Some players start out as phenoms before fading away, others are late-bloomers who only hit their stride toward the end of their career…and then there are players like Tamika Catchings who start dominating in high school and then continue to have success until the day they retire. She won state championships in Illinois as a high school sophomore and in Texas as a senior, then showed up in Knoxville and helped the Lady Vols go 39-0 during her freshman year. The Indiana Fever drafted her 3rd overall in 2001 and she more than lived up to her potential during her 15-year pro career: 2002 WNBA ROY, 2011 WNBA MVP, 2012 WNBA Finals MVP, 5-time WNBA DPOY, and a 10-time All-Star. With all of this team/individual success, it was not surprising to learn earlier this week that she was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Tamika about winning 4 Olympic gold medals and being 1 of the greatest players in WNBA history.
As a senior at Duncanville High School in 1997 you recorded the 1st-ever quintuple-double in the history of the sport (25 PTS/18 REB/11 AST/10 STL/10 BLK): how on earth did you do that?! I have no earthly idea, but after the game everyone was checking out the stat sheet: it was pretty cool. I am super-energetic and love playing the game.
As a freshman at Tennessee in 1998 you went 39-0 as the Lady Vols won their 3rd straight title: what made Pat Summitt such a great coach, and where does that team rank among the best in women’s college basketball history? I would say that we were 1 of the top teams ever, even though I am a little biased. There was literally bloodshed every day in practice due to how hard we worked. It is a tribute to Pat and a result of how hard our captains pushed us. Pat was just amazing: she was able to relate to each and every 1 of us. You go to Tennessee to operate at the highest level and to play with and against some of the best players in the country. She pushed me to be better than I thought I could be both on and off the court. I cannot imagine being the person I am today without having gone through that.
You were drafted 3rd overall by Indiana in 2001, sat out the entire season due to an ACL injury, then scored 18.6 PPG the following year en route to being named 2002 WNBA ROY: how hard was it to make it back onto the court, and how were you able to play so well once you did so? I thank God for the people we had in Indiana. I worked out every day with our coaches/trainer and when I finally got cleared to get going they were there with me. I played a few months for the Chicago Blaze to help get me ready for the next level so by the time I got to training camp I felt comfortable enough to play well. The organization was amazing, which really helped.
In 2011 you were named WNBA MVP and in 2012 you were named WNBA Finals MVP: is it harder to be the best player during an entire season or the best player in a championship series with a title on the line? I am not sure because it is hard to win either award. If I had to pick 1 I would say the regular season MVP because you have to play at a high level all year without taking any nights off.
You were a 5-time WNBA DPOY and your 1074 career STL remains the most in league history by a large margin: what is the secret to playing great defense? Love the game! Playing under Pat’s system and learning how to play defense was really important. Once I learned how to play defense and see that I could change the outcome of a game, I just tried to be the best defender I could and did not take that responsibility lightly. It is also a passion: you have to WANT to play defense and I just wanted to be our defensive stopper.
You set a record by making 12 consecutive playoff appearances: how were you able to remain so successful throughout your career? We had a great team/system that everyone bought into. We struggled for the 1st couple of years and then got tired of losing.
You are a 4-time Olympic gold medalist: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and do any of the 4 stand out as your favorite? All of them came during different phases of my life. The 1st 1 occurred while I was still a baby in the WNBA, so I was just in awe to be around legends like Dawn Staley/Lisa Leslie. In 2012/2016 I became 1 of the leaders of the team along with Sue Bird/Diana Taurasi. Being able to represent my country was a dream. I remember watching team USA on TV in 1996 and wondering if I would ever have the opportunity to get that highest of honors.
You served as President of the WNBA Players Association from 2003-2016: why did you take the job, and what was your proudest accomplishment? Initially I just got thrown into it to lead the charge after the 2 presidents before me retired. Over the years it became something I was proud of: to be a voice for all players from rookies to vets. I think my best accomplishment was assisting on the CBA negotiations.
You currently work for the Fever as the VP of Basketball Operations/General Manager: how do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future? I am enjoying myself. It is a little crazy right now with free agency but I like the process. Watching how our former GM was able to wheel and deal taught me how to build a team and build relationships with our players.
Earlier this week you were named a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is awesome! From being born with a hearing disability to joining the WNBA: I never really dreamed about being a Hall of Famer. I am thankful to a lot of people like Pat who saw something in me when she first started recruiting me. Having someone who believes in you so much is what keeps you going: it is a blessing/honor.