Azurá Stevens

Stevens was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the daughter of Damon and Kaasha Stevens. She attended Cary High School in Cary, North Carolina, graduating in 2014. She played basketball at Cary High, where she averaged 30 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks her senior year.{{Cite news |last=Moody |first=Aaron |date=February 26, 2012 |title=Cary Girls Upset East Wake: Two Imps - Stevens and Coleman - Outscore Entire Warrior Team |page=A6 |work=The News and Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93875397/ |access-date=January 31, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=May 2, 2016 |title=Azura Stevens: 5 Things To Know About UConn Women's Newest Player |work=Hartford Courant |url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-azura-stephens-uconn-women-0503-20160502-story.html |access-date=January 31, 2022}} As a sophomore and junior in high school, she played basketball with The Miracle League of the Triangle.

Stevens was an All-Academic selection all four years of high school. Her senior year, she was selected as an All-American by Parade Magazine. In 2014, she was selected for All-State by the Associated Press and for All-North Carolina First Team by USA Today.

Stevens played for the Duke Blue Devils during the 2014–15 and 2015-16 season. At Duke, she was named to the All-ACC Second Team as a freshman and to the First Team as a sophomore. She sat out the following due to transfer rules before playing for the UConn Huskies in the 2017-18 season. At UConn, she was named to the All-AAC Second Team and received the AAC Sixth Player of Year and AAC Newcomer of Year awards.{{Cite web |title=Azura Stevens |url=https://www.wnba.com/draft2020profile/azura-stevens/ |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA |language=en}}

In April 2018, Stevens decided to forgo her senior year of college and declare for the 2018 WNBA draft.{{Cite web |last=Associated Press |date=April 2, 2018 |title=UConn forward Stevens to enter WNBA draft |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/23003630/uconn-huskies-azura-stevens-skipping-final-year-enter-wnba |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405084136/http://www.espn.com:80/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/23003630/uconn-huskies-azura-stevens-skipping-final-year-enter-wnba |archive-date=April 5, 2018 |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Anthony |first=Mike |title=UConn's Azura Stevens Declares For WNBA Draft, Forgoing Senior Season |url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-sp-azura-stevens-wnba-draft-20180402-story.html |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=courant.com |date=April 2, 2018}} She was a highly rated player expected to be taken in the first round of the draft, and noted for her ability to play "positionless" basketball.{{Cite web |last=Ellentuck |first=Matt |date=April 10, 2018 |title=Dallas Wings get future of the WNBA in Azura Stevens |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2018/4/10/17194150/wnba-draft-2018-azura-stevens-uconn |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Michelle |date=April 11, 2018 |title=How will UConn's Azurá Stevens impact the WNBA draft? |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/23107482/how-uconn-huskies-azura-stevens-impact-wnba-draft |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412074505/http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/23107482/how-uconn-huskies-azura-stevens-impact-wnba-draft |archive-date=April 12, 2018 |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=April 10, 2018 |title=WNBA mock draft: Projecting all three rounds |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/23101046/mock-draft-projecting-2018-wnba-draft |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ellentuck |first=Matt |date=April 9, 2018 |title=WNBA mock draft: A'ja Wilson will go No. 1. After that, anything can happen |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2018/4/9/17204114/wnba-draft-2018-mock-aja-wilson-las-vegas |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}

In her rookie season for the Wings, Stevens mostly came off the bench, averaging 20.6 minutes, 8.9 points, and 4.6 rebounds per game, and was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=Azura Stevens WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/s/steveaz01w.html |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} Although the Wings ended the season with a 15–19 losing record, they entered the playoffs as the eighth seed and lost in the first round to the Phoenix Mercury. Stevens missed most of the 2019 season with an injury, playing only 9 games where she averaged 16 minutes and 4.8 points per game.{{Cite web |last=Kenney |first=Madeline |date=July 4, 2020 |title=Sky look to Azura Stevens for 'big season' after injury-plagued 2019 |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2020/7/4/21309362/sky-look-to-azura-stevens-for-big-season-after-injury-plagued-2019 |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}} She later had surgery on her injured foot.

Ahead of the 2020 season, the Wings traded Stevens to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Katie Lou Samuelson and first-round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft.{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |title=Sky trade Katie Lou Samuelson and a 1st-round pick to the Dallas Wings for Azura Stevens |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-chicago-sky-katie-lou-samuelson-azura-stevens-trade-20200215-oo2cw3cedzbftkdsyhngb3x2rq-story.html |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=chicagotribune.com |date=February 14, 2020}} In reporting ahead of the 2018 draft, multiple outlets had expected the Sky to draft Stevens with the third or fourth pick. With the Sky, Stevens was expected to fill a gap in the forward position created by the departure of Astou Ndour.

Ahead of the 2023 season, Stevens signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Sparks.{{Cite web |title=Sparks Sign WNBA Champion Azurá Stevens |url=https://sparks.wnba.com/news/sparks-sign-wnba-champion-azura-stevens/ |access-date=July 30, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Sparks |language=en}} On August 22, 2024, Stevens signed a one-year contract extension with the Sparks.{{Cite web |title=Sparks Forward Azurà Stevens Signs Contract Extension |url=https://sparks.wnba.com/news/sparks-forward-azura-stevens-signs-contract-extension/ |access-date=August 22, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Sparks |language=en}}

On August 3, 2022, she signed with Galatasaray of the Turkish Women's Basketball Super League (TKBL).{{Cite web |url=https://www.galatasaray.org/haber/basketbol/kadin-basketbol/azura-stevens-galatasaray-da/51396/ |title=Azura Stevens Galatasaray'da! |last= |first= |date=August 3, 2022 |website= |publisher=Galatasaray |language=tr |access-date=August 3, 2022}} As of July 2023, her contract has expired. Galatasaray club said goodbye to the player on July 6, 2023 by publishing a thank you message.{{cite web |url=https://www.galatasaray.org/haber/basketbol/kadin-basketbol/tesekkurler/53507 |title=Teşekkürler! |publisher=Galatasaray S.K. |date=July 6, 2023 |access-date=July 6, 2023}}

On October 3, 2024, it was announced that Stevens would appear and play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the women's 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.{{cite tweet |user=Unrivaledwbb |date=October 3, 2024 |number=1841883168627933307 |title=AZURÁ IS UNRIVALED👑25/30✅}} She was selected for Rose BC.{{Cite web |last=Maloney |first=Jack |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Unrivaled basketball league: Full rosters, list of players participating, teams, head coaches, 'wildcards' |url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/amp/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119013237/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/amp/ |archive-date=January 19, 2025 |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=CBS Sports}} Rose won the first ever Unrivaled championship.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Rose win Unrivaled's first women's 3-on-3 title |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/44296402/rose-win-unrivaled-first-women-3-3-title-vinyl |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Stevens had 19 points and 18 rebounds in the championship game.{{Cite web |title=Vinyl vs. Rose (Mar 17, 2025) Box Score {{!}} Unrivaled |url=https://www.unrivaled.basketball/game/xydxurm98lce/box-score |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.unrivaled.basketball |language=en}}

{{WNBA player statistics legend}}

Stats current through end of 2024 season

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics{{cite web |title=Azurá Stevens WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/s/steveaz01w.html |website=Basketball Reference}}}}

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2018

| style='text-align:left;'|Dallas

| 34 || 9 || 20.6 || .430 || .318 || .788 || 4.6 || 1.3 || 0.9 || 1.1 || 1.5 || 8.9

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2019

| style='text-align:left;'|Dallas

| 9 || 1 || 16.0 || .358 || .111 || .800 || 3.6 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 1.1 || 1.0 || 4.8

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2020

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 13|| 13 || 27.3 || .500 || .385 || .850 || 5.9 || 1.5 || 0.9 || 1.8 || 1.5 || 11.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|2021{{sup|†}}

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 30 || 11 || 19.6 || .500 || .333 || .813 || 4.6 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 0.9 || 7.4

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2022

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 35 || 8 || 21.9 || .472 || .362 || .744 || 3.9 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 1.1 || 0.7 || 10.6

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2023

| style='text-align:left;'|Los Angeles

| 35 || 29 || 26.0 || .404 || .321 || .754 || 5.9 || 1.1 || 1.2 || 0.9 || 1.5 || 10.8

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|{{wnbay|2024}}

| style='text-align:left;'|Los Angeles

| 20 || 19 || 24.7 || .399 || .350 || .815 || 7.0 || 1.9 || 0.9 || 0.9 || 1.8 ||9.6

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| style="text-align:left;"| 7 years, 3 teams

| 176 || 90 || 22.5 || .440 || .337 || .784 || 5.0 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 1.0 || 1.3 || 9.4

{{s-end}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA playoff statistics}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2018

| style="text-align:left;"| Dallas

| 1 || 0 || 13.0 || 1.000 || 1.000 || .000 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2021{{sup|†}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago

| 10 || 10 || 25.4 || .477 || .263 || .786 || 6.9 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 0.8 || 0.9 || 9.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022

| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago

| 8 || 0 || 18.8 || .472 || .188 || .667 || 3.8 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 0.9 || 0.8 || 7.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| style="text-align:left;"| 3 years, 2 teams

| 19 || 10 || 21.9 || .486 || .250 || .739 || 5.3 || 0.6 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 8.6

{{S-end}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=NCAA statistics{{Cite web |url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careerplayer |title=NCAA Statistics |website=web1.ncaa.org |access-date=June 3, 2021}}}}

|-

| style="text-align:center;"| 2014–15

| style="text-align:center;"| Duke

|33||25||28.8||.512||.283||.596||8.2||1.7||1.1||0.9||2.6||14.1

|-

| style="text-align:center;"| 2015–16

| style="text-align:center;"| Duke

|25||25||31.2||.535||.358||.750||9.6||1.6||1.3||2.1||2.7||18.9

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;"| 2016–17

| style="text-align:center;"| Connecticut

| align=center colspan=13 |Did not play (NCAA transfer rules)

|-

| style="text-align:center;"| 2017–18

| style="text-align:center;"| Connecticut

|37||8||20.9||.606||.176||.791||7.4||1.9||0.8|||2.1||1.3||14.7

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career

|95||58||26.4||.552||.273||.707||8.3||1.7||1.0||1.7||2.1||15.6

|}

{{reflist}}

{{commons}}

• Career statistics and player information from [http://www.wnba.com/player/azura-stevens/ WNBA.com] and [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/s/steveaz01w.html Basketball-Reference.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20180526041711/http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/azura_stevens_1026700.html UConn Huskies bio]
• {{FIBA|new_id=216912|name=Azura Stevens|old_id=121381}}
• {{FIBA 3x3|f57c81a0-c6ff-496c-ba64-bfb633d9e861|Azurá Breeona Stevens}}

{{Los Angeles Sparks current roster}}

{{2018 WNBA draft}}

{{Chicago Sky 2021 WNBA champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Azurá}}

Category:1996 births

Category:Living people

Category:3x3 basketball players at the 2023 Pan American Games

Category:American expatriate basketball people in China

Category:American women's basketball players

Category:Basketball players at the 2023 Pan American Games

Category:Basketball players from North Carolina

Category:Basketball players from Rhode Island

Category:Centers (basketball)

Category:Chicago Sky players

Category:Dallas Wings draft picks

Category:Dallas Wings players

Category:Duke Blue Devils women's basketball players

Category:Galatasaray S.K. (women's basketball) players

Category:Los Angeles Sparks players

Category:Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games

Category:Pan American Games 3x3 basketball players

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in basketball

Category:Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)

Category:Power forwards

Category:Sportspeople from Cary, North Carolina

Category:Sportspeople from Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Category:UConn Huskies women's basketball players

Category:Unrivaled basketball players

Category:21st-century American sportswomen