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  • Tangela Smith
  • #50
  • Center - Phoenix Mercury
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2009 Statistics

PPG
9.9
RPG
5.80
APG
0.8
EFF
+ 14.55
Born: Apr 1, 1977
Height: 6-4 /  1,93
Weight: 160  lbs. / 72,6  kg.
College: Iowa
Years Pro: 11








Background

Career Capsule:
  • Became just the seventh player in WNBA history to record 4,000 career points
  • Seventh all-time in scoring (4,123), WNBA history
  • Eighth all-time in rebounding (1,856), WNBA history
  • In 2007, averaged 12.6 points (4th-team) and a career-high 6.5 rebounds (1st-team) in 31.5 minutes (2nd-team)
  • One of three Mercury starters to start every game in 2007 (Taylor, Miller)
  • One of five players in WNBA history with 4,000 points and 1,800 rebounds
  • 2006 WNBA All-Star (Charlotte)
  • Played in every regular season game in seven of the last nine seasons
  • Ranks in the top 10 in WNBA history in six career categories: points, rebounds, blocks, field goals made, field goals attempted and minutes
  • Member of the Sacramento Monarchs from 1998-2004 and the Charlotte Sting from 2005-06
  • Acquired by the Mercury in 2007 for the rights to No. 1 overall pick Lindsey Harding in a draft-day blockbuster (Minnesota owned Smith’s rights from Charlotte dispersal draft) on April 4, 2007
  • Originally selected with the 12th overall pick (second round) of the 1998 WNBA Draft by the Sacramento Monarchs

    2008 WNBA Season:

  • Started all 25 games she appeared in before undergoing season-ending arthroscopic knee surgery on August 12, 2008
  • Recorded her 4,000th career point on July 1, 2008 at Atlanta and ranks seventh on the league’s all-time scoring list
  • Third on the team in scoring (11.1 points per game), the ninth-straight season she’s averaged double-digits in scoring
  • Posted 10+ points 17 times, 15+ points five times and 20+ points once
  • Shot a career-high 86.7 percent (39-45) from the charity stripe
  • Grabbed 5+ rebounds a team-high tying 23 times
  • Recorded 20+ points and 10+ rebounds once
  • Recorded a team-high three double-doubles
  • Led the team in rebounding a team-high 13 times
  • Led the team in blocks nine times and minutes eight times
  • Recorded a season-high five blocks on July 24, 2008 at Sacramento

    2007 WNBA Season:
    • Acquired by the Mercury for the rights to No. 1 overall pick Lindsey Harding in a draft-day blockbuster (Minnesota owned Smith’s rights from Charlotte dispersal draft)
    • One of three Mercury starters to start every game in 2007 (Taylor, Miller)
    • Averaged 12.6 points (4th-team) and a career-high 6.5 rebounds (1st-team) in 31.5 minutes (2nd-team)
    • Averaged a team-leading 1.65 blocks per game, 4th in the WNBA
    • Posted three doubles, tied for most on the team
    • Recorded three double-digit rebounding games
    • Grabbed five or more rebounds in 26 of 34 games in 2007
    • Led the team in rebounding a team-high 13 times
    • Led the team in blocks a team-leading 21 times
    • Led the team in steals 10 times (T-2nd-team)
    • Led the team in scoring four times, including four 20-point games

    2006 WNBA Season:
    • Averaged 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.6 minutes per game for the Sting
    • Started all 34 games
    • Shot 42.1 percent from the field, 74.4 from the free throw line and 36.5 from three point range
    • Scored a season-high 25 points twice, including on July 22 against Phoenix
    • Posted three double-doubles
    • Blocked 29 shots, more than any player on the Mercury in 2006

    2005 WNBA Season:
    • In her first season in Charlotte, started and played in 31 games
    • Had her consecutive games played streak end at 224 as she missed the final three games with a left knee bruise
    • Led the team with 13.6 and 34.3 minutes along with 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.65 steals and 1.03 blocks
    • Shot .417 (169-405) from the field and .798 (83-104) from the free throw line
    • Ranked among league leaders in minutes (seventh), steals (ninth), blocks, (12th), points (14th) and free throw percentage (19th)
    • Recorded one double-double
    • Finished with five 20-plus point games, 25 10-plus point games and two 10-plus rebound games

    2004 WNBA Season:
    • Averaged 11.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 26.7 minutes in 34 games (33 started)
    • Scored in double figures in 21 of 34 games for the Monarchs
    • Traded at the conclusion of the season along with a second round pick in exchange for Nicole Powell, Olympia Scott and Erin Buescher

    2003 WNBA Season:
    • Started all 34 games and averaged 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks and 28.9 minutes
    • Scored in double figures in 26 of 34 games
    • Recorded two double-doubles
    • Scored her 2,000th career point against Cleveland on July 15

    2002 WNBA Season:
    • Averaged 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 33.2 minutes in 32 starts
    • Finished the season ranked fifth in the WNBA with 1.4 blocks per game and fourth in the league with 46 total blocks
    • Finished fourth in voting for Most Improved Player of the Year Award

    2001 WNBA Season:
    • In 32 starts, averaged 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.7 blocks and 28.5 minutes
    • Finished the season ranked seventh in WNBA in blocks
    • Recorded two double-doubles

    2000 WNBA Season:
    • Candidate for WNBA Most Improved Player after averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, a team-high 2.0 blocks and 28.9 minutes
    while starting all 32 games
    • Recorded 10-plus points 21 times and 20-plus points twice and posted 10-plus rebounds twice
    • Ended the season ranked third in the WNBA in blocks

    1999 WNBA Season:
    • Saw action in 31 games and averaged 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 20.4 minutes
    • Started the last three games for injured Yolanda Griffith and averaged 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.33 blocks over that span
    • Finished the season ranked eighth in the WNBA in blocks
    • Scored in double figures 11 times
    • Posted one double-double (second career)

    1998 WNBA Season:
    • In rookie campaign, averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks (3rd in WNBA) in 28 games (10 starts)
    • Scored in double figures 10 times with 20 or more points twice
    • Posted one double-double
    • Enjoyed a stretch in late July and early August where she averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds over an eight-game span as a starter.

    International/National Team:
    • Spent the 2007-2008 offseason playing for Dynamo Moscow in Russia
    • Played for Besiktas Cola Turka in 2006-07
    • Spent the 2004-05 offseason playing for TS Wisla Can-Pack in Poland
    • During the 2003-04 offseason, played for Levoni Taranto in Italy
    • Selected to tryout for the 2004 USA Basketball Women’s Olympic team, and participated in the team’s European Tour
    • Played two seasons with the Shinsegae Coolcat in Korea (2001-02, 2002-03 offseasons) and helped to win the WKBL Championship for the Coolcat during the 2001-02 season
    • Played in Europe for three previous years, winning a championship in Turkey while playing for Botasspor in 2000-01 off-season
    • Member of Ramat Hasharon in Israel during the 1999-00 season
    • Played in Italy during the 1998-99 season
    • Member of U.S. Jones Cup Team in 1997

    College Career:
    • Averaged 13.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 51.0 percent from the field in 116 games played during her four-year career at Iowa
    • Ranks third all-time at Iowa in career rebounds (859) and sixth in career scoring (1,598 points)
    • Still holds Iowa record for blocks in a game (7), season (73) and career (235)
    • Named Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior after leading Iowa in scoring (19.9 ppg), rebounds (8.4 rpg), blocked shots (1.8 bpg) and field goal percentage (.559)
    • Other senior honors included All-America Honorable Mention by Associated Press and All-Big Ten First Team
    • Poured in a career-high 37 points against Richmond on December 7, 1997
    • Earned Big Ten All-Tournament team honors as a junior after averaging 17.3 points and 8.0 rebounds
    • Named All-Big Ten First Team as a sophomore after averaging 13.6 points and 7.0 rebounds


  • Personal

  • Full name is Tangela Nicole Smith
  • Loves to read and enjoys listening to music, going to the movies, bowling and spending time with friends and family
  • Lists her favorite athletes as David Robinson (who she had the chance to meet at the 2009 All-Star Weekend in Phoenix) and Kevin Garnett
  • Majored in cultural studies and sports and leisure with a minor in business administration at Iowa
  • Has a dog named Jade
  • Was born on April Fools Day, and often gets teased about it by family and friends
  • Nickname is Tan, Tangie or Tang (Pronounced TANJ)

  • Career Transactions

    Re-signed with Phoenix on March 11, 2008... Selected by Sacramento in the second round (12th overall) of the 1998 WNBA Draft on April 29, 1998... Acquired by Charlotte along with a 2006 second round draft pick on Mar. 3, 2005 in exchange for Nicole Powell, Olympia Scott-Richardson and Erin Buescher... Selected by Minnesota with the second selection in the 2007 WNBA Dispersal Draft from the Charlotte Sting.

    created:11/20/2009 6:26:43 AM
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