Emily Bessoir
{{short description|German basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Emily Bessoir
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| number = 11
| position = Small forward
| height = 192 cm
| weight_lb =
| league =
| team =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2001|11|19}}
| birth_place = Munich, Germany
| high_school = Wilhelm-Hausenstein Gymnasium
(Germany)
| college = UCLA (2020–2024)
| career_start =
| highlights =
- Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2020)
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Women's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bkw|Germany}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA Under-18 European Championship}}
{{MedalGold|2018 Italy|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA Under-16 European Championship}}
{{MedalSilver|2016 Italy|Team}}
}}
Emily Bessoir (born 19 November 2001) is a German basketball player who played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference. She represents Germany in international play.
Early life
Bessoir was born on 19 November 2001 in Munich, Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18women/2019/player/Emily-Bessoir|title=Emily BESSOIR|website=fiba.basketball|accessdate=11 July 2024}} She was raised there by a family with a basketball background.{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2020/10/22/womens-basketball-getting-to-know-emily-bessoir|title=Getting to Know... Emily Bessoir|publisher=UCLA Athletics|date=22 October 2020|accessdate=18 July 2024}} Her father was a three-time All-American player at Scranton, and both her parents played professionally.{{cite web|last=Carlson|first=Gavin|url=https://dailybruin.com/2023/03/15/emily-bessoir-returns-with-career-best-performances-for-ucla-womens-basketball|title=Emily Bessoir returns with career-best performances for UCLA women's basketball|work=Daily Bruin|date=15 March 2023|accessdate=18 July 2024}} Bessoir stated that she modeled her game after Elena Delle Donne.
Club career
Prior to moving to the United States to play for UCLA, Bessoir played for {{ill|TS Jahn München|de}}.{{cite magazine|last=Sanchez|first=Noel|url=https://www.si.com/college/ucla/womens-basketball/ucla-womens-basketball-forward-interviews-ex-teammate-after-exhibition-blowout-ns2002|title=UCLA Women's Basketball: Forward Interviews Ex-Teammate After Exhibition Blowout|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=1 September 2023|accessdate=19 July 2024}} In the 2019–20 season, she averaged 17.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals over 31 minutes per game.{{cite web|last=Christon|first=Jon|url=https://dailybruin.com/2020/05/04/womens-basketballs-international-recruits-fill-in-gaps-of-departing-players|title=Women's basketball's international recruits fill in gaps of departing players|work=Daily Bruin|date=4 May 2020|accessdate=19 July 2024}}
College career
Bessoir's father assisted her with her recruitment process. Bessoir and UCLA head coach Cori Close were both present at the 2019 FIBA U18 Women's European Championship in Bangkok, with Bessoir representing Germany and Close coaching the American team. UCLA's recruiting class for Bessoir's freshman season was exclusively made up of international players; she was joined by Australians Izzy Anstey and Gemma Potter.
Playing 20.7 minutes per game, Bessoir averaged 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in her freshman season.{{cite magazine|last=Royer|first=Benjamin|url=https://www.si.com/college/ucla/womens-basketball/forward-emily-bessoir-tears-acl-to-miss-season-for-ucla-womens-basketball|title=Forward Emily Bessoir Tears ACL, to Miss Season for UCLA Women's Basketball|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=8 October 2021|accessdate=18 July 2024}} She was named to the 2020–21 Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
During practice in October 2021, she suffered a torn ACL, causing her to miss the entire 2021–22 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).{{cite web|url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/uclas-emily-bessoir-miss-upcoming-003415224.html|title=UCLA's Emily Bessoir to miss upcoming season with ACL injury|publisher=Associated Press|via=Yahoo! Sports|date=8 October 2021|accessdate=18 July 2024}}{{cite web|last=Gonzalez|first=Isabel|url=https://www.cbssports.com/womens-college-basketball/news/womens-college-basketball-preview-predictions-for-the-2022-23-season-including-south-carolina-taking-a-jump/|title= Women's college basketball preview: Predictions for the 2022-23 season, including South Carolina taking a jump |work=CBS Sports|date=14 October 2022|accessdate=11 July 2024}} She played all 37 games the following season.{{cite web|url=https://kesq.com/news/2023/12/13/no-2-ucla-loses-emily-bessoir-for-rest-of-season-after-she-injured-knee-playing-for-germany/|title= No. 2 UCLA loses Emily Bessoir for rest of season after she injured knee playing for Germany |publisher=Associated Press|via=KESQ|date=13 December 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} In a December game versus CSU Bakersfield, Bessoir scored 12 points as UCLA won 75–47.{{cite web|last=Painter Lopez|first=Jill|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2022-12-17/ucla-cal-state-bakersfield-womens-basketball|title=Emily Bessoir and Londynn Jones lead No. 10 UCLA past Cal State Bakersfield|publisher=Associated Press|via=Los Angeles Times|date=17 December 2022|accessdate=18 July 2024}} In February 2023, she scored 20 points and hit four 3-pointers in a 67–57 win over Oregon.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2023-02-12/ucla-womens-basketball-oregon|title=Emily Bessoir and Londynn Jones push No. 18 UCLA past Oregon|publisher=Associated Press|via=Los Angeles Times|date=12 February 2023|accessdate=18 July 2024}}
UCLA opened up their 2023 Pac-12 Tournament play against Arizona State, with Bessoir scoring 17 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in an 81–70 overtime win.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ucla-emily-bessoir-charisma-osborne-230547945.html|title=UCLA's Emily Bessoir and Charisma Osborne join Pac-12 Networks following OT win over ASU |via=Yahoo! Sports|date=1 March 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} In UCLA's following game, she scored 18 points and 13 rebounds in a win over No. 21-ranked Arizona, registering her first career double-double.{{cite web|url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50591672/no-19-ucla-women-beat-no-21-arizona-in-pac-12-tourney|title=No. 19 UCLA women beat No. 21 Arizona in Pac-12 tourney|agency=Associated Press|via=KSL.com|date=2 March 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} In UCLA's first game of the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, she scored 14 points in a 67–45 win over 13-seed Sacramento State.{{cite web|last=Reedy|first=Joe|url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50603419/ucla-women-roll-to-67-45-win-over-sacramento-state|title=UCLA women roll to 67-45 win over Sacramento State|publisher=Associated Press|via=KSL.com|date=19 March 2023|orig-date=18 March 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} She was named to the All-Tournament team.
During the summer of the 2023 offseason, Bessoir's Bruins played an exhibition game against her former TS Jahn München club. Bessoir scored 17 points as the Bruins won in a 126–23 rout.{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2023/8/29/womens-basketball-bruins-down-illness-ridden-ts-jahn-m-nchen|title=Bruins Down Illness-Ridden TS Jahn München|publisher=UCLA Bruins|date=29 August 2023|accessdate=19 July 2024}} Going into the 2023–24 season, she was an honorable mention on the Preseason All-Pac 12 Team.{{cite web|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/10/09/three-earn-preseason-all-pac-12-recognition|title=Three Earn Preseason All-Pac-12 Recognition|website=gostandford.com|date=9 October 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} Bessoir played in just one game during the season, scoring six points and registering four rebounds. Bessoir was set to miss two games during the season to represent Germany at FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.{{cite web|last=Wang|first=Lauryn Olina|url=https://dailybruin.com/2024/01/09/ucla-womens-basketball-steps-up-and-into-emily-bessoirs-shoes-after-injury|title=UCLA women's basketball steps up and into Emily Bessoir's shoes after injury|work=Daily Bruin|date=9 January 2024|accessdate=11 July 2024}} However, during a qualifier match on 9 November, she re-injured the ACL that caused her to miss the entire 2021–22 season. As a result, she missed the rest of the season.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/ucla-women-emily-bessoir-injured-c1ce1192c9249768e28213fdbaefed5f|title=No. 2 UCLA loses Emily Bessoir for rest of season after she injured knee playing for Germany|publisher=Associated Press|date=13 December 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}}
After the 2023–24 season, it was announced that Bessoir would not be returning to UCLA or entering the transfer portal, but instead would return to Germany in hopes of making the women's Olympic roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|last=Sawyer|first=Haley|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/04/19/ucla-forward-emily-bessoir-announces-she-is-leaving/|title= UCLA forward Emily Bessoir announces she is leaving, Christeen Iwuala enters transfer portal |work=Los Angeles Daily News|date=19 April 2024|accessdate=11 July 2024}} She graduated from UCLA in June.
National team career
Bessoir represents Germany in international competitions. She was on Germany's roster for the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship, helping the team win a silver medal.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u16women/2017/news/bessoir-to-lead-germany-into-european-youth-olympic-festival|title=Bessoir to lead Germany into European Youth Olympic Festival|website=fiba.basketball|date=20 July 2017|accessdate=11 July 2024}} She was later on Germany's championship-winning roster at the 2018 FIBA U18 Women's European Championship. Bessoir once again competed for Germany at the FIBA U18 Women's European Championship in 2019.
During the summer of 2020, she competed for Germany during the FIBA U20 Women's European Challengers. She averaged 16.2 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in five games played.
During her final year at UCLA, Bessoir missed two Bruins games to play EuroBasket Women 2025 qualifiers for Germany.{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2023/11/8/womens-basketball-aarnisalo-bessoir-and-dugali-to-compete-at-eurobasket-2025-qualifiers|title=Aarnisalo, Bessoir and Dugalic to Compete at EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers|publisher=UCLA Bruins|date=8 November 2023|accessdate=11 July 2024}} However, she suffered a torn ACL during a match.
Bessoir was included on Germany's finalized 12-woman roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-bund.de/unsere-zwoelf-spielerinnen-fuer-paris-2024/|title=Unsere zwölf Spielerinnen für Paris 2024|date=15 July 2024 |publisher=German Basketball Federation|accessdate=19 July 2024|language=de}}
Career statistics
| class="toccolours" style="white-space: nowrap;"
|+Legend |
| style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black;" | GP
| Games played | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | GS | Games started | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | MPG | Minutes per game |
| style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black;" | FG%
| style="padding-right: 8px" | Field goal percentage | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | 3P% | style="padding-right: 8px" | 3-point field goal percentage | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black;" | RPG
| Rebounds per game | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | APG | Assists per game | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | SPG | Steals per game |
| style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black;" | BPG
| Blocks per game | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | PPG | Points per game | style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" | Bold | Career high |
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Team
! GP
! GS
! MPG
! FG%
! 3P%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! SPG
! BPG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| UCLA
| 22 || 2 || 20.6 || .407 || .294 || .489 || 5.2 || 1.0 || 1.0 || .7 || 7.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22
| style="text-align:left;"| UCLA
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11" |Did not play due to injury
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"| UCLA
| 37 || 35 || 25.1 || .413 || .357 || .742 || 5.8 || 1.2 || .6 || .9 || 9.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24
| style="text-align:left;"| UCLA
| 1 || 0 || 23.0 || .500 || .333 || .500 || 4.0 || 3.0 || 2.0 || .0 || 6.0
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 60 || 37 || 23.4 || .412 || .339 || .590 || 5.5 || 1.2 || .8 || .9 || 8.6
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="14"|Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/emily-bessoir-1.html|title=Emily Bessoir College Stats|publisher=Sports-Reference|accessdate=11 July 2024}}
{{S-end}}
Off the court
After suffering her ACL injury during the 2023–24 UCLA season, Bessoir co-hosted an art show with Anstey, who was also injured.{{cite magazine|last=Ehrlich|first=Michael|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/name-image-likeness/news/ucla-basketball-duo-emily-bessoir-and-izzy-antsey-host-first-nil-art-show-michael9|title=UCLA Basketball Duo Emily Bessoir and Izzy Anstey Host First NIL Art Show|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=18 March 2024|accessdate=11 July 2024}} The art show, dubbed SHE IS: a canvas of strength, beauty and grace, featured a collection of poems and included 11 paintings, a reference to Bessoir's jersey number. The paintings were illustrated by Bessoir, with funds from the art show going toward Bessoir's NIL efforts.
Bessoir lives together with German basketball player Svenja Brunckhorst.{{cite web|last=Schupp|first=Karin|url=https://www.l-mag.de/news-1010/paris-2024-das-sind-die-lesbischen-und-queeren-olympionikinnen-aus-deutschland.html|title=Paris 2024: Das sind die lesbischen und queeren Olympionikinnen aus Deutschland|work=L-MAG|date=27 July 2024|accessdate=12 August 2024|language=de}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bessoir, Emily}}
Category:21st-century German LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century German sportswomen
Category:Basketball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:German expatriate basketball people in the United States
Category:German women's basketball players
Category:Germany women's national basketball team players
Category:Olympic basketball players for Germany