Megan Gustafson was too strong for boys her age. The  Las Vegas Aces center’s high school did not have enough girls that year to form a basketball team when she was in eighth grade so the coach put her in with the boys. It was a blessing in disguise for her, as she dominated on the court with the boys, which led to the coach identifying her talent.

Gustafson finished that season as the team’s second leading scorer, but her physicality shined throughout. She carried that spark with her to Iowa and became one of their best players of all time. Her jersey is one of only two Hawkeyes that currently hang in the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

That celebrated college led Megan to be drafted  in the second round as the 17th overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2019 WNBA draft. She has since played for the Washington Mystics and Phoenix Mercury before being picked up by the Aces. As of now, she is sidelined indefinitely with an injury to her lower left leg, and the Aces missed her presence as they lost 92-78 to the Liberty. Let’s understand where the Iowa legend comes from and what faith she follows:

Where is Megan Gustafson from, and what is her nationality?

She was born in the United States but chose to switch her nationality to Spanish in order to be a part of the 2024 Olympics. One player per team overseas is granted the allowance to be naturalized, meaning they can get a passport and all the documents necessary to be granted citizenship. After about a 7-8 month process, Gustafson was granted citizenship, which means she has a dual-passport situation as on the Las Vegas Aces website, her country is still the USA.

She had to make quite the adjustment, as all the plays are called in Spanish. With the help of her teammates and a Spanish teacher, Gustafson made quite the effort to take part in the Olympics.

Gustafson is originally from Portwing,Wisconsin but it’s unclear whether she was born there. played for South Shore High School. She is the all-time leading scorer in Wisconsin High School Girls Basketball with 3229 points, a full 109 points ahead of second place.

What is Megan Gustafson ‘s ethnicity?

Regarding her ancestry, Megan’s family heritage is primarily Swedish and Polish.  Her Swedish and Polish roots trace back to Wisconsin’s immigrant communities, which shaped her family’s strong work ethic and athletic drive.

While there have been mentions suggesting a possible Mexican lineage, these claims remain unsubstantiated and lack credible sources. The rumors likely stem from confusion over her Spanish citizenship, but Gustafson has consistently affirmed her Swedish and Polish heritage in interviews. Her father played basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Superior, and her mother played basketball and volleyball at the College of St. Scholastica Megan’s upbringing in a small town, combined with her family’s strong athletic roots, played a significant role in shaping her basketball career.

Is Megan Gustafson Christian?

Faith plays a huge part in Megan’s life. She grew up in a Christian household but wasn’t immediately attracted by the faith. It was when she went away to Iowa to play ball the Lord gave her the strength to carry on.

“Mom and dad weren’t there all the time anymore to help me out,” she has said. “Just to know I’m not alone, especially on that journey going to college, was major.”

She also displays her faith through her tattoo, a Bible verse in the shape of a cross down her spine: Philippians 4:13—“I“ can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Megan has had a topsy-turvy career, being waived multiple times but always coming back. She will be a strong player for the Aces off the bench for the Aces. It’s still unknown by when Gustafson is coming back but the Aces will hope that it will be back soon. They will next face the Connecticut Sun.