6 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, was ranked fifth in blocks per game and also added three-point shooting to her skill set. Meesseman scored a career-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a loss against the Tulsa Shock on June 19, 2015.[11] She also made her first career all-star game appearance after being voted into the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game.[12]
In 2016, Meesseman signed a three-year contract extension with the Mystics.[13] During the 2016 season, Meesseman would have the best season of her career thus far, averaging a career-high 15.2 points per game and led the league in three-point field goal percentage.[14]
In 2017, after the Mystics traded Dolson to the Chicago Sky, Meesseman continued her role at the power forward spot in the starting lineup. In the Mystics' season opener, Meesseman scored 13 points along with 8 rebounds in an 89–74 victory over the San Antonio Stars.[15] During the 2017 season, Meesseman left the Mystics after the first four games due to overseas commitment to play for her national team during the FIBA world championship qualifying tournament. She returned on May 12, 2017, for practice and was activated to play on the Mystics' roster on June 28, 2017.[16][17] On July 30, 2017, Meesseman scored a new career-high of 30 points along with 10 rebounds in a 77–70 victory over the Atlanta Dream.[18] The Mystics secured a playoff berth as the #6 seed in the league with an 18–16 record. In the first round elimination game, the Mystics defeated the Dallas Wings 86–76, Meesseman scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.[19] They advanced to the second round elimination game, where they defeated the #3-seeded New York Liberty, 82–68, advancing to the semi-finals, making it the first time in franchise history where the Mystics have advanced past the second round. Meeeseman scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the win.[20] In the semi-finals, the Mystics were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx in a 3-game sweep.[citation needed]
In January 2018, it was announced that Meesseman would sit out the entire 2018 season to play for Team Belgium in the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup tournament.[21] Without Meesseman, the Mystics would make a run to the WNBA Finals, but were defeated in a 3-game sweep by the Seattle Storm.[citation needed]
In 2019, Meesseman returned to the Mystics and played most of the season off the bench. With her return and strong contribution off the bench, the Mystics would finish as the number 1 seed with a 26–8 record, receiving a double-bye to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Mystics defeated the Las Vegas Aces 3–1, advancing to the WNBA Finals for the second year in a row. Meesseman's presence and off-the-bench heroics earned her Finals MVP honors as the Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun in five games. Meesseman became the first European player to be named Finals MVP and only the second international player in league history (the first was Lauren Jackson).[citation needed]
In 2020, the season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 5, 2020, Meesseman scored a season-high 24 points along with 13 rebounds in a 83–77 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.[22] During the season, the Mystics were shorthanded with key players leaving in free agency and sitting out for health concerns as they finished 9–13 with the number 8 seed. Meesseman had returned to the starting lineup with increased playing time. They would lose 85–84 to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round elimination game.[citation needed]
Ahead of the 2022 season, Meesseman signed with the Chicago Sky, where she will be reunited with her Belgian national teammates Julie Allemand and Ann Wauters (with the latter serving as an assistant coach).[23]
International
Meesseman made her debut for Belgium at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship for Women. In the final, Meesseman led the team to victory 77–49 over France, herself scoring 25 points, and was named tournament MVP.[24] On November 25, 2015, she scored 31 points, made seventeen rebounds and five assists for the women's senior team in a EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifier against Belarus.[citation needed]
In Belgium's quarterfinal Eurobasket 2017 match against Italy, she scored 28 points, had 11 rebounds, five assists, and five blocked shots.[citation needed]
Meesseman led Belgium to a best ever finish in EuroBasket Women 2017, a bronze medal, and was named to the All Star five of the tournament. With this finish in the top 5 of EuroBasket Women 2017, the Belgium women's national basketball team qualified for the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Before this, the Belgium women's national basketball team had never qualified for a World Championships or the Olympic Games.[citation needed]
Continuing on from her strong performance at EuroBasket Women 2017, Meesseman led the Belgium women's national basketball team to a top finish in group C, besting (then second-ranked team in the world) Spain. The Belgian Cats next beat (the then third-ranked team in the world) France in the quarter-final only to lose against the top-ranked team in the world (USA) in the semi-final. Beaten in the bronze medal game by Spain, the Belgian women registered a 4th-place finish at their first FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. Meesseman, averaging the most rebounds per game (10.7) and the second most points per game (18.5) at the tournament, was selected to the Tournament All-Star Five.[citation needed]
In 2020 the Belgian Cats, with Meesseman, qualified for the Olympic games in Tokyo.[25][26] She was later also named the TISSOT MVP at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ostend.[27] At the 2020 Summer Games, she led the Belgium women's national basketball team to the quarter finals, having defeated Australia and Puerto Rico and lost to China in the poule phase. In the quarterfinals, Belgium then suffered a heartbreaking loss to home team Japan.[28] At the end of the tournament, she was elected to the All-Star Five of the tournament, having posted the best points per game, steals and efficiency in the tournament.[29]
WNBA career statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games 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 high | ° | League leader | ||||
| † | Denotes seasons in which Meesseman won a WNBA championship |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Washington | 34 | 1 | 14.7 | .446 | .000 | .810 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 4.4 |
| 2014 | Washington | 34 | 34 | 27.4 | .520 | .000 | .909 | 6.4 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 10.1 |
| 2015 | Washington | 34 | 34 | 27.2 | .556 | .462 | .829 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 11.6 |
| 2016 | Washington | 34 | 34 | 29.3 | .533 | .448° | .800 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 15.2 |
| 2017 | Washington | 23 | 21 | 28.4 | .482 | .318 | .870 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 14.1 |
| 2019† | Washington | 23 | 6 | 23.6 | .552 | .422 | .905 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 13.1 |
| 2020 | Washington | 20 | 20 | 31.7 | .454 | .289 | .829 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 13.0 |
| 2022 | Chicago | 36 | 36 | 28.6 | .571 | .342 | .887 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 12.4 |
| Career | 8 years, 2 teams | 238 | 186 | 26.1 | .522 | .371 | .854 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 11.5 |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Washington | 3 | 0 | 12.5 | .455 | .000 | .667 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 4.0 |
| 2014 | Washington | 2 | 2 | 33.3 | .526 | .000 | 1.000 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 12.5 |
| 2015 | Washington | 3 | 3 | 33.1 | .379 | .250 | .667 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 9.0 |
| 2017 | Washington | 5 | 5 | 31.2 | .302 | .231 | .700 | 5.4 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 9.6 |
| 2019† | Washington | 9 | 3 | 28.2 | .582 | .516 | .824 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 19.3 |
| 2020 | Washington | 1 | 1 | 35.0 | .533 | 1.000 | .000 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 18.0 |
| 2022 | Chicago | 8 | 8 | 29.6 | .470 | .300 | .833 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 11.1 |
| Career | 7 years, 2 teams | 31 | 22 | 28.5 | .477 | .i429 | .787 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 12.7 |
Personal life
Meeseman's mother, Sonja Tankrey, is a former basketball player.[30] She was the Belgian Women's Basketball Player of the Year in 1983.[31]
Meesseman speaks fluent Dutch, French and English. Meesseman was also born with 50% hearing. She wears hearing devices behind both ears to compensate for her lack of hearing.[32]
Honours and awards
Team
Blue Cats Ieper
- Belgian National League Champion: 2011-12
ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq
- French Cup Finalist: 2013-14
UMMC Ekaterinburg
- EuroLeague Women winner: 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21
- FIBA Europe SuperCup Women winner: 2016, 2018, 2019
- Russian League Champion: 2015-2016, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20
- Russian Cup: 2017, 2019
- RFB Super Cup: 2021
- UMMC Cup: 2016, 2018
Washington Mystics
- WNBA Finals Champion: 2019
National Team
- 4th place U17 World Cup: 2011
- Winner U18 European Championship Women: 2011
- 3rd place EuroBasket Women: 2017
- 3rd place EuroBasket Women: 2021
Individual
- MVP Belgian Pro Basketball League: 2010-11
- MVP U18 European Championship Women: 2011
- FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year: 2011
- WNBA All-Star Game selection: 2015
- Eastern Conference Player of the Week: June 2016
- Most 3 points WNBA: 2016
- Final Four MVP EuroLeague Women: 2017-18
- All-Star Five FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup: 2018
- WNBA Finals MVP: 2019[33]
- Vlaamse Reus: 2019[34][35]
- Flemish Sportsjewel: 2019[36]
- All-Star Five EuroLeague Women: 2019-20, 2020-21[37]
- TISSOT MVP during the Olympic Qualifying tournament in Ostend: 2020[27]
- Belgian Sportswoman of the year: 2020[38]
- All-Star Five Olympics Woman's Basketball Tournament: 2020[39]
- Top Scorer Olympics Woman's Basketball Tournament: 2020
- All-Star Five European Women Basketball Championship: 2021
References
- ^ All-EuroLeague Women First Team announced fib.basketball
- ^ Winners of EuroLeague Women Awards announced fiba.basketball
- ^ . eurobasketwomen2013.com. 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ Playing basketball and studying Emma Meesseman is February young player of the month
- ^ Emma Meesseman talks about Russia vs. the WNBA
- ^ "Emma MEESSEMAN".
- ^ "UMMC Ekaterinburg acquires Emma Meesseman from Sparta&k". 10 February 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
- ^ Emma Meesseman signed with Fenerbahçe Safiport
- ^ "Mystics All-Star silent no more". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Dolson has brought the best out of Meesseman". ESPN.com. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ . sportsnetwork.com. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ^ Wang, Gene (21 July 2015). "Mystics' Dolson, Meesseman selected to WNBA All-Star Game". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Meesseman signs extension with the Mystics through 2019". Bullets Forever. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ Ward, Elle (17 September 2016). "Emmma Meesseman leads league in three-point shooting". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "05/14/17: San Antonio Stars @ Washington Mystics – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Transactions – WNBA". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ Wang, Gene (12 May 2017). "Mystics welcome Emma Meesseman back for first practice". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Recap: Meesseman scores career-high 30 to lead Mystics to 77–70 win". Bullets Forever. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ Capital One Arena Wednesday, September 6, 2017
- ^ Madison Square Garden Sunday, September 10, 2017
- ^ Emma Meesseman to miss 2018 WNBA season, will return in 2019
- ^ Wilson, Robinson each score 20, Aces beat Mystics 83-77
- ^ Voepel, Mechelle (18 February 2022). "Meesseman inks deal with WNBA champion Sky". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ "Meesseman Leads All Tournament Team". FIBA Europe. 14 August 2011.
- ^ De Belgian Cats gaan naar Tokio! Ze maken hun droom waar na zege tegen Zweden Sporza.be, 9 February 2020, article in Dutch
- ^ Belgium Latest qualifier games FIBA basketball website
- ^ a b Meesseman crowned TISSOT MVP to lead All-Star Five
- ^ "One of all-time great women's games headlines Quarter-Finals day in Tokyo". www.FIBA.com. 4 August 2021.
- ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". www.FIBA.com. 8 August 2021.
- ^ "MEESSEMAN, THE RELUCTANT BELGIAN STAR". Fibaeurope.com. 2 September 2012.
- ^ Larsimont, Bert (18 April 2013). "Making sense of the Mystics' Meesseman mystery pick". fullcourt.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ Giannotto, M. (18 June 2013). "Washington Mystics' Emma Meesseman overcomes hearing disorder". The Washington Post.
- ^ Emma Meesseman Named WNBA Finals 2019 MVP
- ^ Valerie Hardie (6 December 2019). "Vlaamse Reus gaat naar Emma Meesseman, winnares WNBA laat Nina Derwael achter zich (article in Dutch)". HLN.
- ^ "Meesseman wint haar eerste Vlaamse Reus, voor Derwael en Campenaerts (article in Dutch)". Sporza. 6 December 2019.
- ^ Marc Vermeiren (11 December 2019). "Opnieuw prijs: Emma Meesseman wint ook Vlaams Sportjuweel (article in Dutch)". Het Nieuwsblad.
- ^ (2019-20) All-EuroLeague Women First Team announced, sur fiba.basketball, 29 avril 2020 (consulté le 30 avril 2020).
- ^ Emma Meeseman uitgeroepen tot sportvrouw van het jaar Focus-wtv.be
- ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". fiba.basketball. 8 August 2021.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from WNBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Emma Meesseman at FIBA
- FIBA Europe profile
- Eurobasket.com profile
- Emma Meesseman at Olympedia
- Emma Meesseman at Olympics.com
- Emma Meesseman at Team Belgium (in Dutch and French)