Kaylynne Truong becomes WNBA’s first Vietnamese player
Truong Thao Vy, also known as Kaylynne Truong, has made history by becoming the first-ever Vietnamese athlete to play in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Key points:
- Truong became the eighth Gonzaga University player ever drafted by the Washington Mystics, selected in the second round with the 21st overall pick on Monday.
- This means Truong will be the first Vietnamese athlete to play in the WNBA. Jaylin Williams became the first player of Vietnamese descent to be drafted in the NBA in 2022.
- Truong’s twin sister and Gonzaga teammate, Kayleigh Truong, was not selected by any club.
The details:
- With her impressive resume in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), Truong has earned recognition for her skills, often compared to NBA superstar Stephen Curry.
- Truong’s five-year career at Gonzaga earned her numerous accolades, including West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year in 2023 and All-WCC First Team honors. With 623 career assists and 1,508 points scored, she leaves a lasting legacy at Gonzaga.
- During the 2023-2024 NCAA season, where she played for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Truong averaged 11.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in 36 matches.
- The Mystics’ season opener against the Atlanta Dream on May 4 will mark Truong’s debut in professional basketball.
The “Truong Twins”:
- Together with her twin sister, the Truongs formed a formidable duo dubbed the “Truong Twins,” achieving success for Vietnam in international basketball competitions like the SEA Games.
- Both sisters, born in 2001 to Vietnamese parents in the U.S., have excelled in basketball since childhood.
- In 2019, they chose Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and have become mainstays for the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons.
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