Aaliyah Edwards is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA. Born on July 9, 2002, she is known for her striking purple and yellow braids, as a tribute to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant. During her time at UConn (2020–2024), Edwards was a standout player, earning First-team All-Big East honors twice, in 2023 and 2024. As a senior, she was selected as a first-team All-Big East and a Second-team All-American. That season, UConn reached the Final Four, narrowly losing to Iowa in a game that drew a record-breaking 14.4 million viewers on ESPN.
Since being drafted by the Washington Mystics with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 draft, Aaliyah Edwards has shown significant potential. In her rookie season, she played in 34 games and started exactly half the games at 17, alternating between the starting lineup and bench role. Her most impressive performance came on June 6, 2024, when she delivered a monster double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds in a 71–79 loss to the Chicago Sky.
| Name | Aaliyah Edwards |
| Age | 22 years old |
| Residence | Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
| Position | Power Forward |
| Marital Status | NA |
| Source of Wealth | Basketball, NIL, and endorsement deals. |
| Salary | NA |
| Endorsements | Bleeding Blue For Good, Adidas, and Topps |
| Endorsement Earnings | NA |
Aaliyah Edwards NIL Deal
Aaliyah Edwards NIL deals were valued at $44,000, according to On3. Her NIL deal value was lower as compared to her fellow collegiate basketball players because of the complications that surround the NIL deals of international student-athletes in America.
As per On3, Aaliyah Edwards' NIL deal was only with Bleeding Blue For Good, Adidas, and Topps. Adidas Canada signed an undisclosed valued NIL deal with Aaliyah Edwards, as reported by SI.
Aaliyah Edwards Salary
Aaliyah Edwards' salary is set to be $74,909 for the 2025 WNBA season.
Aaliyah Edwards Charity Work
Aaliyah Edwards has been giving back to her community in Canada. She organized a charity basketball camp for kids during the 2023 off-season, as per Global News. The camp was free of cost and all kids had to do was submit a nonperishable food item to Martha’s Table, a non-profit organization.
She taught and mentored a large number of kids throughout the camp. She has become a role model to them. Edwards is happy that basketball in Canada is increasing and that she can contribute towards it. She also highly praised the talents of the kids who participated in the camp and believes that they can be the next generation of Canadian basketball stars.
FAQ's on Aaliyah Edwards
A. Aaliyah Edwards averages 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.8 blocks for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA as of January 2025.
A. Aaliyah Edwards averaged 13.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 blocks for UConn.
A. Aaliyah Edwards has an NIL deal with Adidas Canada, as per ESPN.
A. Aaliyah Edwards played 139 games in her collegiate basketball career.
