The MVP You Dont See: A Day With Tina Charles

WNBA.com spent a day with Tina Charles, revealing that her basketball talent is matched only by her generosity.
Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT -- Its a little before 8:30 in the morning and reigning WNBA MVP Tina Charles, standing six feet and four inches into the New England mist, holds a leash in her hand. On the other end tugs a Bichon poodle, weighing in a few bones shy of 20 pounds, she calls Hughey.

Having just met the writer and photographer that will be spending the better part of the day with her, Charles offers only cautious smiles through her otherwise standard morning routine.

Charles admits to taking her time in opening up to anyone outside her trusted inner circle. So, to many, she comes off as guarded. It is, however, an ironic trait of hers -- her sincere concern for the well-being of complete strangers -- that makes her story so compelling.

But, before she has time to delve deeper into that aspect of her life, its time for her to go to practice.

ulling out of her apartment complex a few minutes before 9 a.m., the same place shes lived since going No. 1 overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft out of UConn, Charles immediately reminds us of her roots. Dont mind my New York-style driving, said the Queens, NY native -- wearing a shirt that read NYC at the time -- to mercifully breaking the ice.

The conversation bounced between Connecticuts game two nights prior, a 19-point loss to Phoenix on June 29, and NBA free agency, but mostly of her frequent visits to New York. Charles, who calls herself a big-city girl, recently bought a condo in Queens and she says she makes the approximately two-hour ride there nearly every off day that she has.

Charles, the daughter of a mother from Jamaica and a father from Trinidad and Tobago, calls Queens home. It was there where she led her high school, Christ the King, to consecutive undefeated state championships and it is there where many of her family and friends still live.

It was also growing up in New Yorks most ethnically diverse borough -- along with the public transit system that carried her to various basketball tournaments and leagues throughout the city -- that exposed her to New Yorks different cultures and ways of life.

Every time we go to New York we go to a different restaurant, Connecticut guard Kalana Greene, the teammate that Charles spends the most time with, says. Every time we go to New York we go to a different spot, try something different.

Greene even told the story of attending a fundraiser for John A. Catsimatidis, a candidate for mayor of New York, in June with Charles. It was a cigar fundraiser, so Charles, ever the adventurer, tried her first cigar.

The nature of New York grows on you, Charles said.

rriving at practice around 9:15 a.m., Charles wastes little time getting into the training room for treatment. Walking into the gym, however, her gait is slow, both from the strain of her matchup with this years heralded No. 1 overall pick Brittney Griner less than 40 hours prior and from the rigors of a year-round basketball season that included months overseas -- Charles played in Poland during the WNBA break-- and the 2012 Olympics in London.

While Charles lies on a training table, Connecticut Sun trainer Jeremy Norman goes to work on her legs, giving her a lengthy massage. Norman, who works with Charles every practice, says the massages can last up to 50 minutes. This one approaches that.

While Norman focuses on Charles hamstrings, the 24-year-old is looking at her phone.

I dont play any games, normally Im just on ESPN, said Charles, who was reading about the reported trade her beloved New York Knicks made to acquire Andrea Bargnani for the first time.

It was then that Charles continued to talk more about her New York ties -- how her dad would take her to Knicks games and how, while in grade school, her mother, then a New York Mets season ticket holder, would often take her to Shea Stadium when she got off work. Then more about the Knicks. Her favorite player growing up, without much surprise, was center Patrick Ewing. And Charles, too, expressed disappointment, although not much surprise, in what many deemed a premature exit from the playoffs from the Knicks this season.

Charles also talks music, claiming that she listens to everything.

I get that from my father, said Charles, whose father is a recording producer in Brooklyn.

At the time, she was listening to J. Coles and Wales new albums. Her focus was on those because when Jays new album comes out, thats what Ill be listening too.

She then starts to prove the depth of her musical interests. She says her favorite band is an Irish alternative rock band called The Script -- and she is surprised when this writer is not aware of the band. (She later sings the chorus of one of their popular songs on the way home from practice and the connection is made.)

She also tells a story about an unfortunately named, yet ahead-of-its-time punk group called Death that played together in the 70s, but didnt have their demo released until 2009, in part because of record labels reluctance to sign a group with that name.

Yes, Tina Charles listens to band named Death. And its worth a listen.

ts 10:55 a.m. by the time Charles makes it to the court and puts on an Ace bandage. After a brief film session, its nearly 11:20 a.m. when Charles participates in the team stretch, once again receiving extra attention from Norman -- arguably the hardest working member of the Sun organization during a year in which the teams experienced a rash of injuries.

Norman says the additional work is necessitated by the brand of basketball the 6-foot-4, 198 pound center plays -- constantly using her lower body strength to, literally, move opponents. Norman also acknowledged that Charles had a demanding last game versus Phoenix, where she caused Griner to foul out, and shot 24 free throws, tying a WNBA record, and was also looking ahead to another physical matchup with 6-foot-8 Tulsa center Liz Cambage the next day.

Im forced to take care of my body just because of the minutes I log every game and just the way we practice going hard and competing no matter what our record is, Charles said.

Given that several key contributors including Kara Lawson and Renee Montgomery are missing significant time for the Sun, Charles health is all that more important.

Her body is her livelihood and its what the Connecticut Sun count on, said Connecticut coach Anne Donovan. Her responsibility to take care of that is definitely paramount.

Another important facet of taking care of your body is managing what food you eat. For Charles, breakfast is normally a quick egg sandwich and lunch is almost always Subway.

Every time after practice I usually go to Subway and pick up a six-inch turkey and ham sandwich, Charles said, although she uncharacteristically skipped the Subway trip on this day. Theyre so used to me they dont even ask me what I want, its the same sandwich that I want for lunch.

When it comes to dinner, Charles opts for some variety out of her own kitchen.

Secretly I love to cook, Charles said. Its very therapeutic, so it takes my mind off basketball and other things that are going on.

y the time Charles has a basketball in her hands, it is 11:30 a.m. and shes doing layup lines. The team then does shooting drills, runs through its sets with no defense, where many of the plays are drawn for Charles to get a look from the low block, and lastly scrimmages against a scout team of men.

Charles, who regularly faces double teams during this practice, is all business. It is this approach, one that stresses hard work over flashiness that earned her the moniker of The No Nonsense MVP here on WNBA.com.

Thats exactly who I am to a T, said Charles of the nickname. Im very simple, chill, laid back. I just want to get the W.

This distinction, coupled with her somewhat cautious nature with the media, often causes Charles to fall into the shadow of some of the games other stars.

Do I feel it? Yes. But does it bother me? No, Charles said of the shortage of attention.

I think I control that because of the way I play and the things I do, Charles said. Like I said, when I received the MVP, I wasnt surprised, because I knew I had a great season, but just in the sense that Im not one of those flashy players. Im not going to be in those WNBA commercials. Im not going to be doing all those things.

When youre talking about Logowoman, Im not the one doing that kind of layup, thats not my game.

But still, how could the owner of a Rookie of the Year Award, two All-WNBA First-Team selections, an Olympic Gold Medal and a WNBA MVP in just three professional seasons be overlooked?

In a purely basketball sense, its clear that Charles isnt so much a reluctant superstar as she is indifferent about the status of being a superstar.

Im not going to be in those WNBA commercials. Im not going to be doing all those things. When youre talking about Logowoman, Im not the one doing that kind of layup, thats not my game.
- Tina Charles

Maybe because she doesnt demand that hype, Greene, who also played with Charles at UConn, theorized. She doesnt demand that attention. Thats not to say other people are attention seekers, but I dont think she demands that much. I think its pretty awesome to see that, and her stats speak for herself.

Through Connecticuts first 11 games, Charles is averaging 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds and has a league-leading eight double-doubles (more on the importance of those later).

When her stats arent doing the talking for her, Greene says that Charles can open up to those she chooses.

If you dont know her you might think shes a little standoffish and just kind of to herself, but shes real caring and she probably thinks shes a funny person, Greene said. We joke around all the time. I see it because Im with her almost every day, I dont know if everyone else gets to see it, but shes a clown. Shes a jokester.

n the way back from practice she has to get back to walk Hughey an animated Charles finally has the time to talk about her philanthropy.

Last year, Charles won the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding work in the community in 2011. The highlight was her donation of $32,000 of her own money to underwrite the construction of a school in Mali, located in Western Africa. Prior to that, Charles donated a shipment of athletic shoes she purchased from Nike to Saint Jago High School in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica, the high school three of her aunts and one of her uncles graduated from. In 2013, Charles also committed to funding five four-year full secondary-school scholarships for girls in Africa.

Tina Charles during a WNBA
Cares event in 2010.

Charles calls hers a discerning heart. Now, her biggest initiative is The Hopey's Heart Foundation, established to raise awareness and funds for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Two main factors led to Charles starting this foundation. One was coming across the story of Wes Leonard, a high school basketball player in Michigan who died of SCA at the end of a game in March 2011. The other was the eye-opening passing of her aunt, Maureen Vaz, lovingly known as Hopey, to multiple organ failure this past March.

I was impacted by (Leonards) story, I was impacted by my aunt passing away and I just wanted something to live on in her memory and in the kind of person she was, Charles said. I know this foundation has a lot of potential to impact and save peoples lives if they were supposed to be struggling with Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Charles, who already made a nearly $15,000 donation for 10 Automated External Defibrillators (AED), the machine that could have saved Leonards life, to the New York Department of Education and the Wes Leonard Heart Team, has pledged to donate one AED for every double-double she collects during the 2013 regular season. For perspective, Charles holds the top two single season records for double-doubles with 23 in 2011 and 22 in 2010.

An AED can be purchased for approximately $1,500, so Charles urges that every single donation -- even if its only $1 or $5 -- can really go a long way. Donations can be made here.

I just believe that success isnt measured by wealth or how many assets you have, but your ability to impact someones life in a positive way, Charles said.

What sets Charles aside from many others is that when she feels a social issue needs attention, she rises to action. Greene, who watches documentaries with Charles regularly, told the story about a film called Skid Row that the two watched the night before about a neglected area in Los Angeles that has problems with drugs, crime and prostitution.

When somebody is in need I want to be that person to be there.
- Tina Charles

We were talking last night, maybe we can go to Skid Row and see how it is, Greene said. Every day she has a new idea and always wants to help someone out. Her legacy is always going to be how selfless she is. She cares so much about others and sometimes I wonder, if you are going to care so much about others, when are you going to take time for yourself?

Charles, a self-proclaimed simple person, keeps her motives modest.

When somebody is in need I want to be that person to be there. I want to be the one to have a lending hand, Charles said. If something were to happen to me tomorrow, Ill know that I started a foundation that will live on and impact peoples lives. Basketball is just a way for me to channel and reach others.

hen pulling back into her apartment complex, nearly five hours after she first left, her day is not yet done. Sure, a nap followed by some relaxation time with Hughey may be in order, but Charles also plans on reading applications because The Hopey's Heart Foundation requires eligible schools and recreational centers to complete a 500-word application to request the AED equipment.

I dont like to leave the responsibilities of my foundation to just the board members, Charles said.

It amounts to a long day for Charles. From facing consistent double teams and being the heart of the Connecticut Sun to literally protecting the hearts of others, Charles completes the rare, dual role of being one of the best womens basketball players in the world and a philanthropist whose impact is felt across the globe.

Charles credits her family, close friends and her faith for her extreme generosity. When she talks about them, she beams. And now, hours after a cautious start to the day in a car full of strangers, shes opened up.

Im just a child of God, she said. And Im just trying to let my light shine.

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