Tamika Catchings Biography

10-Time WNBA All-Star Tamika Captures is an American retired professional basketball player, active from 2002 to 2016 . Throughout her 15 years as a WNBA keeper, Catchings played primarily for Indiana Fever and also had stints at Spartak Moscow (2005-2006), Chuncheon Woori Bank Hansae (2006-2007), Lotos Gdynia (2008-2009 ) and Galatasaray (2009-2001) .

In 2012, with Indiana Fever, she won the WNBA Championship and was honored with WNBA Finals MVP . Aside from league games, the University of Tennessee Graduate earned notable acclaim at national games. Along with the US Women’s National Basketball Team, Tamika won 4 Olympic gold medals.

What is Tamika Catchings currently doing?

After her retirement from her playing career, Tamika Catchings served as a game analyst for the 2017 Women’s Basketball Games on the SEC Network . The same year, she became Director of Player Programs and Franchise Development for Pacers Sports & Entertainment .

Catchings currently serves as the Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager for the Indiana Fever . In November 2019, the official WNBA website stated about her expanding her role to General Manager, working alongside newly appointed head coach Marianne Stanley .

Outside of the WNBA, she once appeared in an American Ninja Warrior Season 11 episode, on July 1, 2019.

I wore a hearing aid as a child

Born on July 21, 1979 , in Stratford, New Jersey, United States, Tamika Catchings is the daughter of Harvey Catchings , a former NBA player, and Wanda Catchings . Tamika had hearing loss and wore a hearing aid for the first few days. Reportedly, in 2000, to honor his recovery from hearing loss, he was awarded the Reynolds Society Achievement Award by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.

Catchings is one of his parents’ 5 children; he has 2 sisters (Tauja and Chrystie ) and 2 brothers ( Kenyon and Bryce ). His sister Tauja played at Stevenson and the University of Illinois prior to the WNBA draft and currently plays in Sweden.

After her parents divorced, Tamika went to live with her mother in Texas.

Played basketball since high school and college

The Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, the wizard competed in the WBCA High School All-America Game . He then enrolled at the University of Tennessee and played for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team under head coach Pat Summitt . While playing as Lady Vol in college days, Tamika Catchings earned accolades: Naismith College Player of the Year, 4-time All American, and WBCA Player of the Year .

He graduated with a degree in Sports Management with a Major in Business .

WNBA Draft and professional career

In 2001, Tamika Catchings became the round 1, third overall pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft. She took over the power forward job wearing jersey number 24 and became the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year. A capable rebounder, ball handler, and defender, Catchings retired with Indiana Fever in 2016 . The team retired Jersey No. 24 from her.

Throughout her WNBA career, she also played with other WNBA teams each season; Spartak Moscow (2005-2006), Chuncheon Woori Bank Hansae (2006-2007), Lotos Gdynia (2008-2009) and Galatasaray (2009-20011).

In 2011, Tamika posted 15.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 2.0 SPG, and won the WNBA Most Valuable Player award. Then in the 2012 season, with Indiana Fever, she won the WNBA Championship as well as WNBA Finals MVP .

They exchanged vows on February 7, 2016 , and have yet to share children. Tamika and Parnell currently live in Indianapolis, Indiana . An avid user of Instagram (73.8K followers as of August 2020) and Twitter (73.6K followers), Catchings often shares posts with hers, her nephew and her nieces on her social media.