Kaila Charles Bio
Kaila Charles (born March 23, 1998) is an American professional basketball player who competes for the Golden State Valkyries of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for Reyer Venezia of the Lega Basket Femminile in Italy. A versatile guard-forward listed at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), she has built her career around perimeter scoring, rebounding from the wing, and steady defensive play. She previously played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected by the Connecticut Sun with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
Early Life and Background
Kaila Charles was born on March 23, 1998, in Glenn Dale, Maryland, where she was raised in a family with deep roots in athletics. She is of African American heritage and grew up with three older siblings, including her sister Afia, who represented Antigua and Barbuda in the 2012 Olympic Games in London as a track athlete, and her brother Akil, who plays basketball at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her mother, Ruperta Charles, competed in the 100 meter dash at the 1984 Summer Olympics for Antigua and Barbuda after attending Howard University, giving the family a clear Olympic pedigree that shaped Kaila’s competitive outlook.
For her first three years of high school, Charles attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in nearby Greenbelt, Maryland, where her teams posted a combined 72-5 record. During that stretch, her squads captured two Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association Class AAAA state championships in 2014 and 2015, and she earned Washington Post All-Metro honors as both a sophomore and a junior. She transferred for her senior year to Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, where she helped lead the program to a national championship game and was recognized as a McDonald’s All-American, a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American, and The Washington Post All-Metro Player of the Year.
Path to Basketball
Ranked as the 25th best player in her national high school class by ESPN and the Collegiate Girls Report, and as high as 21st by the All Star Girls Report, Charles entered college as a five-star recruit who drew more than 30 scholarship offers. She ultimately chose to stay close to home and signed with Brenda Frese and the Maryland Terrapins, turning down prominent programs such as Tennessee and South Carolina. Her decision launched a four-year collegiate run that quickly established her as one of the Big Ten’s most consistent two-way wings.
Kaila Charles Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Charles made an immediate impact at Maryland, opening her freshman season with a double-double in her first game and earning a steady role in the rotation. Her production and poise led to selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, validating her billing as one of the conference’s top incoming players. The freshman campaign laid the foundation for what would become a record-setting career in College Park.
Maryland Breakthrough (2017–2020)
As a sophomore in 2017-18, Charles was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team and appeared on the preseason Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list. She became the third player in Maryland history to reach 600 points as a second-year player, and her 17.9 points per game remain the highest scoring average ever recorded by a Terrapins sophomore. She earned her first Big Ten Player of the Week honor and was selected First Team All-Big Ten.
During her junior season in 2018-19, Charles continued to ascend, winning Big Ten Player of the Week in February and finishing the year as an Associated Press and WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. She was a Cheryl Miller Award finalist, a Wade Trophy watch list member, and a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection. Heading into her senior year, she was named an AP Preseason All-American and the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, and she added Big Ten Player of the Week honors in December and February. She closed her Maryland career by helping the Terrapins win the 2020 Big Ten women’s basketball tournament, the program’s first title since her freshman season.
By the end of her senior year, Charles had joined a select group of six Maryland players to rank in the program’s top ten in both scoring and rebounding, finishing sixth in each category. She also tied Alyssa Thomas’ program record with 135 career starts, having started every game of her college tenure, before being named a Third-team All-American by both the AP and the USBWA.
Connecticut Sun Era (2020–2021)
Selected 23rd overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Charles appeared in 21 games as a rookie, starting seven, and averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds over 17.9 minutes per game. Despite entering the 2020 WNBA Playoffs as the seventh seed, the Sun advanced to the semifinals before falling to the Las Vegas Aces in five games. Charles continued with the organization into the 2021 season before being waived on May 5, 2022.
Journeyman Years (2022–2024)
Charles bounced between rosters over the next two seasons. She signed a hardship contract with the New York Liberty on May 6, 2022, but was released two days later without appearing in a game. On August 12, 2022, she joined the Atlanta Dream on a hardship contract and logged two minutes in one appearance. In February 2023, she signed a training camp deal with the Seattle Storm, made the opening day roster, played in four games, and was waived on June 8, 2023. Internationally, Charles signed with Hungarian club DVTK HUN-Therm of EuroLeague Women on July 4, 2023, continuing her professional career overseas.
Golden State Valkyries Era (2025–Present)
Charles signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings on February 2, 2025, made the opening day roster, and was waived on June 14. The Wings re-signed her to a hardship contract on June 17, and she was released on June 30 after 17 games in which she averaged 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. On August 1, 2025, she signed a seven-day hardship contract with the Golden State Valkyries and converted to a rest-of-season deal on August 22. She also signed with Reyer Venezia of the Lega Basket Femminile for the 2025-26 season, balancing WNBA play with a top European league.
Driving Style and Strengths
Charles operates primarily as a shooting guard and small forward, using her 6 ft 1 in frame to defend multiple positions and crash the glass against bigger frontcourts. She is comfortable scoring off the catch, attacking closeouts, and posting up smaller guards, while also providing switchable defense on the perimeter. Her strength lies in efficient mid-range shooting, rebounding from the wing, and bringing veteran poise to young lineups.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her signature moments are her 2020 Big Ten tournament championship with Maryland, her tie of Alyssa Thomas’ program record of 135 career starts, and her placement sixth in Maryland history in both scoring and rebounding. In the professional ranks, she debuted in the WNBA playoffs as a rookie with the Connecticut Sun’s run to the 2020 semifinals and has since earned contracts with five different WNBA franchises, underscoring her persistence and adaptability.
Kaila Charles Career Wins
Charles’ career is marked more by longevity, versatility, and individual recognition than by headline championships at the professional level. She has collected a series of high school state titles, a Big Ten tournament crown, and All-American and All-Big Ten honors across her college career, while sustaining a professional career across multiple WNBA teams and European leagues.
College and High School Highlights
Charles won back-to-back Maryland Class AAAA state championships in 2014 and 2015 with Eleanor Roosevelt High School and helped Riverdale Baptist reach a national championship game as a senior in 2015-16. At Maryland, she was a three-time First-team All-Big Ten selection from 2018 through 2020, a Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree in 2017, a Third-team All-American by the AP and USBWA in 2020, and a McDonald’s All-American in 2016. She capped her college career by winning the 2020 Big Ten women’s basketball tournament.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond her college hardware, Charles has built a steady professional resume, signing with the Connecticut Sun, Atlanta Dream, Seattle Storm, Dallas Wings, and Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA, and competing in Europe with DVTK HUN-Therm and Reyer Venezia. Her ability to move between teams and leagues reflects a durable, team-first approach that has kept her employed at the highest levels of women’s basketball.
Kaila Charles Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Basketball runs deep in the Charles family. Her mother, Ruperta Charles, competed in the 100 meter dash at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles for Antigua and Barbuda, and her sister, Afia, ran track at the University of Central Florida and represented Antigua and Barbuda at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Her brother, Akil, has continued the family’s athletic tradition by playing basketball at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Kaila has three older siblings in total, and the household’s Olympic pedigree shaped her disciplined approach to the game.
Personal Life
Charles has not publicly disclosed details of a spouse or children, and she keeps much of her personal life private. She was raised in Glenn Dale, Maryland, and remains closely connected to her family, with whom she shares a strong Olympic and athletic heritage. Her social media presence and professional communications continue to highlight her commitment to her craft rather than her personal relationships.
2025 Season Performance
Charles began 2025 with a training camp contract from the Dallas Wings, making the opening day roster and appearing in 17 games before being waived in mid-June. She averaged 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds during her stint in Dallas, contributing as a versatile wing before being re-signed and ultimately released on a hardship cycle. Her stay in Dallas reflected her usual professional pattern of earning a role through training camp play and staying ready for short-term opportunities.
On August 1, 2025, Charles signed a seven-day hardship contract with the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest franchise, and she converted that deal into a rest-of-season contract on August 22, providing the expansion team with veteran depth on the wing. In parallel, she joined Reyer Venezia of the Lega Basket Femminile for the 2025-26 season, signaling her intent to compete in both the WNBA and Europe. With the Valkyries still building their identity and roster around young talent, Charles is positioned to bring stability, defense, and a proven professional track record to the club’s late-season push.