Cheyenne Parker-Tyus

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus: A Brief Biography

Cheyenne Kimber Parker-Tyus is a professional basketball player for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream as of 2024. Her basketball career started at the Southwest Guilford High School in North Carolina and then transferred to High Point University where she played for the High Point Panthers. Parker was a solid college athlete and was nominated for the Big South All-Freshman Team and was awarded the Big South Defensive Player of the Year two times. Her notable performances in college earned her a place in the WNBA where she was picked 5th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2015.

Parker has also played for Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream and has also had good seasons in overseas teams such as Wisła Kraków of Poland and Henan Phoenix of China. In the 2023 WNBA season, Parker averaged a career-high 15.0 points, grabbed 6.7 rebounds and made 1.8 assists per game.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Early Life

Cheyenne Parker was born on August 22, 1992, in Queens, New York. She grew up in a single-parent household, raised by her mother, who played a significant role in her development both on and off the court. Her mother was separated from her husband when Parker was just 10 years old and they had to move around a lot of different homeless shelters when she was growing up. Seeking better opportunities for her daughter’s basketball career, Cheyenne Parker’s mother moved the family to High Point, North Carolina. This move proved pivotal, as it allowed Cheyenne to attend Southwest Guilford High School, where she excelled in basketball and began to attract attention for her talent.

At Southwest Guilford, Parker’s skills flourished under the guidance of her coaches, and she quickly became a standout player. Her impressive performances earned her a scholarship to High Point University, where she continued to develop her game from 2010 to 2013. Despite facing challenges, including a suspension during her senior year, Parker transferred to Middle Tennessee State University, where she had a remarkable season in 2014-2015, setting the stage for her professional career.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Personal Life

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus has not shared much information about her personal life. The role of her mother was very important in her early life and her basketball career as she helped her overcome all the hardships, as per the Chicago Sun-Times.

When it comes to her love life, Cheyenne Parker has been rather private and has not shared much information. It is known that she is engaged to former college basketball player Keevin Tyus. The couple began dating in 2015 and have a daughter, who they named Naomi Sernina Tyus.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Family Background

Despite facing hardships like homelessness and poverty, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus’ mother, Verna Bryant’s unwavering support and dedication played a crucial role in Cheyenne’s development as a basketball player. Seeking better opportunities for her daughter, Verna moved the family to High Point, North Carolina, where Cheyenne attended Southwest Guilford High School and began to attract attention for her basketball talent.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus boyfriend

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is currently engaged to Keevin Tyus, as of August 2024. Keevin Tyus is a former college basketball player at Lee University's team and works as a fitness coach at LA Fitness. He also played professional basketball in the Austrian team UBSC Raiffeisen Graz where he averaged 12.6 points, 1.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his last season in 2019. He also worked in the WNBA as a practice coach for the Chicago Sky team.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Keevin Tyus got engaged in 2015. Their first date was at an IHOP restaurant and Keevin’s sister was with them as a third wheel, according to Playersbio.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Kids

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Keevin Tyus are blessed with a daughter, Naomi Sernina Tyus. Naomi was born on December 27, 2021, and has since then, become an important part of Cheyenne’s life. In her day-to-day life, Cheyenne continues to play professional basketball while being a mother to Naomi; she occasionally posts pictures of her family on social media and seems to be very happy with her decision to become a mother. Naomi has brought a new aspect to Cheyenne’s life and has given her more incentive and goals in her life as well as in basketball, as per The New York Times.

It is common to hear Cheyenne talk about how Naomi has helped her in her career and in her development. Cheyenne is usually seen with Naomi, who usually goes with her to games and other events, according to The New York Times.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Social Media

Cheyenne Parker is seen fairly often on social media posting about her upcoming games or highlights of previous games. She also likes to show off her immaculate fashion sense from time to time along with her husband and their daughter, Naomi. Her Instagram account has the handle @1_born_queen. She also has an X account with the username @1_born_queen.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Brand Ambassador

One of Cheyenne Parker-Tyus’ major collaborations is with MOORvision, a brand that deals in eyewear and accessories. Some of the activities that she has been involved in with MOORvision include advertising their products on social media platforms and making public appearances which shows her capacity to engage with the fans and the consumers.

Apart from MOORvision, Parker has also been involved in other endorsement deals like building her own boutique stating that she is very interested in entrepreneurship and has ambitions to build her own boutique and make it a success as per Fox Sports.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Career Stats

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, a versatile forward in the WNBA, has made significant contributions throughout her career. Parker’s career highlights include a standout 2023 season with the Atlanta Dream, where she averaged a career-high 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. She played in all 40 games that season, starting in 38, and recorded her 18th career double-double with 20 points and a season-high 14 rebounds against the Connecticut Sun on June 11. Additionally, she scored her 2000th career point against the Seattle Storm on July 12, 2023, just before her first All-Star appearance.

In 2019, while playing for the Chicago Sky, she scored a career-high 22 points against the Connecticut Sun on June 233. She also recorded a career-high 13 rebounds against the Las Vegas Aces on June 3, 2018. Her defensive skills have been equally impressive, with a career-high five steals against the Minnesota Lynx on June 23, 2021.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Achievements

Cheyenne Parker has been an impactful player for the teams she has been a part of and has shown consistent improvement over the years and has emerged to become a solid option for WNBA teams to consider. Her breakout season came in 2023, in which she averaged a career-high 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds while playing in all 40 games of the WNBA season. Below mentioned are some of her achievements throughout her basketball career:

Big South Defensive Player of the Year:

During her time at High Point University, Cheyenne Parker was named the Big South Defensive Player of the Year twice (2012 and 2013), showcasing her defensive prowess and impact on the court.

Big South All-Freshman Team:

Parker’s impressive performances in her freshman year earned her a spot on the Big South All-Freshman Team, highlighting her immediate impact in college basketball.

WNBA All-Star (2023):

Parker was selected as a WNBA All-Star in 2023, a testament to her outstanding performance and contributions to the Atlanta Dream following her breakout season in the same year.

Career-High Performances:

In 2023, Parker achieved career-high averages of 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. She also recorded her 18th career double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds against the Connecticut Sun on June 11, 2023.

2000 Career Points:

Parker scored her 2000th career point against the Seattle Storm on July 12, 2023, marking a significant milestone in her professional career.

Successful Overseas Stints:

Parker has played internationally with teams like Wisła Kraków in Poland and Henan Phoenix in China, where she continued to excel and develop her skills.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Contract

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is on a 3-year $571,650 deal with the Atlanta Dream, which she signed in 2021 and expires in 2024. It has a guaranteed amount of $571,650 and an average annual salary of $190,550. Prior to this deal, Parker was on a 2-year, $220,000 contract with the Chicago Sky, which had an average salary of $110,000, which she signed as part of a contract extension in 2020.