UTEP celebrates WNBA champion Kayla Thornton

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — UTEP celebrated El Paso native Kayla Thornton during the UTEP women’s basketball game at the Don Haskins Center on Sunday night.

Thornton played for the Miners from 2010-14. She is fresh off a championship run with the New York Liberty, who defeated the Minnesota Lynx, 67-62, capture the 2024 WNBA title.

During halftime, Thornton was presented with a key to the city by El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser and it was announced that November 10th will go down as ‘Kayla Thornton Day’ in the Sun City.

The moment everyone was waiting for came after the game—a game where the Miners beat Morehead State, 68-41.

UTEP revealed Thornton’s No. 5 jersey that will forever hang up in the rafters of the Don Haskins Center. During the reveal, Thorton got a little bit emotional.

It was a special moment for the former Irvin High School and UTEP basketball star that is now a WNBA champion.

“It is a blessing. Not a lot of people are able to be alive when their number is retired so for me to be able to do this at this age, and at this time, words cannot express how I feel right now.”

“Just to come back and to see all these people come out and support me, it gets me emotional. Deep down in my heart, I am so grateful for El Paso supporting me throughout my years and just being able to bring a championship back home.”

As for what’s next for Thornton, she is aiming to achieve her goal of winning the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award and winning back-to-back WNBA Finals with the New York Liberty.

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