Jacki Gemelos

Jacqueline Ann Gemelos (Greek: Τζάκι Γέμελου; born November 22, 1988) is an American-Greek former professional basketball player and coach.

Jacki Gemelos
Gemelos in 2011 with USC.
Personal information
Born (1988-11-22) November 22, 1988
Stockton, California
NationalityAmerican / Greek
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High schoolSt. Mary's (Stockton, California)
CollegeUSC (2009–2012)
WNBA draft2012: 3rd round, 31st overall pick
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Playing career2013–2021
Coaching career2021–present
Career history
As player:
2013–2014Panathinaikos
2014–2015PF Umbertide
2015Chicago Sky
2015–2016Perfumerias Avenida
2016–2019Saces Mapei Napoli
2019–2020Olympiacos
2020Connecticut Sun
2020Washington Mystics
2020–2021Kayseri Basketbol
As coach:
2021New York Liberty (assistant)
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Gold medal – first place2011 Shenzhen Team Competition

Early life and college career

Born and raised in Stockton, California, Jacqueline Ann Gemelos graduated from St. Mary's High School in 2006.[1]

Gemelos was widely regarded as the most recruited player in her high school class, but she suffered five knee injuries during her high school and college career.[2][1] At USC, Gemelos missed the 2006–07 through 2008–09 seasons due to injuries, before making her collegiate debut on February 4, 2010, at Cal and had eight points, five rebounds, and five assists. She ended the 2009–10 season averaging 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds.[1]

Gemelos completed her bachelor's degree in sociology at USC in 2010 and master's degree in gerontology in 2012.[1] She played all 37 games (28 starts) of the 2010–11 season and averaged 12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. In the 2011–12 season, Gemelos started the first nine games before a season-ending injury on December 18, 2011. That season, she averaged 11.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.[1]

Southern California statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2009–10 USC 11 84 .325 .286 .929 3.6 1.4 0.8 0.3 7.6
2010–11 USC 37 457 .424 .423 .812 4.6 2.6 1.4 0.7 12.4
2011–12 USC 9 99 .356 .286 .750 7.3 3.4 1.3 0.8 11.0
Career 57 640 .399 .384 .823 4.9 2.5 1.3 0.6 11.2

Source[3]

Professional career

WNBA

In the 2012 WNBA draft, the Minnesota Lynx drafted Gemelos in the third round.[1] Gemelos was signed to the team in April 2013 but was released prior to the regular season.[4]

In 2015, Gemelos made her WNBA debut with the Chicago Sky. In 17 games with Chicago, Gemelos averaged 1.1 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.[4]

On April 11, 2018, Gemelos signed a contract to return to the United States to play in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces, but was eventually cut from the final roster.[5]

On June 25, 2020, Gemelos signed a contract to play in the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun.[6] Despite enduring five ACL tears and eight knee surgeries over the last 15 years of her career, Gemelos finally debuted for the Sun on July 28, 2020; five years after her first stint with the Sky. She scored 6 points and 1 rebound in the game.[7]

Euroleague

Gemelos debuted professionally with Panathinaikos of the Greek Women's Basketball League in the 2013–14 season. She averaged 17.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 15 games.

In 2014–15, Gemelos played for PF Umbertide of the Italian Serie A1, averaging 14.2 points and 5.8 rebounds.

She returned to Europe for the 2015–16 season with Perfumerias Avenida of the Spanish Liga Femenina de Baloncesto, who went 25–1 for the season. In 25 games, Gemelos averaged 10.2 points and 4.8 rebounds.[4]

On May 23, 2016, Gemelos again signed with a Serie A1 team in Italy, Saces Mapei Napoli.[8]

USA Basketball

Gemelos played on the team presenting the US at the 2011 World University Games held in Shenzhen, China. The team won all six games to earn the gold medal. Gemelos was tied for third for assists on the team, with 11 over the course of the tournament. Gemelos averaged 4.8 points per game.[9]

Greek National team

On 28 January 2018 Gemelos was selected to the Greece women's national basketball team.[10]

Personal life

Her father Steve Gemelos, of Greek descent, played college basketball at Weber State and San Joaquin Delta, followed by two years of professional basketball in Greece.[11] In 2012, Jacki Gemelos became a dual citizen of the US and Greece.[12] Gemelos owns a line of apparel called "Overcome."[13]

References
  1. "Jacki Gemelos". USC. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  2. Shelburne, Ramona (March 2, 2010). "Postponed dreams". ESPN Los Angeles. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  3. "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  4. "Jacki Gemelos Bio". WNBA. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  5. "Las Vegas Signs Free Agent Guard Jacki Gemelos". aces.wnba.com. WNBA. April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  6. "Jacki Gemelos Signs with the Sun". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. June 25, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  7. Roscher, Liz (July 29, 2020). "Jacki Gemelos defies the odds with triumphant return to WNBA after major knee issues". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  8. Tagliabue, Daniele (May 23, 2016). "A1- Gemelos pronta a tornare in Italia: firma con Napoli in arrivo". La Gazetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  9. "Twenty-Sixth World University Games -- 2011". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  10. "Χωρίς Χριστινάκη, αλλά με Γέμελος η Εθνική Γυναικών". www.sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  11. Matthews, Jim (July 27, 2002). "Ex-Tracy High star passes the torch". Stockton Record. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  12. Gemelos, Jacki. Chicago Sky Fans!. October 14, 2015.
  13. The (New London) Day. Gemelos has overcome a lot to get to Sun. July 16, 2020.
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