Deja Kelly is an American collegiate basketball player currently representing the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Conference. Prior to this, she played for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where she earned recognition as a three-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection. In 2023, Deja Kelly participated in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup held in Mexico, where she contributed to her team’s success by averaging 5.9 ppg, 2.9 apg, and 2.6 rpg, ultimately securing a silver medal.
Born on September 8, 2001, in San Antonio, Texas, Deja Kelly developed a passion for basketball at the age of five. She began her varsity basketball career as a freshman at Lady Bird Johnson High School in San Antonio, where she made a significant impact by averaging 19.2 ppg, 3.4 spg, and 3.1 apg in her inaugural year. As a sophomore, her performance improved further, with averages of 27.7 ppg and 7.6 rpg.
For her junior year, Deja Kelly transferred to Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas. During this season, she averaged 16 points per game and was honored as the District 8-6A Offensive MVP, in addition to receiving third-team All-Area recognition from The Dallas Morning News. In her senior year, she excelled with averages of 23.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, and 3.7 spg, leading her team to victory in the Class 6A state championship. She was also selected to participate in the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, both of which were ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deja Kelly made her initial appearance for North Carolina in November 2020, where she achieved 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists during a 90–61 victory over Radford. On December 17, she reached a season-high of 22 points, along with eight assists and five rebounds, contributing to a 92-68 win against AP No. 18 Syracuse. Throughout her freshman year, Kelly averaged 11 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of 32.9 from the field. She was recognized as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Week on two occasions and earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.
In her sophomore year, Deja Kelly achieved a personal best of 31 points, in addition to four rebounds and four assists, during an 81-62 victory over Clemson on January 2, 2022. A week later, she recorded her first double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a 71-46 win against Virginia Tech. During the 2022 NCAA tournament, she played a pivotal role in leading North Carolina to its first Sweet 16 appearance in seven years. Over the season, she averaged 16.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, while shooting an impressive 85.8 percent from the free throw line, the highest in the ACC. Deja Kelly was honored with first-team All-ACC recognition and received an honorable mention for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American team.
In her junior year, Deja Kelly established herself as one of the premier women’s basketball players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She received first-team all-ACC recognition once more and participated in every game except for one, which she missed due to injury. During the season, she achieved a personal best of 32 points in a 75-67 defeat to Syracuse, and she led her team in both scoring and assists, averaging 16.3 points and 3.2 assists per game.
Deja Kelly photos
