Tamika Catchings Experiences All-Star for the Final Time


13-year Indiana Fever vet Tamika Catchings says the most emotional part of preparing her final season as a player is doing things for the last time.

“After the Finals was over, it was like, ‘Oh my god, this is my last offseason.’ Then I got back to working out and I’m like, ‘This is my last first day of workouts in the offseason.’ Then the New Year came and it was, ‘This is the last New Year’s I have as a player,'” Catchings said with a laugh.

On Thursday morning, she arrived in Toronto for her last All-Star experience — NBA or WNBA.

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Catchings has been a fixture at the WNBA’s event; her 10 All-Star appearances are the most ever. But she already received her All-Star send-off this past July, when she played in her final WNBA All-Star Game. (The game will not be played this year as the players break for the Summer Olympics.)

This weekend in Toronto represents a different stepping stone in Catchings’ illustrious career. In fact, she’s using the experience to further her plans for a second career.

“I’m excited to be here as I always am,” Catchings said while going through NBA Entertainment’s media circuit on Thursday morning. “For me now, it’s a matter of, ‘What’s the next step?’ I’m trying to figure that out and making sure that I’m putting myself in the right places and meeting the right people. I think this is the perfect setting to do that.”

That’s why Catchings made sure to point out that this was her last All-Star as a player. She’s set to appear at an NBA FIT celebration, an NBA Cares hospital visit, a Jr. NBA Day event and a Special Olympics game.

“The best part is seeing people,” she said. “Over the years, this might be the only place that you see people. And every year, you get excited to come and it’s like, ‘Aww hey, I haven’t seen you in a year!’ That’s exciting and I enjoy the relationships you can build with people.”

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