Odyssey Sims Bio
Odyssey Celeste Sims is an American professional basketball player known for her scoring ability and playmaking as a guard. A two-time AP First-Team All-American and three-time WBCA Coaches’ All-American, she has built a versatile career spanning top college programs, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and international leagues. Sims currently plays in the WNBA, where she continues to add to a resume that includes an All-Star selection and an NCAA Championship.
Born in Irving, Texas, Sims starred at MacArthur High School before becoming one of the most decorated players in Baylor University history. She has also competed for several clubs in Turkey and South Korea, while serving as a central figure in Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball.
Early Life and Background
Odyssey Celeste Sims was born on July 13, 1992, in Irving, Texas, in the United States. She grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and attended MacArthur High School in Irving, where she emerged as one of the most highly regarded guard prospects in the country.
During her high school years, Sims was rated the number one point guard in the class of 2010. She earned the WBCA/State Farm National High School Player of the Year award and was selected as a McDonald’s All-American. Her jersey was later retired by MacArthur High School in recognition of her impact on the program.
Path to Professional Basketball
Sims committed to Baylor University, where she played four seasons from 2010 to 2014 under head coach Kim Mulkey. She made an immediate impact as a freshman, earning National Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and a place on the All-Big 12 First Team.
As a sophomore in 2011–12, Sims helped Baylor complete a perfect 40–0 season and capture the NCAA Championship with an 80–61 victory over Notre Dame. She repeated as team Co-MVP alongside center Brittney Griner in her junior year, finishing among the Big 12 leaders in assists, steals, and assist-to-turnover ratio. Her senior season was her most statistically productive, highlighted by a 48-point performance against West Virginia, before she declared for the 2014 WNBA Draft.
Odyssey Sims Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
The Tulsa Shock selected Sims with the second overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. She stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie and averaged 16.7 points and 4.2 assists per game, earning a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team. A knee injury limited her to 23 games in 2015, but she returned healthy in 2016 to average 14.0 points per game as the franchise transitioned to Dallas and was renamed the Dallas Wings.
During her first three WNBA seasons, Sims split her off-seasons overseas. She played for Bucheon KEB-Hana Bank in South Korea in 2014–15 and then spent the 2015–16 winter with Abdullah Gül Üniversitesi B.K. in Turkey, building experience in international competition.
Los Angeles Sparks Breakthrough (2017–2018)
Traded to the Los Angeles Sparks before the 2017 season, Sims moved into the starting shooting guard role and averaged double figures while helping the Sparks post a 26–8 record. She reached her first WNBA Finals that year, tying a playoff career high with 22 points in a Game 3 victory, though the Sparks ultimately fell to the Minnesota Lynx in five games.
In 2018, Sims re-signed with Los Angeles in free agency and opened the season with a 21-point performance against the Lynx. Although she later lost her starting spot, the Sparks advanced to the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Washington Mystics.
Minnesota Lynx Era (2019–2020)
Sims began 2019 back with the Sparks but was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in April, where she took over as the starting point guard. Her playmaking surged to a new career high in assists, and she was voted into the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game and named to the All-WNBA Second Team. The Lynx were eliminated by the Seattle Storm in the first round.
The 2020 season was shortened to 22 games and held in a bubble at IMG Academy because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After giving birth to her first child in April, Sims returned in August and helped Minnesota reach the semi-finals, where the Lynx were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm.
Dallas Wings and Atlanta Dream (2021–2024)
Sims signed with the Atlanta Dream for the 2021 season, appearing in 30 games and averaging 8.7 points. After a brief return to Minnesota in 2022 and a seven-day contract with the Connecticut Sun, she rejoined the Dallas Wings in 2023 on a hardship deal, which was converted to a rest-of-season contract.
During the 2023–24 WNBA off-seasons, Sims continued her overseas career with Botaş SK, Adana ASKİ SK, and Kayseri Basketbol in Turkey. In 2024, she served as a team captain in Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball before signing a hardship contract with the Wings and later a seven-day deal with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Indiana Fever Era (2025–Present)
Sims re-signed with the Los Angeles Sparks in February 2025 and averaged 9.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 12 games before being waived on July 2. On August 10, 2025, she joined the Indiana Fever on a hardship contract as the team dealt with multiple injuries.
Throughout her WNBA career, Sims has been valued for her veteran scoring and ball-handling, providing depth and experience to multiple franchises.
Driving Style and Strengths
Listed at 5 ft 8 in and 155 lb, Sims plays both point guard and shooting guard, blending quickness with a strong left-hand finish at the rim. Her strengths include shot creation off the dribble, transition scoring, and disciplined court vision that allows her to control tempo as a primary playmaker.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sims’ career is highlighted by an NCAA Championship with Baylor’s 40–0 squad in 2012, her first WNBA All-Star selection in 2019, and her first WNBA Finals appearance with the Sparks in 2017. She was also inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame on November 1, 2024.
Odyssey Sims Career Wins
Across her college, WNBA, and international career, Sims has built a versatile résumé that includes team championships, individual awards, and All-Star recognition.
NCAA and WNBA Highlights
Sims won an NCAA Championship with Baylor in 2012 and reached the WNBA Finals with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2017. She earned WNBA All-Star honors in 2019, when she was also named to the All-WNBA Second Team, and she took home WNBA All-Rookie Team honors in 2014.
Individually, Sims swept several of college basketball’s most prestigious awards in 2014, including the Wade Trophy, the Nancy Lieberman Award, the Dawn Staley Award, and the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award.
International and Athletes Unlimited Performances
On the international stage, Sims helped the United States win gold medals at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, where she was named co-MVP. In Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball, she became the league’s all-time leader in career leaderboard points, win points, stat points, and MVP points, and she won the AU Pro Basketball championship in March 2026.
Odyssey Sims Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Sims’ immediate family is limited. She was raised in Irving, Texas, and has often spoken about the influence of her hometown on her basketball journey. Detailed information about her parents has not been widely reported.
Sims became a mother in April 2020, when she gave birth to her first child. She has spoken about balancing her professional career with motherhood, returning to the court later that summer during the WNBA bubble season.
2025 Season Performance
Sims opened the 2025 WNBA season with the Los Angeles Sparks, where she provided scoring punch off the bench and averaged 9.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 12 games. After being waived on July 2, she waited for the next opportunity as teams dealt with midseason injuries.
On August 10, 2025, Sims signed with the Indiana Fever on a hardship contract, joining a roster hit by multiple injuries. Her veteran presence and ability to play both guard positions gave the Fever additional backcourt depth during the playoff push.
Looking ahead, Sims is expected to continue her dual-role presence in both the WNBA and Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball, where she signed to return in October 2025 for the league’s fifth season in Nashville.
