Meet Cierra Burdick

On the court, Cierra is known for her passion and love for the game. She fell in love with sports at an early age, but it was basketball that stole her heart. By the time she was five years old, she had already declared to her mother that she would play basketball in college. As fate would have it, around the same time, the mother-daughter duo moved to a south Charlotte apartment conveniently located across from the Harris YMCA. One could say the rest is history, or better yet, HERstory.

As years went by, Cierra advanced from the community YMCA league to the national showcase circuit. By the time she was eleven, she was recognized as one of the nation’s top talents, and the college recruiting mail began to pour in. In October of her junior year in high school, Cierra committed to play collegiate hoops for the late great Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols. With her mom and grandparents by her side, Cierra’s childhood dream was finally coming true. Five-year-old Cierra was grinning from ear-to-ear… “See, I told ya so!” 

Cierra finished her high school career as a McDonald’s, Parade, USA Today, and WBCA High School All-American. During her four-year career at the University of Tennessee, Cierra helped the Lady Vols forge a 113-29 record, including 54-10 in SEC play. On her watch, Tennessee won two SEC regular season titles (2013, 2015) and two SEC Tournament crowns (2012, 2014) and carded three Elite Eight finishes and one Sweet 16 effort in NCAA Tournament play. As a senior, Cierra was a first-team Coaches All-SEC selection and was named a Tennessee Torchbearer, the highest student honor conferred by the university. 

In the 2015 WNBA draft, Cierra was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 14th overall pick. Since becoming pro, Cierra has played for seven WNBA franchises. In international competition, Cierra has won five gold medals with USA Basketball, and has played overseas in Italy, Israel, Russia, Poland and France. Although Cierra’s love for the traditional game of five on five has never wavered, she looks forward to new opportunities with 3x3 competition both stateside and abroad. She currently plays for Force 10, the first professional U.S. women’s 3x3 team, and is a member of the USA Basketball 3x3 National Team Pool. 

Five-year-old Cierra would probably say she’s not surprised one bit. Adult Cierra continues to be overwhelmed with gratitude with every new adventure.