Vanessa de Jesus

Vanessa de Jesus
De Jesus with Duke in 2025
Busan BNK Sum
PositionPoint guard
LeagueWKBL
Personal information
Born (2002-01-17) January 17, 2002
Northridge, California, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Career information
High schoolSierra Canyon
(Los Angeles, California)
College
WNBA draft2026: undrafted
Playing career2026–present
Career history
2026–presentBusan BNK Sum

Vanessa Ongkeko de Jesus[1] (born January 17, 2002) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Busan BNK Sum of the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL). She previously played for the Duke Blue Devils and Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Early life and education

Vanessa de Jesus was born on January 17, 2002, in Northridge, California, with Valencia considered as her hometown.[1] Her parents Phillip and Maria de Jesus,[1] are both Filipinos.[2] She would attend Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles before entering Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for her collegiate studies.[1] She transferred to the University of Notre Dame for the 2025–26 season.[3]

Career

College

De Jesus committed to play for the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Division I in May 2019 which was then under coach Joanne P. McCallie. De Jesus would only be the player who had committed to remain with the Blue Devils after McCallie left.[4]

She debuted for the team now coached by Kara Lawson[4] in November 2020, becoming the first Filipino in Duke University's women's basketball program.[5][6][7]

In April 2025, De Jesus announced that she will transfer to Notre Dame and play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.[8] She played for Notre Dame in the 2025–26 NCAA season.[9]

Professional

De Jesus declared her entry to the 2026 draft for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in April 2026.[9] She was left undrafted during the event.[10]

In June 2026, De Jesus was signed in by Busan BNK Sum for the 2026–27 season of the Women's Korean Basketball League.[11]

National team

De Jesus has expressed interest to suit up for the Philippines national team as early as 2020.[12] She would obtain her Philippine passport in May 2023 at age 21, making her eligible to play as a "naturalized player" according to FIBA eligibility rules.[13] She debuted for the Philippines at the 2023 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.[2][14][15]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2020–21 Duke 4433.354.550.060.03.83.80.00.32.012.0
2021–22 Duke 301319.536.727.162.12.32.30.50.11.64.2
2022–23 Duke 32115.542.734.889.22.11.50.80.01.35.0
2024–25 Duke 36012.447.636.168.01.41.80.60.11.03.1
2025–26 Notre Dame 363634.240.240.090.02.82.71.80.21.98.4
Career 1385420.941.736.878.02.22.20.90.11.55.4
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Vanessa de Jesus - 2022-23 - Women's Basketball". Duke University. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Fuertes, Rommel Jr. (June 14, 2023). "Vanessa De Jesus commits to play for Gilas Women with 'family and basketball' in mind". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ Anzures, Rom (April 20, 2025). "Gilas' Vanessa de Jesus leaves Duke, commits to Notre Dame". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Reyes, Kate (November 26, 2020). "Gilas Women's prospect Vanessa de Jesus makes a splash in US NCAA debut". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  5. ↑ Reyes, Kate (September 17, 2020). "Fil-Am De Jesus' Duke gig will open doors for Pinay ballers, says Aquino". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  6. ↑ Morales, Luisa (November 30, 2020). "Gilas women prospect de Jesus earns high praise from Duke coach". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  7. ↑ Morales, Luisa (October 22, 2021). "Duke's Vanessa De Jesus raring to represent Filipinos in US NCAA". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  8. ↑ "De Jesus Joins Notre Dame For Graduate Season". Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website. April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Anzures, Rom (April 11, 2026). "Gilas Women guard Vanessa de Jesus declares for WNBA Draft". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  10. ↑ Micaller, Bea (April 14, 2026). "Gilas Pilipinas star Vanessa de Jesus goes undrafted in 2026 WNBA Draft". GMA News. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  11. ↑ Dannug, Jonash (June 22, 2026). "Gilas Women's Vanessa De Jesus, Alexis Pana sign with WKBL clubs". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  12. ↑ Lozada, Bong (September 18, 2020). "Duke recruit Vanessa de Jesus willing to play for Gilas women". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Duke's Vanessa de Jesus gets PH passport, can play for Gilas Women". ABS-CBN News. May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  14. ↑ Anzures, Rom (June 14, 2023). "De Jesus hopes to bring winning experience, relentlessness to Gilas". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Vanessa De Jesus savors Gilas Women debut, hopes to come back stronger vs Japan". GMA News. GMA Integrated News. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Vanessa De Jesus College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 1, 2025.


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