Indiana Fever Star Tamika Catchings Named To WNBA�s All-Decade Team

June 13, 2006 | WNBA Release | Meet The Team
New York � As part of a season-long celebration of the WNBA�s 10th Anniversary, the league today named its All-Decade Team, comprised of the 10 best and most influential players from its first 10 years of play.


Tamika Catchings was drafted by Indiana with the 3rd overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft.
Chosen from among 30 nominees by fans, a panel of national and WNBA-market media and the league�s current players and coaches, the WNBA All-Decade Team honors those players who have contributed the most to the overall success of the WNBA. Consideration was given to on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship and community service, as well as to their contribution to team success and the growth of women's basketball. The list of 30 nominees whose names graced the ballot was developed by a blue-ribbon panel of national media and basketball representatives.

�The All-Decade Team represents the very best in women�s professional basketball in the WNBA and in the world,� said WNBA President Donna Orender. �They represent all that is right with the WNBA and sports. The group consists of not only tremendous athletes who have reached extraordinary heights on the court, but of terrific women who give unselfishly of their time and effort in the community. They are multi-faceted role models, believers, dreamers, achievers, coaches, teachers, leaders and champions.�

The All-Decade Team will be brought together for the first time and formally honored at the 2006 WNBA All-Star Game set to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 12. The game will be televised live on ESPN at 7:30 ET. �The voting for the All-Decade Team really exceeded our expectations,� added Renee Brown, the WNBA Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations. �Throughout the voting process, fans continuously reached out to us with suggestions and their selections and really demonstrated a tremendous amount of interest in the All-Decade Team. It illustrated how talented and special our players are to their fans and how they have had such a positive impact on so many people.�

Below, listed in alphabetical order, is a list of the 10 players named to the WNBA All-Decade Team along with five players who received Honorable Mention.

WNBA All-Decade Team

Name WNBA Team (Current/Last) Previous Team(s)
Sue Bird Seattle Storm (2002-Current) None
Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever (2001-Current) None
Cynthia Cooper* Houston Comets (1997-2000, 2003) None
Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs (1999-Current) None
Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm (2001-Current) None
Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks (1997-Current) None
Katie Smith Detroit Shock (2005-Current) Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005)
Dawn Staley Houston Comets (2005-Current) Charlotte Sting (1999-2005)
Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets (1997-Current) None
Tina Thompson Houston Comets (1997-Current) None
*Retired

Honorable Mention

Name WNBA Team (Current/Last) Previous Team(s)
Ruthie Bolton* Sacramento Monarchs (1997-2004) None
Chamique Holdsclaw Los Angeles Sparks (2005-Current) Washington Mystics (1999-2004)
Ticha Penicheiro Sacramento Monarchs (1998-Current) None
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury (2004-Current) None
Teresa Weatherspoon* Los Angeles Sparks (2004) New York Liberty (1997-2003)
*Retired