Olivia Nelson-Ododa Bio: Net Worth, Salary and Professional Career

Olivia Nelson-Ododa is a 24-year old professional American Basketball player in the WNBA and plays for the Connecticut Suns. She was drafted in 2022 in the second round, and was picked 19th overall. Prior to joining the WNBA, she played for the University of Connecticut. On the court, she is like a power booster, bringing a versatile, high IQ game centered on rim protection, post efficiency, and defensive activity. She became an aggressive college senior with dedicated focus to her game, and has been able to come out of the passivity that she once had during the freshman year. She averaged double digits in PPG.

She remains a physical rebounder and a defensive asset to her team. Signifying the position of a power forward, she has been featured as a reliable post and an offensive glass threat. The 6'5" power forward has received many recognitions since her collegiate days and was named McDonald's All American and Miss Georgia Basketball in 2018 before making it to the draft. Let's look at some insights from her life.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Early Life

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's early life includes her first steps into this world in Lansing, Michigan on 17 August, 2000 and played high school basketball for Winder-Barrow, Winder, Georgia. She started playing basketball as early as she was 7 and stood at 6' when she was only in the 8th Grade. By senior year, she was already 6'5". It is but obvious to think about genetic factors, which is true because her father, Sebastian Ododa, played collegiately at Huntington University and for the Kenyan national team. Her brother, Alonzo, also has been in the G League and her younger brother Isaiah plays at Tennessee Tech.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Personal Information

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's personal information is insightful and involves unknown elements that talk about her to a great extent. Inspired by her Kenyan father’s basketball journey and her American mother’s resilience, Olivia’s early passion was nurtured while following UConn’s path, the same school as former Sun standout Tina Charles. The Sun’s coaching staff has frequently commented on her mature approach to adversity, a trait cultivated in her family during her youth in Georgia. Some of the information might also be known due to an increase in the popularity among her fans. She is also idolised as one of the greatest players to play the forward position in the game and WNBA fans look forward to her game.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Personal Life

Olivia’s upbringing, deeply rooted in family and faith, mirrors the same support system that sustained former Sun star Brionna Jones during her early years in the league. Nelson-Ododa cites the guidance of her parents and her close relationship with Sun player DeWanna Bonner as fundamental to her personal growth.

She has taken time to go through all the skincare and learn different practices of skin care from her travels to Shanghai and Australia, and understands the need to add a skincare routine to her day, even if it is a small one. Other than this, she was in a relationship with Wendall Carter Jr. until they broke up in April 2025. There is no known update about her relationship in the public eye in the current scenario.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Parents

Similar to family dynasties like Nneka Ogwumike with her Nigerian basketball roots, Olivia’s father, Sebastian Ododa, played professionally for the Kenyan National Team. Her mother, like the support staff for the Sun, provided Olivia with an equally grounded upbringing while teaching discipline. As with Sabrina Ionescu’s family, Olivia is credited with parental support on her journey to Liberty, which is why she’s earned the comparison̈. Just like Courtney Vandersloot gives credit to her father’s influence while she played for the Chicago Sky, Olivia gives credit to her father for coaching her. With Olivia being inspired by Candace Parker, she and the rest of the Ododa family have marked basketball in their legacy, opening her path in the WNBA.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Contract

Ododa was drafted as the 19th overall in the WNBA draft in April 2022 by Los Angeles Sparks, and signed a standard three year rookie scale contract with the association worth approximately $199,170 in total. As part of Olivia Nelson-Ododa contract, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun in January 2023 as part of a multi team deal. In May 2024, the Sun exercised her fourth year team option, that actually becomes compulsory for rookie deals for the 2025 season, extending through this year. No public record exists of a new extension or contracts beyond 2025.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Salary

Olivia Nelson-Ododa originally signed a three-year rookie contract with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022, later transitioning to the Connecticut Sun. In 2025, she will earn a base salary of $80,823 for Connecticut reflecting the organization’s belief in her growth, just as the Aces have invested in A’ja Wilson. Olivia Nelson-Ododa salary is spread across four years and the following table lays out the salary of the Connecticut Sun player. It can be seen that the first year saw Olivia playing for LA Sparks and then went on to play for Connecticut Sun:

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Net Worth

Olivia Nelson-Ododa net worth in 2025 is estimated to be around $4 million-$5 million, putting her in a similar range as rising WNBA star Satou Sabally of the Dallas Wings. This likely includes her earnings from collegiate endorsements, overseas contracts, and her personal brand: Kayelise added to her sponsor income including endorsements from Dunkin' and Fabletics. livia’s financial independence at 24 rivals that of peers like Kelsey Plum, who has similarly diversified her earnings beyond the court. Her income comes not only from her Connecticut Sun salary but also from overseas play, a path also followed by Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Career

Ododa's career has seen incredible milestones, within the span of some years, and her game status has elevated due to her increasing confidence on and off court. Olivia began her WNBA journey with the Los Angeles Sparks, following in the footsteps of fellow UConn alumna Katie Lou Samuelson. Her defensive prowess with the Sun reminds many fans of Briann January’s impact on the franchise in years past. The following sections talk about Ododa's career in detail. Olivia was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2022 at UConn, a feat also achieved by Sun’s Natisha Hiedeman in her college days.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's High School Career

Ododa's high school career has stood the test of time and paved the way for the increase in her confidence in the game that was seen significantly in her college career. She competed all four years for the Lady Bulldogs, earning three time All State Honours. As a sophomore, she averaged 17.0PPG and 10.0RPG, leading the team to the state finals and earning Athens Banner-Herald Co-Player of the Year. Her Junior year saw averages of 16.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game before a knee injury ended her season. As a senior, she came stronger, and she exploded for 19PPG, 16RPG,6 BPG, capped by a quadruple-double quarterfinal: 24 points, 21 rebounds, 10 blocks.

She earned offers from top programs: Duke, South Carolina, Stanford, Florida State, and Georgia among others. She publicly committed to UConn on November 15, 2017, after recovering from her junior year knee injury.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's College Career

Ododa's collegiate career saw a significant improvement. She progressed from bench contributor to full time starter by sophomore year. She also matured into a high efficiency post scorer with over 50% shooting each season. She also notched multiple double-doubles and a career best season sophomore year with 10 double doubles. The now 24 year old also delivered a critical performance against Stanford in their 2022 Final Four, she was able grab 5 offensive boards, restricted Stanford's second chance opportunities, and forced fouls. It was deemed that she was recognised for her physicality, timing, and ability to shift momentum through interior dominance by the end of her college career.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Professional Career

In 2022, she was drafted as the 19th overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Sparks. She played 30 games, averaging 4.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 0.8 BPG in 14.5 minutes, shooting 56% from the field- ranking 6th in the league.

She was then traded to the Sun in January 2023, in a multi team deal. In May 2024, Sun exercised her fourth year rookie scale option, extending her contract through 2025. In 2023 (Connecticut), she appeared in 39 games, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa's stats average to 4.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 0.8BPG (49.5% FG). In 2025, she has achieved a career high averaging 10.6PPG and 6.2 RPG early in the season- her most productive pro stint yet. Her overseas career has also excelled. In 2022-23 she played for the Melbourne Boomers, debuted in overseas pro basketball. In 2023-24 she averaged 18.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.5 APG and 1.4 RPG over 30 games for Guangdong Vermillion Birds (WCBA, China).In 2024-25, she continued overseas play during WNBA offseason.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Awards and Recognition

Olivia Nelson-Ododa has received various awards and accolades that emphasize on her tenacious strength and abilities to put up an incredible performance on court. Olivia has been honored as Co-Defensive Player of the Year in college, similar to A’ja Wilson’s defensive accolades with the Las Vegas Aces. Olivia was selected for the McDonald's All-American Game, giving her a connection to other WNBA stars. Here is a list of all awards and recognitions Olivia Nelson-Ododa has earned in her name over the span of her successful professional career as of the present time: