Tamika Catchings
From Hoopedia
Tamika Devonne Catchings (born on July 21, 1979 in Stratford, New Jersey) plays for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a prolific scorer close to and far from the basket, as well as a capable rebounder, ball handler and defender. After playing at Adlai E. Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, IL) and graduating from Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, Tamika Catchings became one of the stars of the University of Tennessee women's basketball team. In 2001, she was drafted by the Indiana Fever. After sitting out her rookie year due to injury, she had an all-star rookie season in 2002.
Career
An All-American with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers for 1997-2001, Catchings was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2001. Unable to play her rookie season, she had an outstanding year in 2002 and was named WNBA Rookie of the Year for that year. She has led Indiana Fever in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in all five of her WNBA seasons. Catchings played for the USA Women's Basketball Team at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, helping the team win the gold medal.
In 2005, she scored her 2,000th point in the WNBA. With this she reached this milestone faster than any previous player, reaching it in only four seasons of play. She is also the fastest to 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 300 steals. In 2005, Catchings was also named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Catchings then repeated as Defensive Player of the Year in 2006.
In 2006, she was voted in to the WNBA All-Star Team, and was also the leading vote-getter, but had to sit out because of a foot injury.
Catchings was also selected to be a member of the WNBA All-Decade Team in 2006.
Catchings is a four-time WNBA All-Star and five-time All-WNBA. She is also President of the WNBA Players Association.
In the WNBA's off-season, Catchings has kept herself busy by playing basketball. She won Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) Championships playing for the Woori Bank Hansae in South Korea in 2002 and 2006. She earned WKBL MVP honors (along with several other awards) for her hustle and hard work on the court. She also managed to snag a EuroLeague Championship in 2006 while splitting time playing for the Russian League’s Spartak Moscow Region.
Personal
- Catchings is the daughter of former NBA player Harvey Catchings.
- Her sister Tauja also played basketball at Stevenson and the University of Illinois. Though drafted by the WNBA and now plays in Sweden.
- Tamika majored in Sports Management at the University of Tennessee.
- Catchings helped Adlai E. Stevenson High School, to Illinois' IHSA Div. AA State Championship in her sophomore year in 1995, before moving to Texas. Her sophomore year at Stevenson she won Illinois Ms. Basketball; at the time was the youngest player to ever win the award. In addition to leading Duncanville High to the state basketball title in her senior season (she played only two years at Duncanville after moving from the Chicago area), she also led the volleyball team to its only state title as a junior.
- Catchings is a leading figure in the Indianapolis community, having started the Catch the Stars Foundation, Inc. Catch the Stars website, which helps disadvantaged youth achieve their dreams.
