Tamika Catchings: WNBA Superstar

Tamika Catchings is a 6 time WNBA All Star, WNBA Champion, 2011 WNBA MVP, and 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist. She is also the first person to have a recorded quintuple double when she was in high school. Her final statline that game was 25 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals, and 10 blocks.

Ivan McGovern: Describe your background about how you were raised, and how that has shaped you into who you are today.

Tamika Catchings: I was raised in a sports family. My father, Harvey Catchings, played in the NBA so in between moving around when I was young as he went to different teams, sports was introduced early to us. I also was born with a hearing and speech problem in which I had to wear hearing aids. As a child, I was always the one that got teased for the way I looked, the way I talked or the hearing aids in my ears. That’s how sports became so important to me. On the playing field, I knew that if I practiced and got really good no one could make fun of me for any of my disabilities. I used sports and faith as the two outlets that could keep me “safe.” That has shaped me into the person that I am today because my faith, basketball and my family are my top 3 priorities. I love giving back to the community, and I love what I do as far as basketball goes, but God and my family have been there for me when nothing else was.

IM: Who was the most inspirational person for you growing up, and at what moment did you realize you could play professionally?

TC: Most inspirational people for me growing up was my parents. They have been there for me through all of my ups and downs. And, the support that they have shown me, and the tools that they have given me to succeed has allowed me to be in the position that I’m in today.

IM: How do you want to be remembered as a player, and what were some of the most memorable moments of your career?

TC: I want to be remembered for the tenacity that I played with, and the love that seems to flow through every moment that I’m out there. I can’t imagine looking at the opportunities of playing basketball as a “job.” God has blessed me so much and has allowed me a platform to not only be great on the basketball court, but to also be great off the court in the community with my Catch the Stars Foundation.

My memorable playing moments span from, pretty much, my high school years to this past year in winning a WNBA Championship. Winning is not everything to me, but the people that I was fortunate to play with on so many different levels and so many different teams is what has made each moment so special.

IM: What did it mean to become a WNBA Champion this year, and how does the WNBA Championship compare to your gold medals?

TC: Every single basketball player on whatever level they play at achieves to be a champion. After 11 years of playing in the WNBA and each year feeling like “this is the year.” Finally… is the word that sums up winning a WNBA ship. It’s still surreal to think about 2012 and the amazing things that were accomplished and to come out as a Gold Medalist and a WNBA Champion in the same year. I can honestly say- Simply Amazing!

I don’t know if there’s even a comparison between the WNBA Championship and the gold medals. Both of them are equally amazing, and the path to achieve both were something that I’ll never forget.

IM: In the 2012 Playoffs, you had a +22 efficiency rating. What made you so effective?

TC: My teammates are what made my efficiency so effective. The support that I got from each one of them and the tenacity that they all played with allowed me to play at the level that I did. It’s so much easier when the people around you are able to step up in critical situations. Every single one of my teammates stepped up when they needed to.

IM: You got a 4.0 GPA during your final undergrad semester at the University of Tennessee. Why was it so important to work so hard academically for you? What do you think about how players nowadays tend to go one year of college before jumping to the pros?

TC: It was important to me to get a 4.0 during my final semester because that was one of my goals I had heading into college. I’m a very goal oriented person, so knowing that I could study and work really hard to achieve it, that’s what I did. As far as the players that jump to the pros, to each their own. How can you stop someone from leaving at the prime of their career to earn millions with so many injuries on the line? I do think education is really important, but I don’t know if it’s our choice to make a decision for a young man/woman looking to go pro because we don’t know their background or the reasons to why they decide to do what they do.

IM: What do you do in practice that is crucial to your success, and do you have any superstitions in terms of preparation?

TC: I don’t have any superstitions in terms of preparation. And, I think the thing I do in practice that is crucial to my success is focus on one thing that I know I want to do better. For instance, I’ve been focusing on my pull up jump shot over here in China. Some days it falls, and some days it doesn’t, but knowing that I can mix it up will help me in my overall game.

IM: Who do you think you compare to in the NBA, and do you think there’s any WNBA player that could play in the NBA?

TC: Honestly, I don’t know for either question. People compare me to LeBron and DWade. I don’t know. I just try to go out there, do what I do and have fun while I’m doing it. : )

IM: I see you are a poetry writer. Do you have a sample or two?

TC: I do write poetry, and no I don’t have any samples. I haven’t written in a long time. Mostly now I’m focused on my Catch the Stars Foundation, on the computer or reading. I’ll get back into it soon I hope.

IM: What has been the toughest injury you’ve suffered? Mentally and physically?

TC: The toughest injury I suffered from mentally and physically is my Achilles back in 2007.  It was tough because even through the injuries that I had before that, NOTHING compared to the pain that I felt through that one. Even looking back on it, I can feel it and replay it in my head. Game three at Detroit and we just had to work so hard. Kind of reminds me of what RG3 just went through. You want to win so bad and will the team to a win, and it takes more than just you.