Canada’s Achonwa made assistant coach of Michigan Wolverines women’s basketball team

ANN ARBOR — Four-time Canadian Olympian Natalie Achonwa is joining Michigan women’s basketball staff as the assistant coach for player development.

Achonwa was Canada’s captain at the recently completed Paris Games.

It was Achonwa’s fourth Olympics, the most ever by a Canadian basketball player. She played alongside 18-year-old guard Syla Swords, who will now be one of her players on the Michigan Wolverines.

The 31-year-old Toronto native played in 79 career games for Canada’s senior national team, the second-most in team history.

She led Canada to the 2015 FIBA AmeriCup championship, their first gold in 20 years, and to their first-ever Pan American Games title that same year.

Achonwa finished her national career as Canada women’s basketball’s all-time leader in Olympic assists, with 43.

After being drafted by the Indiana Fever ninth overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft, Achonwa played nine years in the WNBA and six seasons overseas. She played with the Fever from 2015-2020.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press