“I’m going to be honest and say yes, obviously, I was a little disappointed.” After leading the 17-8 Seattle Storm in rebounds and blocks, Ezi Magbegor’s All-Star snub came as a surprise. Especially to her. However, she had to quickly turn her attention to the Paris Olympics. The 24-year-old center will be an important part of a stacked Australian roster in France, hoping to go all the way.

Magbegor’s Seattle teammate and Olympic rival, Jewell Loyd, said she was on board with Magbegor for her response to her All-Star snub. According to Loyd, “Usually me and Sami are first in the gym, and to see Ezi come in that early after what happened, let me know she’s going to use this as motivation.” Her life from Australia to becoming a WNBA star has come a long way.

Magbegor’s rise to fame

Ezi Magbegor was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on August 13, 1999, and relocated to Melbourne, Australia, at quite a tender age. Her interest in basketball came well early, as it seems that her athletic family background drove her into the game. Brother Ovie played pro basketball, while cousin Helen Theodoropoulos played netball for Australia. She started off playing basketball at the local club Coburg Giants, where she quickly emerged as a talent.

Magbegor’s basketball success began to flicker at the Australian Institute of Sport, where her talent was considered prodigious. Averaging 18.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks, Magbegor was a standout during her tenure at the Institute, setting the plate on her route to a professional career. Her performance at the AIS stood her in good stead for selection to the Australian under-17 team, where she played a big role in securing a bronze medal at the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship.

Upon completing her time at AIS, Magbegor decided to play professionally in Australia rather than attend college in the United States. She signed with the Melbourne Boomers of the Women’s National Basketball League in 2017. She made an instant impact, claiming WNBL Rookie of the Year.

Her performances did not go unnoticed by some major brands, even before she entered into a professional playing career in the WNBA. For example, she has had endorsement deals with companies such as Nike and BioSteel, which showed her promising surging status in sports. In the same light, Magbegor has appeared in various promotional campaigns, further underlining her influence off the court.

In 2020, Magbegor was selected by the Seattle Storm with the 12th overall pick in the WNBA Draft. She made an immediate impact, helping the Storm win the WNBA Championship in her rookie season. Known for her defensive skills and versatility, Magbegor quickly became an important player for the Storm.

Magbegor has also been involved in various community activities in the city. Among them was participation in the Seattle Storm’s annual Toy Drive for 2023, where she took the time to deliver the toys personally to Seattle Children’s Hospital. Most definitely, her off-court work has exhibited a sense of giving back to society and using the platform for good.

Moreover, her numbers have improved year on year, and after becoming a starter in 2023, she averaged 13.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. However, the Storm had its worst year in almost a decade, finishing the season with a disappointing 11-29 record. Nonetheless, the team has bounced back in style this year.

Noelle Quinn has expressed confidence in Ezi Magbegor

The Storm currently has a 17-8 record at the break and is tied for the 1st spot in the West along with the Minnesota Lynx. And Magbegor has had a major role to play. She leads the team in rebounding and blocks, averaging 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.

Even though Ezi Magbegor failed to make the cut for the All-Star team, Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn only had words of appreciation for the Australian star. As per The Seattle Times, Quinn said, “The way that she’s playing basketball on both ends of the floor, her rebounding, her defense, and her impact — she’s definitely one of the top players in our league.” She added, “We know it and we’ll keep celebrating her in every way that we can because she’s worth it.”

Magbegor has had a formidable international career with the Australian Opals as well. She was quite instrumental in her team’s success at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. More recently, at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024, she came out as TISSOT MVP by scoring an average of 12.7 points, pulling down 4.3 rebounds, and making 3 blocks per game to guide Australia to an undefeated record and enjoy a place in the Paris Olympics.

Magbegor’s reach goes beyond the WNBA. She is going to play for Australia in the Paris Olympics. That will also be a showcase opportunity in itself of talent and importance on an international level. But for now, playing into the Storm’s season, Magbegor will look for continued success in proving herself as one of the league’s top talents.