Nakia Sanford #43 Forward/Center

Nakia Sanford
2011 Playoff Statistics
PPG4.8
RPG4.5
APG0.3
EFF +7.25

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Background

CAREER CAPSULE
  • Two-time candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year
  • Has played in 204 of her team’s last 205 regular season games (entering 2012)
  • Tallied 1,750+ points and 1,250+ rebounds in her career

    2011 WNBA SEASON

  • Appeared in 33 of the team’s 34 games… Has played in 204 of her team’s last 205 regular season games
  • June 10: First DNP since 2005, snapping a streak of 173 consecutive games played
  • Started the final 16 games of the season
  • Aug. 26: Grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds, her first double-digit rebound game since July 23, 2008
  • Aug. 26: Recorded her 14th career double-double
  • Scored in double figures four times
  • Shot 48.4 percent from the field, her best since 2007 (.530)

    2010 WNBA SEASON
    � Played in all 34 games for the fifth-straight season, making 22 starts
    � Averaged 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game
    � Scored 1,500th career point on June 19 vs. Chicago
    � Reached double figures in scoring 10 times

    2009 WNBA SEASON
    � Played in all 34 games
    � Blocked 14 shots, bringing her career total to 103
    � Collected her 1,000th career rebound
    � Grabbed 147 total rebounds
    � Averaged 6.3 points per game

    2008 WNBA SEASON
    � Played in all 34 games, starting 28 times
    � Averaged 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game
    � Ranked 17th in the WNBA in total rebounds (188)
    � Scored 10 or more points eight times
    � Grabbed 10 or more rebounds five times
    � Led her team with three double-doubles

    2007 WNBA SEASON
    � For the second-straight season was a candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year, setting career-highs in nearly every statistical category: 11.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 53% field goal, 66.5% free throw
    � Recorded career highs in total points (375), total rebounds (242), minutes played (994) and blocks (28)
    � Ranked fourth in WNBA in total rebounds (career-high 242) and rebound average (career-high 7.1)
    � Ranked second in WNBA in field goal percentage (career-high 53%)
    � Played in all 34 games, starting 31 times
    � Tied a career-high with 25 points against Minnesota on July 10
    � Grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds against Connecticut on Aug. 19
    � Led her team in rebounding 15 times
    � Grabbed the 500th rebound of her career on June 22 against Houston

    2006 WNBA SEASON
    � A candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year, set career-highs in nearly every statistical category: 8.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 51.9% field goals
    � Ranked fifth in the WNBA in field goal percentage (.519)
    � Scored a career-high 25 points against Chicago on July 9
    � Led her team in rebounding six times
    � Recorded five assists and four steals, both career-highs, against Sacramento on Aug. 5

    2005 WNBA SEASON
    � Played in 27 games
    � Averaged 3.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 0.4 steals in 10.9 minutes per game

    2004 WNBA SEASON
    � Played in 31 games, making 29 starts
    � Averaged 5.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.6 steals in 21.1 minutes per game
    � Shot 50.0% from the field

    2003 WNBA SEASON
    � Averaged 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game
    � Played in just 17 games, spending much of her rookie season on the injured reserve
    � Signed as a free agent with Washington on April 30, 2003

    COLLEGE CAREER
    � Two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (1997, 1999)
    � Graduated from Kansas ranked fourth on the school�s all-time career rebounding list (832) and blocked shots list (89)
    � Left Kansas ranked fifth on the school�s all-time career minutes played list (3,403)
    � Appeared in 128 career games, then the second-most of any player in Jayhawks history
    � A member of the 1995-96 Kansas team that won the final Big Eight title
    � A member of the 1996-97 Kansas team that won the first ever Big 12 title
    � Made four trips to the NCAA tournament, including the school�s first two Sweet Sixteen appearances (1996, 1998)
    � Graduated in 1999 with career averages of 7.6 points and 6.5 rebounds

    INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL TEAM
    � Spent 2010-11 offseason playing with TED Kayseri in Turkey
    � Spent 2009-10 offseason playing in Ibita, Spain
    � Spent 2008-09 season playing in the Eurocup for Vologda-Chevakata
    � Spent 2007-08 offseason playing for Umana Reyer in Venezia, Italy
    � Spent 2006-07 offseason playing for Umana Reyer in Venezia, Italy
    � Spent 2005-06 offseason playing in Israel

  • Personal

    • Parents are Jackie and Gary Johnson and Jerome and Angela Choates
    • Raised in Decatur, Ga.
    • Majored in broadcast journalism
    • Founded the Betty Ann Robinson Foundation, which provides support to young people

    Career Transactions

    Signed by Washington, April 30, 2003.