The Valkyries added an impressive roster of 11 players on Dec. 6 and gave fans a lot to look forward to — and now it's time to dive into each player's background and history in the sport.
Rupert was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces as the 12th overall pick in 2021. Former Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright and the Dream's GM Dan Padover also spent a lot of time learning about Rupert ahead of the draft. "Me and Dan [Padover] had the opportunity to be in Vegas when she was drafted, so we did a lot of research on her game, and her ability to stretch the floor definitely helps in our system," Wright told The Next last year.
So it made sense that when the Aces waived Rupert in early 2023 the Dream were quick to scoop her up. "We’re excited to add someone with her background and skillset to our team," Wright added.
Here's what the team can expect from incoming center Iliana Rupert.
She comes from French basketball royalty
Though Rupert might not be well-known in the United States (yet!), she is a major basketball star in her home country, France. In fact, most of the Rupert family is — her father, Thierry, played professionally in France for nearly twenty years, and her brother Rayan was the 43rd overall pick by the Trail Blazers in the 2023 NBA draft.
"My sister was pretty famous in the basketball world in France," Rayan told The Rose Garden Report, "She was very good at a very young age. So every time I went somewhere, people were like, ‘Oh, you’re the son of Thierry Rupert and the sister of Iliana. OK.’"
She represented France at the 2024 Olympic Games
Rupert was part of the French women's basketball team that won the silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games. Though Rupert didn't play her strongest game in the final, she was a major part of the team's success over the games that preceded it.
Throughout the entire Olympics experience, Rupert averaged 7.6 points on 44.4% shooting from the field and 3.8 rebounds in 16.6 minutes. Her biggest game was during the semifinals against Belgium, when she scored 15 points with seven rebounds, three steals, and one block. In addition to her basketball prowess, Rupert can bring that Olympic experience to a team that will need to learn to grow together, providing invaluable leadership.
She can bring a very unique skill set to the team
As Rupert's fans know — and Valkyries fans will hopefully soon find out — the 6'4" center is an excellent shooter, can stretch the floor better than most, and also brings size to a team that seems to have prioritized it.
As Rupert told The Next, that her goal is to keep improving. "I always want to be better… I’ve tried to be more consistent," she explained.