Emma Meesseman (born 13 May 1993) is a Belgian professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League and EuroLeague Women.
2011
She was named the 2011 FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year and the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP.
Meesseman studied physical education at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Meesseman's club career began at the age of 16.
She played domestically for the Blue Cats, based in her birth town of Ypres, and in the EuroCup for Lotto Young Cats, also in her native Belgium.
In her second season with the Blue Cats, she helped win the team its first national title and was named Belgium Championship MVP.
2012
In 2012, she joined ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball.
In her second year with the club she played in her third EuroCup, reaching the semi-finals before falling to WBC Dynamo Moscow.
2013
After playing basketball in Belgium, Meesseman was drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 19th overall pick in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft.
She has also played for the Belgian national team and several European professional teams.
Meesseman was drafted 19th overall in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics.
In her rookie season, Meesseman was a back-up center on the Mystics' roster, averaging 4.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game in 34 games with 1 start.
2014
Meesseman played for Spartak Moscow from 2014 to 2016, competing in two EuroCup tournaments.
In the 2014 season, Meesseman became the starting center for the Mystics and averaged 10.1 points per game and a career-high 6.4 rebounds per game.
2015
Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2015–16 EuroLeague, Europe's premium basketball competition for women, in April 2016.
In the 2015 season, Meesseman would play outside her natural position after being moved to power forward in the Mystics' starting line-up to make room for Stefanie Dolson at the center position.
Meesseman would have a breakout season in 2015, averaging 11.6 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, was ranked fifth in blocks per game and also added three-point shooting to her skill set.
Meesseman scored a career-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a loss against the Tulsa Shock on 19 June 2015.
She also made her first career all-star game appearance after being voted into the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game.
2016
In February 2016, she was acquired by UMMC Ekaterinburg.
With UMMC Ekaterinburg, Meesseman won the Russian National League championship in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
In 2016, Meesseman signed a three-year contract extension with the Mystics.
During the 2016 season, Meesseman would have the best season of her career thus far, averaging a career-high 15.2 points per game and led the league in three-point field goal percentage.
2017
Having missed out on the final in 2017 and finished 3rd, Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg won the 2017–18 EuroLeague.
Meesseman, averaging 19 points in the Final Four tournament, was elected Final Four MVP.
In 2017, after the Mystics traded Dolson to the Chicago Sky, Meesseman continued her role at the power forward spot in the starting lineup.
In the Mystics' season opener, Meesseman scored 13 points along with 8 rebounds in an 89–74 victory over the San Antonio Stars.
During the 2017 season, Meesseman left the Mystics after the first four games due to overseas commitment to play for her national team during the FIBA world championship qualifying tournament.
She returned on 12 May 2017 for practice and was activated to play on the Mystics' roster on 28 June 2017.
On 30 July 2017 Meesseman scored a new career-high of 30 points along with 10 rebounds in a 77–70 victory over the Atlanta Dream.
The Mystics secured a playoff berth as the #6 seed in the league with an 18–16 record.
In the first round elimination game, the Mystics defeated the Dallas Wings 86–76, Meesseman scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
They advanced to the second round elimination game, where they defeated the #3-seeded New York Liberty, 82–68, advancing to the semi-finals, making it the first time in franchise history where the Mystics have advanced past the second round.
Meeeseman scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the win.
In the semi-finals, the Mystics were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx in a 3-game sweep.
2018
Meesseman and UMMC Ekaterinburg followed this up with further Euroleague wins in seasons 2018–19 and 2020–21.
With this 4th victory, Meesseman equaled fellow Belgian Ann Wauters' 4 Euroleague wins.
She signed with Fenerbahçe Safiport on 1 July 2022 for EuroLeague Women season.
In January 2018, it was announced that Meesseman would sit out the entire 2018 season to play for Team Belgium in the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup tournament.
Without Meesseman, the Mystics would make a run to the WNBA Finals, but were defeated in a 3-game sweep by the Seattle Storm.
