Crossing borders to grace the women’s basketball scene in the United States, Jana El Alfy is one of the strongest players on the UConn Huskies’ power-packed roster. Explicitly renowned for her athleticism and height, El Alfy strategically dominates the paint offensively and defensively.

While the UConn centre is well-known for her rebounding skills and on-court defences, what is her private life really like? To better understand the factors that have shaped El Alfy, let us take a closer look at her parents, siblings, and nationality.

Who are Jana El Alfy’s Parents? What do they do?

The redshirt freshman has a strong understanding of basketball, thanks to her father, Ehab El Alfy– coach to Egypt’s national women’s team. 

Alfy was 6 when she first approached her dad and asked him if she could dunk. Being a basketball coach himself, Ehab did not waste a minute. He brought out a basketball suitable for her height and had his assistant coach help her with the dunking. It was just the start. A young Jana followed her father to his job every day since. “she’d stay with me for four or five hours watching basketball every day… I’m very happy she chose basketball,” he says.

She trained under him for years, and it was not long before she played a match against his team. Though on the losing end of the spectrum, her determination to play only grew. 

On the other hand, Jana’s mother, Dina Gouda, has always been a strong, supportive presence. Gouda constantly encourages Jana’s athletic and academic pursuits, especially when she was transferred to the University of Connecticut to represent the UConn Huskies in January 2023. However, her professional details are unavailable.

Does Jana El Alfy Have Any Siblings?

Jana El Alfy has three siblings– two brothers named Anas and Moaz and a sister named Malak. Growing up in a sports-oriented family, Jana’s passion for the game began brewing in her early years. 

The rising star has grown up to benefit from the competitive environment fostered by her father’s coaching background. This is evident in the way she poses in the paint and moves seamlessly and undeterred across multiple positions.

What is Jana El Alfy’s Parents’ Nationality?

Ehab El Alfy and Dina Gouda are Egyptian nationals. In fact, Jana was born in Cairo, Egypt, where her parents wanted her to pursue a degree. But fate had other plans. 

Having said that, Jana represented her country as a 15 years old in the U16 African Championships. After clinching gold for her team in the FIBA U17 African Championship in 2021, the unstoppable player ascended to new heights.

With an average of 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, she went on to win a silver for Egypt at the FIBA U18 African Championships. She soon developed into one of Egypt’s top basketball prospects before joining the UConn program.

Well, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr honouring Jana with an MVP title in 2022 is no secret. She managed to outshine at the NBA’s first-ever camp, Basketball Without Borders, in Cairo, Egypt. It was this sheer perseverance and achievements on the home front that propelled her career in the USA basketball scene.