Jana Veselá
A towering Czech forward who combined sharp shooting with fierce defense to become a cornerstone of her national team and a winner across Europe and the WNBA.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Czech basketball player·Birthday: December 31·Millennials
Biography
Standing at 1.94 meters, Jana Veselá used her frame not just as a physical advantage but as a platform for a remarkably complete basketball skill set. Her career is a map of European basketball excellence, beginning with Gambrinus Brno where she matured into a star. Veselá possessed a rare blend of a reliable outside shot and the tenacity to guard multiple positions, making her invaluable in high-stakes games. This led her to triumphs in the EuroLeague with clubs in the Czech Republic and Spain, and even to a WNBA championship ring with the Seattle Storm in 2010. For the Czech national team, she was a pillar during a golden era, her leadership and clutch performances helping to forge a team that consistently challenged for medals on the world's biggest stages.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jana was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Jana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the EuroLeague Women championship twice, with Gambrinus Brno (2006) and Ros Casares Valencia (2012).
- Earned a WNBA championship as a member of the Seattle Storm in 2010.
- Captured a silver medal with the Czech Republic at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
- Secured multiple Czech League and Spanish League titles throughout her club career.
Did You Know?
She was selected by the Seattle Storm with the 34th overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft.
Veselá played college basketball in the United States for the University of South Carolina.
She has been a longtime captain of ZVVZ USK Prague, one of Europe's top women's clubs.
“I just want to play basketball and be the best I can be.”
