Player Profile: Kasha Terry

DREAM PLAYER PROFILE: KASHA TERRY

The first chapter in the career of Kasha Terry is barely opened, but the 6-3 center’s story already reads like a fairytale. 

Terry’s mother had no idea that a twist of fate would land her daughter in Atlanta.  Yet before the Dream even set foot on the court at Philips Arena and months before Kasha donned a Dream uniform, Hilda Terry purchased her Atlanta Dream season tickets.  After all, she had been the one to introduce her lanky daughter to the game.  She was the one who moved the family to make sure Kasha was in the best scenario to succeed.  The one who made sure the military family found a stationary place to call home.  And the one who fielded the phone calls from college recruiters eager to sign the high school star. 

Now, what seems like a lifetime later, Hilda Terry is still in her daughter’s ear—literally—courtside at Philips Arena.  “She’s loud,” Terry says, laughing.  “She’s actually toned it down a little, but I definitely still hear her during games.” 

The truth is, Terry has enough hometown fans to create her own personal cheering section.  Whether its family members, friends from high school, college teammates or Yellow Jacket faithful, they are all rooting for the former Douglas County High School star in her new colors. 

Terry started playing basketball at the age of eight, competing in co-rec leagues where she was always one of the tallest players but the smallest in terms of weight.   Terry’s mother affectionately nicknamed her daughter “Chicken” due to her skinny frame, but the self-proclaimed tomboy held her own against the boys. 

The lanky youngster blossomed into a star at Douglas County High School and attracted the attention of top colleges.  Terry passed on the big-name schools to attend Georgia Tech, where she says Coach MaChelle Joseph was refreshingly honest with her during the recruiting process and best knew how to help Terry develop.  Even now, the coach and athlete remain close.

After finishing second in the Georgia Tech record books for blocked shots, Terry was selected by the Indiana Fever in the second round of the 2006 WNBA Draft.  After two seasons with few opportunities to prove herself, Terry was released by the Fever in late May. 

A little more than a month ago, it would have been hard for Terry to envision just how perfectly the pieces would fall into place.  Never giving up on her dream, she continued to work out in hopes of catching on with another team.  That’s when her Dream found her.  Terry was so impressive during workouts that the team made some roster moves  and signed her at the end of June. 

Her physical presence, defense, and rebounding ability earned her solid minutes from the start, and soon Terry found herself in the starting lineup.  On the court, Terry already had chemistry with a few of her new teammates.  Terry and rookie Chioma Nnamaka were teammates at Georgia Tech for three seasons, and Terry and Ann Strother spent a season together with the Indiana Fever.  Two weeks after signing with the Dream, Terry would be joined by another former Fever teammate, 6-7 center Alison Bales.

Fitting in was not a problem for Terry, with her outgoing personality and diverse interests.  Off the court, Terry admits she is “really girly.”  An International Affairs major at Georgia Tech, Terry isn’t sure what the future holds for her after her basketball career.  She has considered law school as her taste for the Law & Order television series indicates.  In her downtime, Terry loves to sing and to read.  Her nickname in Indiana was “Jukebox” because of her habit of belting out whatever is playing on her IPod, although she gets shy when put on the spot. 

As long as Terry is able to continue her impressive play, her story is sure to have its fairy tale ending.