Utah’s March Madness run may have come to an early halt but their senior forward, Alissa Pili managed to make a lot of noise. Leading the team to the NIT semifinals and showcasing her best on the floor, Pili now moves to her next chapter with the WNBA. However, she is not the only Alaskan blood of the family who represents a professional team in the country. In fact, her oldest brother, Brandon Pili, is a part of the Miami Dolphins.

Both have come too far from where they were and looks like nothing can stop the Pili name from spreading in the world of sports. Let us take a look at the careers and backgrounds of the brother-sister duo.

Brandon Pili had a tough road to Miami

Brandon Pili has seen his own setbacks and learned to create ways in order to defeat the odds. In fact, he has been doing so since he was in high school. Coming from the northernmost region of the country, Alaska, it can be challenging for players to show their worth. Hence, despite proving all the characteristics of a great defensive tackle, he could not make his mark as a high schooler at A.J. Diamond, Anchorage, Alaska. His father, Billy Pili, asked him to move for better opportunities.

Finishing his high school football career with Portland, Oregon’s Westview, he displayed his true worth. In fact, it only took one game for the senior to grab everyone’s attention. Amongst the many choices, the 6-ft-3 Alaskan chose to play for the USC Trojans. He finished his college career with decent numbers at 25 tackles, 1 defended pass, and 1 sack.

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Even though everyone was sure that out of the many pros that USC produced back in 2023, Pili would be one, it didn’t come to fruition. His four partners were drafted while he was left sulking. However, unlike other undrafted athletes who have to make several rounds to find a home, Brandon had it easy. Miami Dolphins contacted him soon and he became part of a 53-men roster.

He made the final roster, becoming the first Alaskan to be on an NFL roster since 2014. After being waived and then re-signed to the practice squad, the 25-year-old signed a reserve contract on January 15, 2024. He’ll be hoping to make a big impact in the future. And so will his younger sister, Alissa.

What went into making Alissa Pili and Brandon?

Born to Heather and Billy Pili on April 2, 1999, Brandon Pili is the oldest of seven siblings. His father had moved to Alaska in 1990 from Hawaii to be with Heather, who lived in Barrow, Alaska. Hence, Brandon comes from a cultural mix of Samoan and Alaskan native backgrounds. Spending a few years in the northernmost settlement in the US, he moved to Anchorage, Alaska, for his studies. Following this was his entry into football, which turned into a career choice for the 319 lb athlete.

However, his likes for sports were also reflected by another sibling, and that was his younger sister Alissa. Born on June 8, 2001, Alissa also displayed signs of football prowess. In fact, she decimated her opponents as a lineman from third to eighth grade. Following this, she opted to continue her journey as a hooper. Bringing the second position to Diamond High School as a freshman in the Class 4A state tournament, she proved her worth. Continuing her path as a basketball player, the 6-ft-2 brought in 2 state championships for Diamond.

Alissa Pili also set the all-time scoring record for her Class 4A. Additionally, she swept the Gatorade Player of the Year, Alaska, three times in a row. While basketball brought her all the fame, her athletic talents did not end on the floor. She collected 13 state titles, participating in various sporting events. These included discus throw, wrestling, shot put, and volleyball. ESPN named her a 5-star recruit and she joined the Trojans to begin her college career. But after three seasons with declining numbers, she decided to move to Utah, where she again burst onto the scene.

After averaging 21.05 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during her two years with the Utes, she is projected to be the 9th pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. It would be a massive achievement for her family if she gets selected as a lottery pick.