Fowles, Sylvia (1985-…), ranks among the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. Fowles, a 6-foot 6-inch (198-centimeter) center, became known as a tough defender and an efficient scorer. She won many individual awards and led high school, professional, and United States Olympic teams to multiple championships.
Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles was born in Miami, Florida, on Oct. 6, 1985. She attended Miami’s Edison High School, where she won national attention as a ninth grader for completing two dunk shots in competition. She led Edison to two state championships. She enrolled at Gulliver Preparatory School for her senior year and won another state title. She then attended Louisiana State University, where she set many school records. She earned a bachelor’s degree in 2009.
The Chicago Sky of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) made Fowles the second pick in the 2008 draft. She joined the Minnesota Lynx in 2015. She led the Lynx to league titles in 2015 and 2017, each time winning the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. She was also named league MVP in 2017, and she was WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, 2013, and 2016. Fowles also played in professional leagues in China, Russia, and Turkey. She led Beijing to the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association championship in 2016, 2017, and 2018. She also starred for United States teams that won gold medals at the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Fowles retired as a player at the end of the 2022 WNBA season.
