About Kayla
Position: Forward
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190
Date of Birth: April 14, 1989
College: Stanford ‘11
High School: Red Mountain High (Mesa, AZ)
Drafted: Selected by the Tulsa Shock in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2011 WNBA Draft on April 11, 2011
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Has played in 184 games with 52 starts over six seasons
- Career totals include 620 points, 555 rebounds, 196 assists, 119 steals and 53 blocks
- Smart veteran with variety of moves
- Physical presence down low
- Collected 500th career point during 2015 season
2017 HIGHLIGHTS WITH CONNECTICUT:
- Appeared in 26 games with no starts
- Signed with the team on June 10th
- Collected 500th career rebound at New York (6/23)
- Scored 600th career point against Washington (7/8)
- Had a season-high six rebounds (twice)
- Played a season-high 22 minutes against Seattle (6/29)
- Had a season-high four offensive rebounds against Washington (7/8)
2016 – Did not play in the WNBA
2015 HIGHLIGHTS WITH CONNECTICUT:
- Appeared in 33 games with one start
- Missed one game with concussion
- Had a season-high nine points twice
- Scored 500th career point against Indiana (6/30)
- Had season-high eight rebounds against Tulsa (8/12)
2014 HIGHLIGHTS WITH CONNECTICUT:
- Appeared in 31 games with one start
- Pulled down 72 rebounds while scoring 45 points on the year
- Had a season-high seven rebounds at New York (8/8)
2013 HIGHLIGHTS WITH TULSA:
- Traded to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for second-round pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft on June 20, 2013
- Appeared in all 34 games, nine with Tulsa and 25 with the Sun
- Started five games with Tulsa
- Averaged six points and 5.3 rebounds over last three games
- Pulled down season-high eight rebounds at Atlanta (8/16)
- Had 14 blocks, a new single-season high
2012 HIGHLIGHTS WITH TULSA:
- Appeared in 27 games with 25 starts for Tulsa
- Set career highs for made free throws and attempts (7 of 7) at Connecticut (6/12)
- Played career-high 40 minutes at Indiana (6/14)
- Pulled down career-best 10 rebounds against Minnesota (6/9)
- Ranked second on Shock in rebound average (4.4), a single-season career high
2011 HIGHLIGHTS WITH TULSA:
- Appeared in 33 games with 20 starts for Tulsa
- Enjoyed solid rookie season
- Scored a single-season career high 6.8 points per game
- Had a career-best 18 points against New York (6/23)
- Had career-best three made threes against Los Angeles (7/15)
- Had season-high nine rebounds against Phoenix (7/8)
- Hit 22 threes on the season
- Scored 10 or more points 11 times
- Ranked fourth in scoring, third in rebounds and fifth in assists among rookies
OVERSEAS COMPETITION:
- Spent 2011-12 season playing for Good Angels Kosice in Slovakia
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS:
- Ended her Stanford career as the school’s and Pac-10’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,266)
- Was Stanford career leader in games played (150) and started (150), and minutes played (4,762)
- Left Stanford fourth all-time in school history with 8.4 rebounds per game and seventh with 1,941 points scored
- Honorable mention Associated Press All-American and an All-Pac 10 performer in her senior season
- Averaged 12.9 points, eight rebounds and 3.2 assists per game
- Shot 47.3 percent from the field in her final year
- Averaged 13 points and eight rebounds, shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc
- Named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, to All Pac-10 Third Team and to Pac-10 All-Freshman Team
PERSONAL:
- Daughter of Gary and Kelli Pedersen
- Father played basketball at St. Mary’s College
- Has one younger brother, Kyle
- Born in Flint, Michigan
- Four-year letter-winner and three-time captain in basketball at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona
- Named a McDonald’s All-American in 2007
- Earned All-America nods from EA Sports, Parade, USA Today and the WBCA in 2007
- Garnered All-American nods from EA Sports and Parade in 2006
- Named Gatorade Player of the Year two consecutive years (2005-06 & 2006-’07)
- Named U.S. Marines Distinguished Athlete award in 2007
- Two-time Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune Player of the Year
- Four-time East Valley Region First Team selection
- 2005-06 East Valley Region MVP
- 2005 Arizona Republic First Team selection
- Named to Arizona Republic Second Team in 2004
- Helped lead team to 5A-DI state title as a senior
- Established 5A scoring record with 2,611 career points
- Set high school career records with 2,611 points, 1,444 rebounds, 434 assists and 304 blocks
- Member of the Under-19 World Championships USA Basketball Team that won gold medal in 2007
- Part of the gold medal-winning U18 USA National Basketball Team in 2006
- Majored in communications and psychology at Stanford