Women’s basketball today is on its high horse, gaining more attention than ever and changing the game. The emergence of Caitlin Clark is the biggest reason for that, as her talent caught the NCAA and WNBA by storm.
However, long before CC, one woman had a similar influence. Back in the 1990s, Chamique Holdsclaw was so good for the Tennesee Volunteers that some thought she should apply for the NBA draft instead of the WNBA one. Despite the hype and her confidence, Chamique was realistic about her chances.
“I don’t think I’m ready for the NBA right now. But maybe one day. I have the ability, but my body isn’t strong enough yet. I’m no guy. I play against women at school. At home I play against guys, beacuse that’s who’s out there. It makes me better,” she explained in 1998.
Carving her own path
In four years at Tennesse, the girl from Queens, New York, took the basketball world by storm. At 6’2”, Holdslaw was dominant, averaging 20.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Chamisque started getting the Cheryl Miller comparisons, which was the ultimate compliment in the world of women’s basketball. However, according to her coach, Pat Summit, Holdsclaw was trying to blaze her own trail and immortalize her name.
“She was very secure with herself. She told me a number of times, ‘I’m different. I’m just Chamique.’ She doesn’t want to be somebody else. When I was recruiting her, I kept mentioning Cheryl Miller. She kept telling me, ‘I don’t want to be Cheryl Miller. I want to be Chamique Holdsclaw,” Summit said.
Chamique was undoubtedly selected first in the 1999 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. Her career would start off hot, with her winning ROY honors, making the All-Star game in her first year, and even winning gold at the 2000 Olympics.
Holdslcaw was a star, but she never quite managed to push the Mystics over the top. After a couple of ankle injuries, she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2005. Chamique would have had a couple of good seasons in Hollywood but suddenly retire in 2007 without any further explanation.
Chamique returned a year later for two underwhelming seasons with the Atlanta Dream and San Antonio Silver Stars before finally hanging them up for good. It was an underwhelming second half and the end of her career for the biggest phenom in women’s basketball, but she managed to carve out a solid legacy.
Six All-Star games, three All-WNBA teams, two rebounding championships, and one ROY award, averaging 16.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game are not shabby numbers. She may have never been NBA material, but Chamique was a hooper back in her day.
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