The Connecticut Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s parents are Sebastian Ododa and Heather Nelson-Ododa.
Olivia comes from a pedigree of basketball players, including her father, a former basketball player for the Kenyan National Team.
She is the first woman of Kenyan descent (though US-born) to play in the WNBA.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa is an American professional basketball athlete who was born on August 17, 2000, in Lansing, Michigan.
The WNBA professional attended Winder-Barrow High School in Winder, Georgia.
Moving forward, Olivia had endless college opportunities knocking at her door with offers from Duke, South Carolina, and many more.
Eventually, as a five-star recruit and one of the top players of the 2018 class by ESPN, she committed to play for the UConn Huskies.
Moreover, during her time at UConn, her honors & accolades include the 2021 BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year, 2x Big East Tournament Champion, 2x American Athletic Conference Tournament Champion, and several others.
Nelson-Ododa’s national team journey is equally aspiring. She won the gold medal at the 2018 FIBA U-18 Americas Championship.
Additionally, she represented the senior team, becoming the youngest player, and won the 2019 FIBA AmeriCup.
A year back, Olivia was the No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft (LA Sparks) but was traded to the Connecticut Sun on January 13, 2023.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa Parents: Brother And Family
The 25-year-old power forward for the Connecticut Sun was born to her father, Sebastian Ododa, and her mother, Heather Nelson-Ododa.
The athletic traits flow along the Ododa’s bloodline. Olivia’s father, Sebastian Ododa, is a former athlete who played collegiate basketball at Huntington University in Indiana from 1989-92.
Similarly, he also played for the Kenyan National Team, fondly known as Kenya Morans.
Moreover, she grew up with two brothers; both of them played basketball. Her older brother named, Alonzo Nelson-Ododa, also played professional basketball.
Similarly, Olivia’s younger brother Isiah Nelson-Ododa, born June 21, 2003, attended Winder-Barrow High School.
In 2021, as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247sports, he committed to play for Tennessee Tech as a forward and redshirted his first season (2021-22).
The Elder Brother: Alonzo Nelson-Ododa
Alonzo Nelson-Ododa was born as the eldest child of Sebastian Odada and Heather Nelson-Odada on February 2, 1993.
He played three seasons at Richmond before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh for his final year of eligibility.
Later, he played in the NBA G League with the Salt Lake City Stars (2017-18). In addition to that, Alonzo last played with the Team FOG Naestved of the Denmark-BasketLigaen.
Currently, he is engaged to his wife, Dearica Hamby, an American basketball forward who plays for the LA Sparks in the WNBA.
The couple is living a happy life along with their two kids. Amaya, the firstborn, was born on February 5, 2017, & their second child, Legend Maree Scandrick, was born on March 15, 2023.
Moreover, the two are reportedly high school lovebirds, as both attended Norcross High School.
