Karlie Samuelson has grown into a seasoned veteran in the WNBA. The second eldest of the Samuelson sisters, she has primarily played a supporting role off the bench for the Minnesota Lynx this season. However, her 2025 campaign has come to an early end after suffering a severe leg injury during the second quarter of the team’s dominant 102–63 win over Connecticut. The injury was serious enough that a wheelchair was brought out to assist her off the court. Samuelson will now undergo surgery and is expected to cheer from the sidelines as the Lynx continue their pursuit of a WNBA championship. While she strives to regain her fitness and return to court asap, let’s take a closer look at her life away from basketball.

Where is Karlie Samuelson from, and what is her nationality?

Karlie Samuelson was born in Fullerton, California, United States, on May 10, 1995, to Karen and Jon Samuelson. Her hometown is Huntington Beach, California. Born t an American father and a British mother, she was eligible to play for both the national teams, eventually choosing her mom’s birthplace. Explaining her decision, Samuelson said, “So my mom is British. She was born and raised up in Sunderland in northern England and my dad played professionally over here for a year and met her and brought her back to California. So I’m 50% British,” Samuelson said.

Representing the British national team, Karlie Samuelson has shared that her mother takes pride in her decision to embrace her British heritage. Meanwhile, her sister Katie Lou represents the United States on the international stage, highlighting the unique dual-national paths taken by the Samuelson sisters.

During her high school years, Karlie Samuelson played basketball at Edison High School in Huntington Beach and later at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. She continued her athletic and academic journey at Stanford University, where she played alongside her older sister Bonnie from 2013 to 2017. A standout three-point shooter, Samuelson helped lead the Cardinal to two NCAA Final Four appearances in her freshman year in 2013 and again as a senior in 2017. 

That year, she earned Regional All-Tournament Team honors before a semifinal loss, where she played through a sprained ankle. Over her 134-game college career, she recorded 1,164 points and 357 rebounds. After graduating from Stanford with a degree in human biology, she went on to earn a Master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University in Irvine.

What is Karlie Samuelson’s ethnicity?

Ethnically, Karlie is from a dual heritage as her father is American and her mother is British. She has embraced both sides of her heritage, as evidenced by her dual nationality. 

Is Karlie Samuelson Christian? 

There is no public record of Karlie’s religious beliefs, but her sister Katie has been seen regularly celebrating Christmas and captioning one of her Instagram posts with her husband, “Thank You Jesus.” But we don’t know if the sisters share the same beliefs. 

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As the 2025 season continues, Karlie Samuelson’s absence will be deeply felt by the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. Her injury marks a major setback, especially given the valuable depth she brought to the backcourt. The 30-year-old is now sidelined for the remainder of the season. While her contributions on the court will be missed, Samuelson remains a vital presence off the court as she continues to support the Lynx in their pursuit of a WNBA championship.