
via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 13: Sami Whitcomb of the Fire warms up before the WNBL match between Melbourne Boomers and Townsville Fire at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville, on January 13, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 13: Sami Whitcomb of the Fire warms up before the WNBL match between Melbourne Boomers and Townsville Fire at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville, on January 13, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
There’s no doubt that life as a professional athlete comes with its fair share of challenges. Relocating across countries and adjusting your entire family to new surroundings? Never easy! Yet, Sami Whitcomb always seems to handle it all with ease. Whether it’s Europe, Australia, or the U.S., with stops in New York, Seattle, and now Phoenix, Whitcomb continues to thrive no matter where she goes.
Whitcomb attended Buena High School, where her basketball talent was evident from the start. She was a four-year letterwinner and even served as team captain for a season. Following her high school journey, she decided to commit to the Washington Huskies. Whitcomb enjoyed four impactful years with the Lady Huskies, where she left a lasting legacy. She scored a total of 1,205 points during her college career, placing her 15th on the program’s all-time scoring list.
But tragedy struck when she went undrafted despite her brilliant senior year with Washington where she averaged 13 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. And thus began her journey abroad. She kickstarted her professional journey with ChemCats Chemnitz in Germany’s Bundesliga. While her time in Europe didn’t make many headlines, it was her move to Australia that truly served as the turning point in her career.
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Whitcomb’s time in Australia turned out to be truly special. Not only did she thrive on the court and earn naturalized citizenship, but she also found love there. Her standout performances in the WNBL eventually caught the eye of the Seattle Storm, who brought her on board in 2017.
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Whitcomb would go on to win two championships with the Storm and have stints with the Liberty and now currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury. But behind every step of that journey has been the steady support of her parents. So let’s take a closer look at the family that helped shape Sami Whitcomb.
Who are Sami Whitcomb’s parents?
What ethnicity are Sami Whitcomb’s parents?
Unlike their daughter who was born in the States and then became a naturalized citizen of Australia, it is widely believed that both Jan and Sander Whitcomb are Americans. However, there is currently no verified information available regarding their ethnicity. We’ll be sure to update this section if any credible details come to light.
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What’s your perspective on:
Did Sami Whitcomb's parents' divorce unknowingly set her on the path to basketball greatness?
Have an interesting take?
What happened between Sami Whitcomb’s parents?
According to various sources on the internet, it is believed that Sami Whitcomb’s parents divorced when Whitcomb was quite young. The reason? Unfortunately, none of the available reports shed light on that, so we won’t speculate. But due to the divorce, Whitcomb would go on to become a basketball player. Surprised? Here’s how it all unfolded!
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Sami Whitcomb’s relationship with her parents
Whitcomb used to play soccer as a child, but ever since the divorce of her parents, Sami took up basketball to get closer to her dad. It was his favorite sport and what better way to connect with someone than to play their favorite sport?
With limited time together, those one-on-one games or rounds of H-O-R-S-E became especially meaningful for Sami. Her efforts to grow closer didn’t go unnoticed! Her dad would go on to become her local YMCA coach. And just like that, her journey in basketball truly began.
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Did Sami Whitcomb's parents' divorce unknowingly set her on the path to basketball greatness?