Nikki Blue

Nikki Blue

Personal information
Born	(1984-03-29)March 29, 1984 Bakersfield, California,U.S.
Listed height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Listed weight	163 lb (74 kg)
Career information
High school	West(Bakersfield, California)
College	UCLA(2002–2006)
WNBA draft	2006:2nd round, 19th overall pick
Selected by theWashington Mystics
Playing career	2006–2010
Position	Point guard
Number	32, 1
Coaching career	2008–present
Career history
As player:
2006–2009	Washington Mystics
2010	New York Liberty
As coach:
2008–2014	UNLV(assistant)
2014–2017	Cal State Bakersfield(assistant)
2017-2019	Grand Canyon(assistant)
2019–2022	Arizona State(assistant)
2022–2023	Phoenix Mercury(assistant)
2023	Phoenix Mercury(interim head coach)
Career highlights and awards
4× First-teamAll Pac-10(2003–2006)
Statsat WNBA.com
Statsat Basketball-Reference.com

Anitra Necole "Nikki" Blue(born March 29, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player.

High school

Born and raised inBakersfield, California,Blue played her high school career atWest High School.Blue set the CIF Central Section record for points scored in a single season (913 in the 2000–01 season) and career (2,934 points). Blue averaged 29 points per game her senior year at West and lead Kern County in assists per game as well. Blue is regarded as the best player to ever come out of the CIF Central Section. However, due to the lack of talent around her, West High never won a section championship during Blue's career. The closest West came was in 2002 when West lost to crosstown rival Stockdale 82–55 in the CIF Central Section Division II championship game. Blue was named aWBCAAll-American. She participated in the 2001WBCA High School All-America Game,where she scored two points.

College

Blue was regarded as one of the best point guards in the country, and was offered a full-ride scholarship to theUniversity of Connecticut,the nations top ranked team in 2002. However, Blue turned the offer down and instead opted to go toUCLA,which went 10–20 during the 2002 season. Blue stated that UCLA was closer to home and she liked the idea of rebuilding a program.

At UCLA, Blue was a four-year starting point guard. She was named first-team All-Pacific-10 Conferenceand to the All-Freshmen team. She averaged 16.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 3.6 assist per game, and 2.7 steals per game her freshman year. As a sophomore, she was named first-team All-Pac-10for the second straight year. As a junior, she joinedAnn Meyersas the second Bruin to record over 1,300 points and 400 assists. She was one of the finalists for theNancy Lieberman Awardher senior year. Her career averages at UCLA were 15.2 points per game, 5.1 assist per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 2.8 steals per game.

UCLA statistics

Source

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goalpercentage	3P%	3-point field goalpercentage	FT%	Free throwpercentage
RPG	Reboundsper game	APG	Assistsper game	SPG	Stealsper game
BPG	Blocksper game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Year	Team	GP	Points	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2002-03	UCLA	29	481	40.5	27.9	70.4	5.5	3.6	2.7	0.3	16.6
2003-04	UCLA	30	457	39.6	37.5	72.5	5.6	4.9	3.0	0.1	15.2
2004-05	UCLA	27	458	41.6	35.0	72.0	5.0	6.0	3.4	0.2	17.0
2005-06	UCLA	32	401	39.6	41.8	70.5	4.7	5.9	2.1	0.2	12.5
Career	UCLA	118	1797	40.3	35.5	71.4	5.2	5.1	2.8	0.2	15.2

WNBA career

After her college career, Blue was selected in the second round of the2006 WNBA draftby theWashington Mystics.She played 4 seasons with the Mystics before being traded on May 13, 2010 to theNew York Libertyin exchange for rookieAshley Houts.

Coaching career

Blue was hired by thePhoenix Mercuryon March 31, 2022, as an Assistant Coach to be a part of new Head CoachVanessa Nygaard's coaching staff.Blue was named the interim head coach for the Mercury after they fired Nygaard on June 25, 2023.

WNBA

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
PHO	2023	28	7	21	.250	6th in Western	—	—	—	—	Missed Playoffs
Career		28	7	21	.250		0	0	0	–

WNBA career statistics

Season	Team	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks
2006	Washington Mystics	24	181	54	20	36	18	0
2007	Washington Mystics	30	420	107	63	48	22	5
2008	Washington Mystics	26	537	99	41	73	19	2
2009	Washington Mystics	16	91	24	10	12	7	0
2010	New York Liberty	15	77	18	6	13	4	0

Personal

Her full name is Anitra Necole Blue. She is the daughter to Sabrina Hunter and has one brother, Andre. She has served as an assistant coach in the UNLV women's basketball program for the past two years during her off-season from the WNBA. Her biggest thrill to date was being selected to play in the first McDonald's All-Star game in New York. She also lettered in volleyball (three years), softball (one year) and track and field (one year). She majored in history at UCLA.

External links

• Cal State Bakersfield coaching bio
• ProfileWNBA.com
• UCLA bio