Nia Coffey Bio
Nia Coffey (born June 11, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). A small forward known for her scoring and rebounding, she was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft, the highest selection of any Northwestern basketball player in school history. Over the course of her professional career, she has also competed in Israel, Australia, Poland, Turkey, and France.
After beginning her career with the San Antonio Stars and later playing for the Las Vegas Aces, Coffey developed into a versatile forward through stints with the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks before returning to Atlanta. She has represented the United States in international competition and continues to balance WNBA play with overseas opportunities.
Early Life and Background
Nia Coffey was born on June 11, 1995, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in nearby Minnetonka. She is the daughter of former NBA player Richard Coffey, which gave her early and direct exposure to the professional game. Her younger brother, Amir Coffey, is also an NBA player, establishing the family as one of the most recognized basketball families in Minnesota.
Coffey attended Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, where she developed into one of the top high school prospects in the country. Her senior-year performance earned her a selection as a McDonald’s All-American in 2013, a recognition reserved for the most accomplished high school basketball players in the United States.
Path to Basketball
Coming from a family with a strong basketball pedigree, Coffey followed the path set by her father and brother into competitive play. Her experience representing Team USA at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship for Women, where she set a Team USA record for most free throws without a miss in the U19 tournament with 11, helped solidify her reputation as a rising talent.
She committed to Northwestern University, where she stepped directly into the starting lineup as a freshman and became the first player in program history to be named first-team All-Big Ten as a freshman. Across four seasons, she earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in every year, including Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition in 2014, laying the foundation for her transition to the professional level.
Nia Coffey Career
College Career (2013–2017)
Nia Coffey entered Northwestern as the starting power forward and made an immediate impact, recording 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks in her collegiate debut on November 5, 2013, a 98–57 win over Lewis University. At the conclusion of her freshman year she became the first player in Northwestern history to be named first-team All-Big Ten as a freshman.
On January 29, 2015, she registered a career-high 35 points in a 102–99 loss against Iowa. During her junior season she broke the Northwestern Wildcats women’s basketball record for most rebounds in a season with 344, a mark she held until the 2017–18 season, and earned Honorable Mention on both the WBCA All-American Team and the AP All-American Team. In her senior season she set Northwestern records for most consecutive games scoring in double figures, total rebounds, free throws made, free throw attempts, and field goal attempts in a career, finishing her career as the first player in school history to make the All-Big Ten First Team in all four seasons.
WNBA Breakthrough (2017–2019)
Coffey was drafted by the San Antonio Stars with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft, the highest selection of any Northwestern basketball player. She made her WNBA debut on May 13, 2017, in the season-opener against the New York Liberty. On May 27, 2018, she scored a career-high 23 points in a 98–103 loss against the Seattle Storm, establishing herself as an offensive contributor.
On April 11, 2019, she was traded to the Atlanta Dream in a three-team trade that sent Sugar Rodgers to the Aces, marking the beginning of her long association with the franchise.
Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks (2020–2021)
On February 19, 2020, Coffey was traded to the Phoenix Mercury as part of a three-team deal. She was later waived on February 10, 2021, before being signed by the Los Angeles Sparks on March 4, 2021. On June 1, 2021, she recorded a career-high 6 blocks in a game against the Dallas Wings, and during that season she posted career highs of 8.3 points per game and minutes played.
Atlanta Dream Era (2022–Present)
On February 1, 2022, Coffey signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Dream, returning to the franchise where she had previously played. She re-signed with the Dream on a second one-year deal on February 1, 2023, and then signed a two-year contract on February 1, 2024, signaling the organization’s long-term commitment to her veteran presence.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Coffey’s signature career achievements are her fifth-overall selection in the 2017 WNBA draft, a career-high 35-point game at Northwestern, the Northwestern single-season rebounds record of 344, a career-high 23-point WNBA performance against the Seattle Storm, and a career-high 6 blocks against the Dallas Wings. She also holds the Team USA Under-19 record for most free throws without a miss with 11.
Nia Coffey Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Nia Coffey was raised in a basketball family in Minnesota. Her father, Richard Coffey, is a former NBA player, and her brother, Amir Coffey, is a current NBA player. Growing up around the game through her family’s involvement gave her an early understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest levels of professional basketball.
Nia Coffey Overseas Career
Coffey played for Maccabi Ramat Gan of the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League during the 2017–18 season, followed by a stint with the Adelaide Lightning of the Women’s National Basketball League in the 2018–19 WNBL season. In February 2019 she joined Arka Gdynia of the Basket Liga Kobiet, and she later played for Çukurova Basketbol of the Women’s Basketball Super League from October to November 2019.
In January 2021, Coffey signed with Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League. She played for Flammes Carolo Basket Ardennes of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball during the 2021–22 season, and in January 2025 she signed with the Townsville Fire of the WNBL, continuing her pattern of competing in top leagues around the world during the WNBA offseason.
2025 Season Outlook
Entering the 2025 WNBA season, Nia Coffey remains under contract with the Atlanta Dream through 2026 following her February 2024 two-year extension. Her role as a veteran forward on a rebuilding roster gives her the opportunity to provide scoring, rebounding, and perimeter defense, while her January 2025 signing with the Townsville Fire of the WNBL keeps her in game shape during the northern offseason.
With a career-high 8.3 points per game from her 2021 Sparks season as a benchmark, Coffey will look to build on her consistency and expand her offensive role with the Dream. Her established chemistry in Atlanta and continued international experience position her to be a reliable contributor for the Dream across the 2025 and 2026 WNBA seasons.