INDIANAPOLIS — Tennessee women’s basketball legend Tamika Catchings will be honored for her prestigious career in the WNBA on Saturday night, as the Indiana Fever retire her No. 24 jersey and hang it in the rafters of Bankers Life Fieldhouse during halftime of their matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Catchings is the first player in franchise history to have her number retired. During her 15 years with the Fever, she was a 12-time All-WNBA recipient and 10-time WNBA All-Star. In 2012, she led the Fever during a WNBA Championship run and earned Finals MVP.
When she retired, Catchings was the leading rebounder in WNBA history and its No. 2 all-time scorer. Her defensive skills in the league were unparalleled, earning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honors five times.
Catchings, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, was recently named Director of Player Programs and Franchise Development with Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Her banner at The Fieldhouse will join those of her former coach, Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Lin Dunn, plus Indiana Pacers honorees Roger Brown (#35), Mel Daniels (#34), George McGinnis (#30), Reggie Miller (#31), coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard and owner Mel Simon.
Catchings, whose No. 24 jersey is also retired and hanging from the rafters of Thompson-Boling Arena, was part of the Lady Vols’ 1998 National Championship Team. The four-time WBCA All-American and All-SEC performer was the ESPY award winner as the College Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in 2001 and earned consensus National Player of the Year honors in 2000. She was also tabbed the National Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News and the USBWA in 1998.
-UT Athletics
