TEMPE, Ariz. – Briann January, one of the most iconic student-athletes in the history of Sun Devil Women's Basketball and one of the WNBA's most consistent high-level performers since 2009, will have her No. 20 jersey honored and displayed from the rafters of Desert Financial Arena on Fri., Nov. 12 when the Sun Devils host Minnesota, Sun Devil head coach Charli Turner Thorne announced on Tuesday.
"I am incredibly thrilled that we finally get to honor Briann January's jersey in Desert Financial Arena," Turner Thorne said of January, who would later join Turner Thorne's staff for two seasons as an assistant coach. "Briann is one of the most decorated players to come out of this program, and she is beyond deserving of this honor. During her time as a Sun Devil, she helped elevate our program to elite prominence and helped make incredible runs in the NCAA tournament.
"Beyond basketball, Briann has done everything the 'Sun Devil Way.' She spent countless hours in the community, enjoyed spending time with our donor group and fan base, and was an incredible teammate & leader. There was no doubt in my mind that Briann would go on to have a great professional career – both in the WNBA and overseas."
January, who earned honorable mention all-America honors from the AP in 2008 and 2009 and from the WBCA in 2009, was a two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009. At the conclusion of her Sun Devil career, January was at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first, 538/now second), steals (second, 265), free throws (second, 401), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth, .399), 3-point field goals (fifth, 132/now sixth) and points (seventh, 1,317/now ninth).
As a senior in 2009, January, who was named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team in 2016, was second in the nation in 3-point FG pct. (.469) and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). Within the Pac-10 she was first in assists (4.7 apg), 3-point field goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio, second in steals (2.3 spg) and fourth in free throw percentage (.840) and 3-point field goals per game (2.0). At the time, her 65 3-pointers set a new school single-season record while her 167 assists were fourth on the school's all-time single-season list.
During her time wearing the Maroon and Gold, the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 72 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13). They qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including the program's first two Elite Eight appearances (2007, '09). For all she accomplished, Turner Thorne noted it was what January didn't do that made her even more special.
"In addition to being a phenomenal basketball player, Bri is one of the most amazing leaders I've ever had the pleasure of coaching," Turner Thorne said. "Given everything she is capable of doing on the court, Bri has never made it about herself. She would always do anything and everything that was for the good of the team. If it meant coming off the bench as a freshman, taking on different roles when it became necessary. Anything. Her selflessness made our teams great."
In the WNBA, January has been a starter in 288 of 357 career games over the last 13 seasons – nine with the Fever (2009-17), two with the Phoenix Mercury (2018-19) and two with the Connecticut Sun. During her nine seasons in Indianapolis, January played a vital role in helping Indiana advance to the playoffs eight straight seasons, including three trips to the WNBA Finals, winning the WNBA title in 2012.
A 2014 WNBA All-Star, January has been named to the league's All-Defensive teams seven times, including five first-team nods with the most recent first-team honor coming this past season while playing for the Sun. January, who has led the WNBA in 3-point shooting percentage twice (2015, 2018), has been on a playoff team 12 times in her 13-year WNBA career.
January joined Turner Thorne's coaching staff in 2017 while still maintaining her place among the WNBA's best during the college basketball offseason. In her two seasons on the bench, January helped the Sun Devils extend their streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 20-win seasons to six. In 2019, the Sun Devils returned to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.
January will be the third Sun Devil women's basketball player to have her jersey honored, joining Ryneldi Becenti and Kym Hampton.
The Sun Devils open the 2021-22 season next Tuesday (Nov. 9) at 8 p.m. MST when they host Northern Colorado. Later that week on Fri., Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., Sun Devil Women's Basketball will honor January's No. 20 when Minnesota visits Desert Financial Arena.
The Sun Devils will host 15 contests at Desert Financial Arena this season. Season tickets for the 2021-22 campaign start at just $49 and are on sale now. Click here for more information or contact a Sun Devil ticket representative at 480-965-5812.
"I am incredibly thrilled that we finally get to honor Briann January's jersey in Desert Financial Arena," Turner Thorne said of January, who would later join Turner Thorne's staff for two seasons as an assistant coach. "Briann is one of the most decorated players to come out of this program, and she is beyond deserving of this honor. During her time as a Sun Devil, she helped elevate our program to elite prominence and helped make incredible runs in the NCAA tournament.
"Beyond basketball, Briann has done everything the 'Sun Devil Way.' She spent countless hours in the community, enjoyed spending time with our donor group and fan base, and was an incredible teammate & leader. There was no doubt in my mind that Briann would go on to have a great professional career – both in the WNBA and overseas."
January, who earned honorable mention all-America honors from the AP in 2008 and 2009 and from the WBCA in 2009, was a two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009. At the conclusion of her Sun Devil career, January was at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first, 538/now second), steals (second, 265), free throws (second, 401), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth, .399), 3-point field goals (fifth, 132/now sixth) and points (seventh, 1,317/now ninth).
As a senior in 2009, January, who was named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team in 2016, was second in the nation in 3-point FG pct. (.469) and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). Within the Pac-10 she was first in assists (4.7 apg), 3-point field goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio, second in steals (2.3 spg) and fourth in free throw percentage (.840) and 3-point field goals per game (2.0). At the time, her 65 3-pointers set a new school single-season record while her 167 assists were fourth on the school's all-time single-season list.
During her time wearing the Maroon and Gold, the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 72 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13). They qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including the program's first two Elite Eight appearances (2007, '09). For all she accomplished, Turner Thorne noted it was what January didn't do that made her even more special.
"In addition to being a phenomenal basketball player, Bri is one of the most amazing leaders I've ever had the pleasure of coaching," Turner Thorne said. "Given everything she is capable of doing on the court, Bri has never made it about herself. She would always do anything and everything that was for the good of the team. If it meant coming off the bench as a freshman, taking on different roles when it became necessary. Anything. Her selflessness made our teams great."
In the WNBA, January has been a starter in 288 of 357 career games over the last 13 seasons – nine with the Fever (2009-17), two with the Phoenix Mercury (2018-19) and two with the Connecticut Sun. During her nine seasons in Indianapolis, January played a vital role in helping Indiana advance to the playoffs eight straight seasons, including three trips to the WNBA Finals, winning the WNBA title in 2012.
A 2014 WNBA All-Star, January has been named to the league's All-Defensive teams seven times, including five first-team nods with the most recent first-team honor coming this past season while playing for the Sun. January, who has led the WNBA in 3-point shooting percentage twice (2015, 2018), has been on a playoff team 12 times in her 13-year WNBA career.
January joined Turner Thorne's coaching staff in 2017 while still maintaining her place among the WNBA's best during the college basketball offseason. In her two seasons on the bench, January helped the Sun Devils extend their streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 20-win seasons to six. In 2019, the Sun Devils returned to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.
January will be the third Sun Devil women's basketball player to have her jersey honored, joining Ryneldi Becenti and Kym Hampton.
The Sun Devils open the 2021-22 season next Tuesday (Nov. 9) at 8 p.m. MST when they host Northern Colorado. Later that week on Fri., Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., Sun Devil Women's Basketball will honor January's No. 20 when Minnesota visits Desert Financial Arena.
The Sun Devils will host 15 contests at Desert Financial Arena this season. Season tickets for the 2021-22 campaign start at just $49 and are on sale now. Click here for more information or contact a Sun Devil ticket representative at 480-965-5812.