Kiki Iriafen, forward for Stanford Cardinal women’s basketball team, is a native of Los Angeles, born in 2000 to mother Yemi Iriafen and father Harrison Iriafen.
Kiki’s mother, Yemi, is a home health consultant, and her father, Harrison, owns his own business in the agricultural sector.
Her parents are from Nigeria. As per Kiki, neither her father nor her mother was athletic. However, her younger siblings and some cousins on her paternal side are athletes.
Kiki has two younger siblings, namely, Shuby and Oyinkan Iriafen. Brother Shuby Iriafen, aged 14, plays soccer, and 11-year-old sister Oyikan Iriafen plays basketball.
Six foot three inches tall, Kiki began to play basketball as a freshman in 2021-22.
Since 2023, she has played for the Stanford Cardinals of the Pac-12 Conference. Despite being a junior, she outshines most other players on her team.
Kiki Iriafen represented Stanford University at the 2022 USA Basketball Women’s 3×3 National Championship in May 2022.
Before joining Stanford University, she played club basketball for West Coast Premier from 2018 to 20 at Harvard-Westlake High School in Studio City, California.
Kiki’s Parents Are Concerned About Her Studies
Stanford junior Kiki Iriafen is an emerging talent in the women’s collegiate basketball scene. As parents, Yemi and Harrison are worried about her academics, though.
However, Iriafen is just as gifted and academically adept as in basketball.
Harvard-Westlake has standards ranking No. 2 in California and No. 6 in the USA in academic achievements.
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Despite such standards, she filled out the application by herself. She graduated high School with a 4.3 GPA, demonstrating her aptitude for academic brilliance.
Moreover, after Harvard-Westlake, she started preparing for Stanford University, and once again, she filled out the applications and went through all rigorous Stanford requirements such as personal essays, supplements, and short answer essays.
A Mother Bear Of The Team Is Also Passionate About Fashion & Modelling
The Cardinals forward Iriafen inspires and motivates her teammates in every way she can.
She always elevates the team’s energy during practice and before games. She is an energizer bunny in her team.
Iriafen’s leadership is the foundation of team dynamics, and Stanford’s team chemistry always appears strong because of her leadership qualities.
During one of her interviews, she stated,
“I’m like a mother bear. I like to coddle my freshmen and all my teammates and make sure they feel loved”.
While growing up, the six-foot-three forward viewed basketball as a men’s sport.
And now, Kiki is an all-American caliber player who always elevates her confidence and basketball skills to new heights.
The Nigerian-American forward possesses a deadly combination of face-up and post-up skills, making her nearly impossible to defend.
In recent times, women’s basketball viewership has seen a notable surge, reflecting a growing interest in and appreciation for the sport.
With this growing interest in the sport, there lies a unique opportunity for athletes like Kiki to not only excel on the hardwood but also extend their influence beyond it.
They can easily embrace the role of ambassador for women’s basketball games and potentially elevate their careers by branching out into modeling.
Kiki’s love of fashion led her to model for FashionX, an organization for students interested in design and the fashion industry.
FAQs
1) What Is The Full Name Of Kiki Iriafen?
Kiki’s full name is Okikiola Iriafen.
2) What Recognition Did Kiki Iriafen Receive At The Start of 2024?
Iriafen was honored with ESPN National Player of the Week on 22 January 2024, and
Pac-12 Player of the Week on 22 January 2024.
In addition, Iriafen is one of five finalists for the Katrina McClain Award, which is given to the nation’s top power forward.
