Eziyoda Magbegor (born 13 August 1999) is an Australian professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for
Sopron Basket
Sopron Basket is a Hungarian women's basketball club from Sopron. Founded in 1921 as the women's section of Soproni VSE, it has played in the Hungarian National Championship since 1986. It plays its home games in the Aréna Sopron.
Sopron won ...
of the
EuroLeague Women and the Hungarian women's basketball league. Magbegor was a member of the Australian Women's basketball team (Opals) at the
2020 Tokyo Olympics
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
. The Opals were eliminated after losing to the USA in the quarterfinals.
Career
WNBA
The
2020 WNBA season
The 2020 WNBA season was the 24th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Washington Mystics were the defending champions. Planned changes to the league's schedule included an increase from 34 to 36 regular season games f ...
was atypical, played entirely inside
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries ...
's
IMG Academy
IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. IMG Academy is set across over 600 acres and features programs consisting of sport camps for youth athletes, adult camps, a board ...
, dubbed the "wubble," the WNBA's version of the NBA's Bubble. The Storm entered the wubble with Bird and Stewart back, but without head coach Dan Hughes, whose cancer diagnosis made him a health risk.
Bird missed several games with a left knee bone bruise, but came back for
the playoffs, in which the Storm didn't lose a single game. The Storm closed out the top-ranked
Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces are an American professional basketball team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Aces compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conferenc ...
in three games en route to their fourth championship, with Stewart again named Finals MVP.
WNBL
After beginning her career in the
South East Australian Basketball League
The South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) was an Australian semi-professional basketball league. The league comprised both a men's and women's competition and was run by the country's governing body, Basketball Australia. The league wa ...
(SEABL) with
Basketball Australia
Basketball Australia is the governing and controlling body of basketball in Australia, responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels.
Basketball Australia sanctions Australia's two professional leagues, the Nation ...
's development team, the Centre of Excellence, Magbegor did not take long to gain attention from professional leagues. In July 2017, Magbegor was signed by the
Canberra Capitals
The University of Canberra Capitals are an Australian professional women's basketball team competing in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). The team is based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. In 2014 the University of Canberr ...
for the
2017–18 WNBL season
The 2017–18 WNBL season was the 38th season of the competition since its establishment in 1981. The regular season began on 5 October 2017, with the Melbourne Boomers visiting the Dandenong Rangers. The Sydney Uni Flames were the defending champ ...
.
In March 2018, it was announced that Magbegor had signed a three-year deal with the
Melbourne Boomers
The Melbourne Boomers are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Boomers compete in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) and play the majority of their home games at Melbourne Sports Centre – Pa ...
. Magbegor will first suit up for the Boomers in the
2018–19 WNBL season
The 2018–19 WNBL season is the 39th season of the competition since its establishment in 1981. The Townsville Fire were the defending champions, however they failed to qualify for the finals. Canberra Capitals won their record eighth championshi ...
, choosing to stay home in Australia working alongside the likes of
Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea (born 6 June 1987) is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Southside Flyers in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). O'Hea is also currently the captain of Australia's national team, th ...
,
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson (born 11 May 1981) is an Australian professional basketball player. The daughter of two national basketball team players, Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1997, when she ...
and
Guy Molloy
Guy Molloy (born 4 November 1965) is an Australian basketball coach, who is currently the head coach of the Southland Sharks in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL).
Coaching career WNBL
Molloy began his coaching career as head co ...
despite several offers from US colleges.
In February 2020, Magbegor was named the Betty Watson Australian Youth Player of the Year (formerly the WNBL Rookie of the Year award) at the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) Awards, scoring 38 votes from a possible tally of 42 votes.
In April 2022, Magbegor was part of the
Melbourne Boomers championship team before moving to play basketball next season in Hungary
WNBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 22 , , 0 , , 13.3 , , .569 , , .333 , , .704 , , 2.5 , , 0.3 , , 0.5 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 6.5
, -
, style='text-align:left;',
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, style='text-align:left;',
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 30 , , 3 , , 15.2 , , .506 , , .556 , , .846 , , 3.9 , , 0.8 , , 0.6 , , 1.0 , , 0.9 , , 6.7
, -
, style='text-align:left;',
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, style='text-align:left;',
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 33, , 23 , , 15.2 , , .550 , , .345 , , .736 , , 5.6 , , 1.4 , , 0.9 , , 1.8 , , 1.4 , , 9.5
, -
, style='text-align:left;', Career
, style='text-align:left;', 3 years, 1 team
, 85 , , 26 , , 18.4 , , .540 , , .390 , , .765 , , 4.2 , , 0.9 , , 0.7 , , 1.2 , , 0.9 , , 7.8
Postseason
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 6 , , 0 , , 5.8 , , .222 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 1.2 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 0.2 , , 0.0 , , 1.0
, -
, style='text-align:left;',
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, style='text-align:left;',
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 1 , , 1 , , 31.0 , , .444 , , 1.000 , , .000 , , 9.0 , , 2.0 , , 0.0 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 9.0
, -
, style='text-align:left;',
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, style='text-align:left;',
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 6 , , 0 , , 31.0 , , .583 , , – , , .667 , , 2.7 , , 1.0 , , 0.7 , , 1.0 , , 0.2 , , 5.0
, -
, align="left" , Career
, align="left" , 3 years, 1 team
, 13 , , 1 , , 12.2 , , .476 , , .333 , , .800 , , 2.5 , , 0.8 , , 0.3 , , 0.6 , , 0.2 , , 3.5
National Team
Youth Level
Magbegor made her international debut at the
2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship
The 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship (Greek: Παγκόσμιο Πρωτάθλημα FIBA Under-19 2015) was the 12th edition of the FIBA U19 World Championship, the biennial international men's youth basketball championship contested by th ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, with the
U19 Gems as a 16 year old. She then represented the
U17 Sapphires at the 2015 Oceania Championships. Dominating the tournament, averaging 18 points per game and helping Australia take home Gold. Magbegor then lead the Sapphires to their inaugural
World Championship
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
title in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. After snapping team USA's 28-game win streak at U17 level, Australia went on to take home Gold. Alongside two of her teammates, Magbegor was named to the All-Tournament Team. In addition to this, she received the Most Valuable Player award.
Senior Level
In December 2017, Magbegor was named to her first
Opals
Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) is a spacecraft communication instrument developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that was tested on the International Space Station (ISS) from 18 April 2014 to 17 July 2014 to demonstrate the te ...
squad, earning her a place in the first camp as preparations for this years upcoming tournaments got underway. After taking part in the team camp in February, Magbegor was then named to the final roster for the
2018 Commonwealth Games
The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games and also known as Gold Coast 2018, was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that were held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, bet ...
where she would make her Opals debut. Magbegor starred for the Opals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, having a standout game in Australia's win against the US in a pre-tournament friendly with 17 points, equal most in the game with
Breanna Stewart
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (born Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player o ...
. Magbegor then top scored for Australia during the Olympic tournament with 20 points and eight rebounds in the game against Belgium (her Olympic debut), and 15 points against China.
Magdebor, like all the other members of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opals women's basketball team, had a difficult tournament. The Opals lost their first two group stage matches. They looked flat against
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and then lost to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in heartbreaking circumstances. In their last group match the Opals needed to beat
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
by 25 or more in their final match to progress. This they did by 27 in a very exciting match. However, they lost to the United States in their quarterfinal 79 to 55.
Personal life
Born in
Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
to Nigerian parents, Magbegor moved to Australia with her family at age six. One of Australian basketball's most promising talents, she has already been said to be the next
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson (born 11 May 1981) is an Australian professional basketball player. The daughter of two national basketball team players, Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1997, when she ...
. As of 2021, Magbegor is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychology at
Deakin University
Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia.
Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...
; she had initially been studying a Bachelor of Commerce in 2019. In 2021, Magbegor was named as Deakin University's Female Sportsperson of the Year.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magbegor, Ezi
1999 births
Living people
Australian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Australian people of Nigerian descent
Australian women's basketball players
Basketball players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Basketball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Canberra Capitals players
Centers (basketball)
Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
Commonwealth Games medallists in basketball
Medalists at the 2019 Summer Universiade
Melbourne Boomers players
New Zealand emigrants to Australia
Olympic basketball players of Australia
Power forwards (basketball)
Seattle Storm draft picks
Seattle Storm players
Sportspeople from Wellington City
Sportswomen from Victoria (Australia)
Universiade gold medalists for Australia
Universiade medalists in basketball
Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games