Brittney Sykes Bio
Brittney Sykes is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Laces BC of Unrivaled. Drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft, she has built a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable perimeter defenders while also emerging as a consistent scoring option. Known by the nickname “Slim,” Sykes became the highest-drafted Syracuse University women’s basketball player in school history. Over the course of her professional career, she has played in the WNBA, in multiple top overseas leagues, and in the inaugural season of Unrivaled.
Early Life and Background
Brittney Sykes was born on February 7, 1994, in Newark, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Michael and Regina Sykes and grew up with two older brothers. Her upbringing in Newark gave her early access to competitive basketball, and she balanced her athletic development with strong academic involvement.
Sykes attended University High School in Newark, where she starred as a guard for the school’s basketball team and also played for the club program, the Philly Belles. She was rated as a four-star recruit, earned a 95 overall scouting grade from ESPN, and was ranked 31st among all college recruits and 9th at her position. Her senior-year averages of 18.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists helped University High School capture the Essex County Championship in 2011-12.
Her high school résumé also included selection as a 2012 McDonald’s All-American, a 2012 USA Today All-USA Second Team pick, All-State honors, All-Essex County First Team recognition, and North-South Game MVP. She was a 2012 United States U18 national team member and remained active in school as a member of the National Honor Society, the student cabinet, and the MSG Varsity Club.
Path to Basketball
Coming out of high school, Sykes was recruited by Georgetown, Penn State, and Notre Dame before choosing to attend Syracuse University. She joined the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball program and quickly earned Big East All-Freshman Team honors in 2013.
Her college path was interrupted by serious knee injuries. During the 2013-14 season, Sykes tore her ACL on March 22, 2014, in an NCAA Tournament game in Lexington, Kentucky. She returned for the 2014-15 campaign but tore the same ACL again on January 4, 2015, just 43 minutes into her third game back against Notre Dame. Through months of rehabilitation, she has spoken about those setbacks as motivation rather than obstacles.
Despite the injuries, Sykes finished her Syracuse career as a four-year player across five years on campus. She appeared in 138 games, starting 137, and averaged 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. She finished third in program history in career points with 1,846, earned All-American honors, and closed as the winningest Syracuse Orange women’s basketball player with 101 career victories. Her final college season brought First-Team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive Team selections in 2017.
Brittney Sykes Career
Early Career (2017)
Brittney Sykes began her professional career with the Atlanta Dream after being selected seventh overall in the 2017 WNBA draft. She signed a three-year rookie contract and quickly became a starter, averaging 13.9 points per game as a rookie while scoring a career-high 33 points against the Phoenix Mercury. Her 471 total points set a new single-season rookie record for the Dream franchise.
She was named WNBA Rookie of the Month in both July and August 2017 and finished as the runner-up for Rookie of the Year, earning 10 of 40 votes. She was also selected to the 2017 WNBA All-Rookie Team, marking an immediate impact at the professional level.
Atlanta Dream Era (2017-2019)
Sykes spent her first three WNBA seasons with the Atlanta Dream, establishing herself as a defensive-minded wing. She also began a pattern of overseas play during the WNBA offseason, joining Hapoel Petah Tikva in the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League in 2017. Her first overseas experience laid the groundwork for a long list of international stops that would follow throughout her career.
Los Angeles Sparks Era (2020-2022)
In February 2020, Sykes was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks along with center Marie Gülich in exchange for center Kalani Brown. In her first season with the Sparks, she earned WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honors.
In 2021, Sykes was named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team and finished as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. She also led the league in steals that season and spent the WNBA offseason with OGM Ormanspor in Turkey and later with the University of Canberra Capitals in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). In Australia, she earned WNBL Defensive Player of the Year and All-WNBL First Team honors for 2022. She returned to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2022 and again finished as the WNBA steals leader.
Washington Mystics Era (2023-2025)
In February 2023, Sykes was traded to the Washington Mystics. Across two and a half seasons in Washington, she elevated her offensive game and maintained her defensive standard. She earned WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors, recorded her first career WNBA All-Star selection in 2025, and averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game with the Mystics.
On August 5, 2025, Sykes was traded to the Seattle Storm in exchange for forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and Seattle’s first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Seattle Storm Era (2025-Present)
Sykes joined the Seattle Storm midway through the 2025 season and continued her role as a two-way wing. Her career averages and defensive résumé made her a natural fit for a contending Storm roster. Her move to Seattle also coincided with her growing profile as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders and a veteran scoring threat.
Driving Style and Strengths
Brittney Sykes is best known for her defensive versatility, length, and anticipation in passing lanes. At 175 centimeters tall, she has the size to defend multiple positions and the quickness to stay in front of quicker guards. Offensively, she has developed into a reliable scorer who can attack closeouts, finish at the rim, and knock down mid-range shots.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sykes was named a WNBA All-Star for the first time in 2025, after previously earning two All-Defensive First Team selections, two All-Defensive Second Team honors, and back-to-back league steals titles in 2021 and 2022. She also won the inaugural Unrivaled League Championship with Rose BC, sinking the winning shot and leading her team in scoring in the title game.
Brittney Sykes Career Wins
Brittney Sykes has collected individual and team honors across the WNBA, the WNBL, and the Unrivaled league. Her trophy case includes a WNBA All-Star selection, two WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors, two WNBA All-Defensive Second Team nods, two WNBA steals titles, a WNBL Defensive Player of the Year award, an All-WNBL First Team selection, and an Unrivaled championship.
WNBA Highlights
Sykes was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2017 and has since been recognized as one of the league’s elite defenders with four All-Defensive selections between 2020 and 2023. She led the WNBA in steals during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and earned her first All-Star nod in 2025 with the Washington Mystics before being traded midseason to the Seattle Storm.
Other Wins and Performances
Sykes earned WNBL Defensive Player of the Year and All-WNBL First Team honors during the 2021-22 season with the University of Canberra Capitals. She also won the inaugural Unrivaled championship with Rose BC in 2025, hitting the game-winning shot in the final.
Brittney Sykes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Brittney Sykes is the daughter of Michael and Regina Sykes and has two older brothers. She was raised in Newark, New Jersey, where her family supported her early basketball development and her education.
Personal Life
Sykes graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Rhetorical Studies. She later completed a master’s degree in instructional design, development, and evaluation through the Syracuse School of Education. Her nickname “Slim” has followed her from her playing days at University High School through her professional career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 WNBA season was a milestone year for Brittney Sykes. After starting the season with the Washington Mystics, she was traded to the Seattle Storm on August 5 in exchange for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round pick. Her production in Washington, including 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, helped establish her as a first-time WNBA All-Star.
Sykes also represented Rose BC in the inaugural Unrivaled season and helped her team win the first Unrivaled League Championship, hitting the championship-winning shot and leading the team in scoring. On November 5, 2025, it was announced that she had been drafted by Laces BC for the 2026 Unrivaled season, signaling her continued status as one of the top perimeter players in the women’s game.
Looking ahead, Sykes is expected to play a significant role for the Seattle Storm as she settles into her new team, while also suiting up for Laces BC in the 2026 Unrivaled season.