Kiki Iriafen’s rapid rise in the basketball world has made her one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 WNBA Draft. With her combination of size, skill, and versatility, she has caught the attention of scouts and basketball analysts alike. As the WNBA Draft approaches, Iriafen is projected to be a top pick, with teams eager to add her talent to their rosters.
The 6’3″ forward for USC averaged 18.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 season, earning an All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten tournament team nod. However, let’s look back on her journey and how she got to this point.
Who Are Harrison and Yemi Iriafen, Kiki Iriafen’s Parents?
Okikola Iriafen, better known as Kiki Iriafen, is one of the most sought-after WNBA prospects in the world right now. A lot of athletes grow up playing basketball at a young age, but for Kiki, things were different.
As she was growing up, Kiki saw basketball as a sport for men, but with her athletic build, she gave it a shot in middle school and hasn’t looked back since. She became a highly sought-after prospect for colleges and ended up going to Stanford before transferring to play for Lindsay Gottlieb at USC. This journey couldn’t have been possible without her family being there by her side.
Iriafen’s family and heritage play a huge role in her life. Her parents, Harrison and Yemi Iriafen, are both of Nigerian descent. Kiki is very close with her two siblings, Shuby and Oyinkan. The Iriafen family has a huge love for sports; aside from Kiki excelling in basketball, Shuby plays soccer, while Oyinkan is following in her sister’s footsteps by playing basketball.
Even though the Iriafen children are talented in sports, their parents, Harrison and Yemi, stress the importance of getting an education over just playing sports. Kiki’s family is full of educators, so Kiki still wanting to play sports while pursuing higher education changed the narrative for the Iriafens.
In high school, Kiki was a top prospect for colleges while also maintaining a 4.3 GPA. During her time at Stanford, she earned her degree in design engineering. Now, at USC, she is pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship while also excelling as a student-athlete.
She has a deep love for her Nigerian heritage, and it goes past just family traditions. Kiki plans on giving back to her community in Nigeria in any way possible. She plans on using her education to create and build upon women’s health initiatives in Nigeria.
In PFSN’s latest 2025 WNBA Mock Draft, she is projected to go No. 4 overall to the Washington Mystics. Here is what PFSN’s Brandon Austin wrote about her fit in Washington.
“The Mystics must take advantage of these back-to-back picks and continue to inject this roster with talent. After addressing the backcourt, Washington could solidify their frontcourt by drafting Kiki Iriafen, who enjoyed a breakout junior season alongside Cameron Brink at Stanford before transferring to USC.
“Iriafen put together a solid senior season with the Trojans, averaging 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. However, her efficiency numbers took a dip from the previous season. She shot 49% from the field in 2024 (54.6% in 2024) and 28.6% from behind the arc (33.3% in 2023). Where she did improve, though, was from the free-throw line, making just over 81% of her attempts.
“Iriafen can be a dynamic post player when she wants to be. She’s not very physical in the paint, nor is she an explosive rim protector. Still, she has the potential to be one of the best scoring bigs in the game. She’s a good finisher at the rim and has above-average versatility for her size on the perimeter. Adding Iriafen to a group that features Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, and Stefanie Dolson forms a dynamic and promising frontcourt.”