E’Anna Palacios Won is 5th overall pick in Women’s Korean Basketball League

From the small island of Saipan to the big stage of professional basketball in South Korea, CNMI’s E’Anna Palacios Won, a 24-year-old basketball player, has taken the next step in her career, becoming a professional player in South Korea after being selected fifth overall in the first round of the 2026-2027 Korean Women’s Basketball League draft on Aug. 19.

Won, who began playing basketball in third grade after moving to Alaska, was selected to play for the KB Stars of Cheongju. She reports to the team on Sept. 4, with the season set to begin later this year. After graduating from college in 2025, Won decided to pursue basketball rather than take the traditional route of entering the workforce.

Her journey to her pro basketball career came after years of development, family support, and persistence—including a previous unsuccessful draft attempt last year and a stint playing semi-professional basketball with Korea’s Sacheon team to gain exposure.

After finally getting drafted this year, she said, “It was a really cool experience. I was really nervous, but I was glad that I was able to get picked up. When they called my name, I kind of blanked out a little bit. I had to walk up on the stage, but after a couple seconds, it kind of sunk in that all my hard work has paid off to get drafted and finally go pro. All the thoughts in my head—like all of the time and support I received from my family—kind of rushed in, and I did get a little bit emotional.”

With her pro status, Won said she is proud to represent the CNMI and her family on this stage, while also helping shine a light on women’s basketball. “I’m always so proud to represent the CNMI and also my Palacios side of the family… it feels good to represent all the people there and, as a woman too, the respect and just to bring more attention to women’s sport is always an honor.”

Looking ahead, she said she is willing to represent the CNMI in the 2027 Pacific Games. She previously represented the CNMI in 2022, when she helped lead the team to a silver medal at the FIBA Micronesian Cup in Guam.

She then thanked her family for their support throughout her journey: her Auntie Bobbie for getting her started in basketball; her younger sister, Ky’Sonna, whom she has been playing basketball with since she started; her brother, Manai, who helped her train and prepare for the draft; her mom, Dora, who has always supported and cheered for her; and her “forever coach,” her dad, Chong, who has always trained her, given her words of encouragement, and been everything she could ask for in both a coach and a dad.