Kianna Smith joins Blueminx after topping 2022 WKBL rookie draft

Kiana Smith, right, poses with Yongin Samsung Life Blueminx head coach Im Geun-bae after topping the 2022 WKBL rookie draft at Dowon Gymnasium in Incheon on Friday. [YONHAP]

Korean-American point and shooting guard Kianna Smith was drafted first in the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) rookie draft on Friday, joining the Yongin Samsung Life Blueminx.

Smith joins the WKBL after playing in the WNBA pre-season and two games with the Los Angeles Sparks. According to WKBL rules, non-Korean players can join the WKBL rookie draft if at least one of their parents is Korean. Smith was born in California in 1999 to a Korean mother and an American father.

Despite topping the 3x3 basketball qualifiers for the United States national team and also being named MVP, Smith chose to move her career to Korea. The decision came because if she played for the United States, that would mean she was never able to appear for Korea.

In addition to her affection for Korea, Smith may just have basketball in her blood. Her father is a former basketball player and coach of a university team, and her grandfather is former Milwaukee Bucks player Fred "Lucky" Smith. Her brother Jamal plays in the Armenian basketball league, her uncle is a former WNBA coach and her mother also played in high school.

Park Jin-young from Samcheonpo Girls' High School was drafted second, joining the Bucheon Hana 1Q, with Park Sung-jin of Chuncheon Girls High School drafted third for the Busan BNK Sum.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]