Kalani Purcell

Kalani Purcell (born 13 January 1995 in Auckland) is a New Zealand professional basketball player

Kalani Purcell

Personal information
Born	(1995-01-13) 13 January 1995 (age 30) Auckland, New Zealand
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Career information
High school	John Paul College (Brisbane, Queensland)
College	Hutchinson CC (2013–2015) BYU (2015–2017)
WNBA draft	2017: undrafted
Playing career	2012–present
Position	Forward
Career history
2012	South West Metro Pirates
2013	Waikato Wizards
2014	Auckland Lady Hawks
2017	Brisbane Spartans
2017–2020	Melbourne Boomers
2018	South West Metro Pirates
2019	Auckland Dream
2020–2022	Southern Districts Spartans
2021–2022	Sydney Uni Flames
2023	Tokomanawa Queens
2024	Southern Districts Spartans
Career highlights
WBC champion (2019) 2× WCC First Team (2016, 2017) WCC Defensive Player of the Year (2017) WCC Newcomer of the Year (2016)
Medals Representing  New Zealand Women's Basketball Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Team competition FIBA Oceania Championship 2013 Australia / New Zealand Team 2015 Australia / New Zealand Team

Early life

Purcell was born in Auckland on January 13, 1995, New Zealand.^[1] She later moved to Australia, where she attended John Paul College in Brisbane, Queensland.^[1]

College career

Purcell began her college career at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas for the Blue Dragons.^[2] After two seasons with Hutchinson, Purcell became the most decorated player in Blue Dragons history, earning her a transfer to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah for the Cougars.^[3] During her time at BYU, Purcell received several awards in the West Coast Conference of NCAA Division I.

Career

Kalani Purcell played college basketball at Hutchinson Community College and later at Brigham Young University from 2015 to 2017, where she earned several honors including WCC Defensive Player of the Year. After College, she played professionally in Australia's WNBL for the Melbourne Boomers and Sydney Uni Flames, and in New Zealand for the Tokomanawa Queens. Internationally, Purcell has represented New Zealand's Tall Ferns and completed in 3x3 basketball at the Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal in 2018.

Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2013–14	Hutchinson	36	5	26.3	.522	.421	.593	10.3	3.7	3.6	1.4	3.2	13.7
2014–15	Hutchinson	34	34	31.0	.561	.174	.733	11.9	5.1	3.5	1.2	3.0	18.1
2015–16	Brigham Young	33	33	35.6	.451	.237	.678	12.6	4.7	2.0	0.7	4.3	12.0
2016–17	Brigham Young	32	32	36.8	.469	.286	.622	10.5	4.9	2.2	1.3	4.9	12.7
Career		135	104	32.2	.504	.270	.658	11.3	4.5	2.8	1.1	3.8	14.1

Professional career

WNBL

Purcell joined the Melbourne Boomers of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2017–18 season.^[4] She continued with the Boomers in 2018–19, 2019–20,^[5] and the 2020 WNBL Hub season.^[6] She joined the Sydney Uni Flames for the 2021–22 WNBL season.^[6]

National team

Youth level

Purcell made her international debut for the New Zealand under-17 team at the 2009 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship in Brisbane, Queensland, at just the age of 14.^[7]

Senior level

Purcell made her senior international debut with the Tall Ferns at the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship. She went on to play for the Tall Ferns at the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Nantes, France. Her last appearance for the Tall Ferns was at the 2021 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.^[8]

Purcell played for the New Zealand women's national 3x3 team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.^[9]

Personal life

Purcell is the youngest of seven children to Ingrid and Brian Purcell. Two of her older sisters, Charmian and Natalie, have also represented the Tall Ferns and are both Olympians.^[10]

Purcell and her partner, NBL player Tyrell Harrison, had their first child in 2023.^[11][12]