With WNBA League Pass, enjoy on-demand access to every game from the 2025 season, plus timeless classics from the archives.

WNBA League Pass Logo

Big Names. More Games.

#20
Kara Lawson
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 5-9/150
Birth Date: 2/14/1981
College: Tennessee
Hometown: Alexandria, VA
WNBA Experience: 12
Career Honors:
<ul>
<li>Grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds at Houston on August 5, 2003</li>
<li>Tied a franchise-high and a career-high twice in three-pointers, shooting (6-of-9) in a double overtime loss to Los Angeles on July 29, 2004</li>
<li>Finished the 2005 season ranked third in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage (.444)</li>
<li>Finished the 2006 season ranked seventh in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage (.398)</li>
<li>Averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in nine playoff games, all starts…Recorded a post-season career-high 22 points at Detroit (8/30), 10 rebounds at Los Angeles (8/26) and a WNBA Finals record six three-pointers at Detroit (8/30) in the 2006 post-season</li>
<li>Named as a replacement player for the 2007 All-Star Game</li>
<li>Received the 2009 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award</li>
<li>Finished the 2010 season ranked fifth in the WNBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.46)</li>
<li>Played in her 250th WNBA game at Chicago August 20, 2010</li>
</ul>
Career Highlights: Has surpassed 3,000 career points, 800 career rebounds and 700 career assists…Has extensive experience in pressure games at every level, winning an Olympic Gold Medal, a WNBA title and two high school state championships while also competing in the NCAA Final Four.
2014 WNBA Season: Started in four out of 28 games played…averaged 21.8 minutes per game…shot .935 from the free throw line…dished out 2.5 assists per game…dished out a career high 10 assists in a victory over the Chicago Sky on June 13…led team in assists in five contests…scored 10+ points in eight games…averaged 7.0 points per game… 
In The Playoffs: Ranked second in scoring with 14.5 points per game in the opening round of the Playoffs…averaged 25.9 minutes per game…shot 10-for-19 from the field, 4-for-9 from three point range and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in two games before being eliminated by the Fever…dished out seven total assists…
2013 WNBA Season: Began the 2013 season ranked eighth in made threes (507), moving up nine spots from 17th at the start of the 2010 season…Ranked No. 1 in three-point shooting percentage (.395) among the WNBA’s Top 20…Posted two of the top six single-season totals for made threes the last two seasons, including team record 74 in 2012…Ranked 11th all-time in free throw shooting percentage (.884)…Has made. 916 percent of her free throws (165 of 180) the last two seasons…Started in six out of nine games played…averaged 30.1 minutes per game…shot .857 from the free throw line…shot .458 from three-point range…dished out 4.2 assists per game…scored 13.8 points per game…
2012 WNBA Season: Started 34 games…Experienced the best season of her career…Established new career highs for scoring average (15.1 ppg.), total points (512), assists (136), rebounds (131), made free throws (100), made three-pointers (74), made field goals (169), field goal shooting percentage (.493) and minutes (1,066)…The 74 threes were a new franchise record, breaking the previous mark of 73 by Katie Douglas (2006)…Led the WNBA with a new single-season franchise record for free throw percentage (.935)…Led the Sun in scoring 10 times…Led or shared for the lead in assists 20 times…Had six threes and a career-high 30 points at Phoenix (9/12)…Chased a triple-double in that same game, finishing with 7 assists and 8 rebounds…Scored in double figures 26 times…Had eight games of 20 or more points…Ranked fourth in the league with a 2.27 assist-to-turnover ratio…Hit a three-pointer with 51 seconds left to cut a four-point deficit to one point in a comeback win at Seattle (9/16)…Hit a three-pointer with 11.8 seconds left in overtime to lift the Sun to a win over Tulsa…Scored nine of 23 points in the last four minutes of a win over Indiana (9/19). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 14.6 points in five playoff games…Made all 14 free throw attempts…Was 13 of 30 (.433) from three-point range, 23 of 52 (.442) from the field…Had 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Game 2 at New York to help clinch sweep…Averaged 16.6 points per game in Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana.
2011 WNBA Season: Leading candidate for Sixth Woman Award…Lawson came off the bench in 25 of 33 games she played…Had a career-high nine assists against Atlanta (7/31)…Made 55 threes, second most on the team and the fifth highest single-season total in team history…Was 55 of 128 (.430) from three-point range, the fifth best percentage in the league…Shot a career-best .449 from the field…Reached double figures in 22 of 33 games, including eight straight from 8/9-8/26…Had a season-high 17 points against Tulsa (6/12)…Scored her 2,500th career point against Chicago (8/9)…Recorded her 600th career assist against Washington (8/13)…Collected her 600th career rebound against Chicago (6/19)…Will participate in the playoffs for the seventh time in nine seasons…Made at least two threes in 21 games, and at least one three in 28 games…Moved up to ninth all-time with 433 threes. 
In The Playoffs: Came off the bench to score a total of 15 points in the Atlanta series…Was 4 of 7 from three-point range…Had seven total assists.
2010 WNBA Season: Appeared in all 34 games, tying a career high with 32 starts…Racked up a career-high 118 assists…Also had a career-highs in defensive rebounds (79) and minutes played (854)…Finished the season ranked fifth in the WNBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.46)…Ranked second on the team in assists, third in made threes (46) and sixth in scoring average (8.3 ppg)…Reached 500 career assists at New York (8/1)…Played in her 250th WNBA game at Chicago (8/20)…Scored a season-high 18 points against Atlanta (7/17), hitting all four three-point attempts.
2009 WNBA Season: Appeared in 25 games for the Monarchs, averaging 8.8 points 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game…Had a season-high 17 points against Seattle on June 7…Tied a career-best with eight assists at Phoenix on June 13…Missed the final nine games of the season with a right knee injury…Received the 2009 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.
2008 WNBA Season: Averaged a career-best 12.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32 games played with 31 starts…Scored in double figures in 24 games…Led Sacramento in free throw percentage (.914). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game through three playoff games.
2007 WNBA Season: Averaged 11.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 34 games played…Named as a replacement player for the 2007 All-Star Game…Scored in double figures in 17 games…Tied a career-high 24 points at Houston (6/11)…Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds at Los Angeles (6/22)…Dished out a season-high six assists at Los Angeles (6/27). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 12.3 points on 50.0% shooting, 2.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in three playoff games
2006 WNBA Season: Averaged 8.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 34 games played…Had six starts…Finished seventh in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage…Scored a season-high 19 points at Phoenix (8/13)…Pulled down a season-high six rebounds at San Antonio (8/3). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in nine playoff games, all starts…Recorded a post-season career-high 22 points at Detroit (8/30), 10 rebounds at Los Angeles (8/26) and a WNBA Finals record six three-pointers at Detroit (8/30).
2005 WNBA Season: Averaged 8.0 points and 1.5 assists per game in 24 games played with one start…Sat out seven games at the beginning of season (5/27-6/11) due to an ankle sprain and also sat out the final two games of the regular season (8/25-8/27) due to a left shoulder subluxation…Finished third in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage…Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Seattle (8/20)…Pulled down a season-high six rebounds at Los Angeles (8/16). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in eight playoff games…Recorded a then post-season-high 18 points and then post-season-high nine rebounds and seven assists vs. Houston (9/10).
2004 WNBA Season: Averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 34 games played with 10 starts…Tied a franchise-high and a career-high twice, most recently when she netted six, three-pointers (6-of-9) in the double overtime loss to Los Angeles (7/29)…Had a perfect game at Connecticut (7/9) as she shot 8-of-8 from the floor and 5-of-5 from behind the arc, scoring a season-high 21 points…Grabbed a season-high seven rebounds vs. New York (7/1)…Dished out a career-high eight assists vs. Minnesota (9/19). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in six playoff contests…Scored a then post-season-high 17 points at Los Angeles (9/28) and dished out a post-season-high five assists at Seattle (10/3).
2003 WNBA Season: Averaged 7.7 points in 34 games…Tied a franchise-high and set a career-high when she scored six three-pointers (6-of-8) in the win over Los Angeles (7/31) and also scored a career-high 24 points…Grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds at Houston (8/5). 
In The Playoffs: Averaged 5.3 points per game in six playoff games…Scored a post-season-high 12 points and grabbed a post-season-high eight boards vs. Houston (8/29).
College: Ranks second all-time at Tennessee in career three-pointers made (256) and three-point field goal percentage (.415) and also ranks third all-time in career free throw percentage (.847)…Averaged 13.6 and 4.3 rebounds per game during her four-year college career, appearing in all 143 games and making 137 starts…Led the SEC in three-point field-goal percentage (43.6%) her freshman year…Scored a career-high 32 points vs. Mississippi State (3/8/03)…Pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds versus DePaul (12/19/01)…Recorded a career-high nine assists against ODU…Snagged a career-high five steals against LSU…Led the Lady Vols from the charity stripe for three seasons (2000-2002) and was among the team’s top three scorers all four years…2003 Kodak All-American, Associated Press All-America Second Team and Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Student-Athlete of the Year…Four-time All-SEC first team honoree (2000-2003)…Two-time Naismith Player of the Year finalist (2002-03)…Two-time U.S. Basketball Writers of America All-America honoree (2002-03)…2003 CoSIDA/Verizon first team Academic All-American selection (Tennessee’s first representative since 1984)…2002 AP All-America third team, Kodak All-America nominee and District Finalist…2001 AP Honorable Mention All-America and CoSIDA/Verizon Academic All-District honoree…2000 Women’s Basketball Journal Freshman All-America selection and SEC All-Freshman Team.
Personal: Full name is Kara Marie Lawson…Married Damien Barling on April 12, 2008…Daughter of William and Kathleen Lawson, and is the middle child; her two sisters are Susan and Mary Catherine…Was a member of the Sacramento Kings broadcasting team for three seasons working as an analyst for the Kings House Party Live warm-up show, as well as the Kings half-time and wrap-up shows…In late 2006, expanded her role with ESPN as a sideline reporter for the NBA while continuing her role with ESPN as a studio analyst for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship as well as the regular season…Worked for ESPN as a color analyst during the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament and also was a member of the broadcast team for the 2004 and 2005 WNBA Draft…In 2003, one of seven recipients of the prestigious Torchbearer Award given by the University of Tennessee…Is very active in community service and has received numerous awards for her efforts…Also active in Race for the Cure and various activities of the American Cancer Society…Plays piano…Named the 1999 Naismith High School Player of the Year as a senior…Also in 1999, was an All-America selection with USA TODAY, Parade and the WBCA…Earned MVP honors at the Virginia and WBCA All-Star games…Was named the 1998 and 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year for Virginia…Entered kindergarten reading at the fourth grade level…Was a standout youth football player as a running back and a linebacker for the Fairfax County Football League, leading her team in three categories: rushing, scoring and interceptions. Named to the 2008 U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team…Led the team with 15 points (5-of-5 shooting from the field; 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line) off the bench as the U.S. beat Australia, 92-65, in the gold medal game in Beijing, China…Helped the team to an unbeaten 8-0 record in the 2008 Olympics by finishing with 56 points (7.0 ppg), a team-high 24 assists (3.0 apg), 16 rebounds (2.0 rpg), eight steals (1.0 spg) and one block (0.1 spg)… Participated with the 2007-08 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and was a member of the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship Team…Invited to play with the 2006 USA Basketball Women’s National Team during their Spring Training…Played five games with the 2003 WNBA Select Team that participated in the FIBA Women’s World Cup where they finished second…Captain of the gold-medal winning U.S. World University Games Team in 2001…Member of bronze-medal winning U.S. Women’s World Youth Games Team (1998).
Career Transactions:
<ul>
<li>Acquired by the Mystics on March 12, 2014</li>
<li>Signed as a free agent with the Sun on February 2, 2010</li>
<li>Traded by Detroit to Sacramento for Kedra Holland-Corn and a 2004 second round draft pick on April 29, 2003</li>
<li>Selected by Detroit in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2003 WNBA Draft.</li>
</ul>

The #BossWomen in Coaching and Front Office Roles This NBA Season

Pondexter Scores Game-Winner, Sky Top Mystics 66-64

Mystics 79, Lynx 61

Top 5 Plays of the Week

Mystics Top Sun, 89-82, in East Showdown

Liberty 79, Mystics 76

Shock 86, Mystics 82

Mystics 67, Liberty 62

Mystics vs. Sun Recap

Kara Lawson

Checkout the latest stats of Kara Lawson. Get info about her position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on WNBA.com

Season	PPG 9.8	RPG 2.6	APG 2.5
Career	PPG 9.8	RPG 2.6	APG 2.5

Kara Lawson

In the News

Big Names. More Games.