Women’s basketball fans may not be super familiar with the name Monique Akoa-Makani.
But they are now, after Akoa-Makani led the Phoenix Mercury to an unexpected upset win of the New York Liberty on Thursday night.
Akoa-Makani put up 21 points (8-12 FG) and six assists.
That makes her only the second rookie this season to have a at least 20 and 5 in a game, along with Paige Bueckers.
Akoa-Makani didn’t play college hoops in the United States.
Instead, she went from her native Cameroon to France, where she played for three professional teams.
Akoa-Makani wasn’t even drafted. The Mercury gave her a shot with a training camp contract before this season, and she played well enough to make the team.
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The 5-foot-11 guard entered Thursday night averaging 7.4 points and 2.3 assists per game across 13 contests. This was by far her career night.
The 24-year old has officially proven she belongs in the WNBA, and now, Mercury fans will wonder what she can do for an encore.
It’s already an incredible accomplishment for the undrafted standout to put up such a line against the mighty Liberty. It’ll be a night she won’t soon forget.
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