Catchings Is First Four-Time Recipient of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
Published on August 29, 2010 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release
NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2010 - Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings was named the 2010 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors, the league announced today. Catchings received 30 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, beating out the Chicago Sky's Sylvia Fowles (seven votes), and Nikki Anosike and Tina Charles (one vote apiece). The first player in WNBA history to receive the honor four times, Catchings previously took home the award in 2009, 2006 and 2005.
In honor of being named the Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors, Catchings will receive $5,000 and a trophy specially designed by Tiffany & Co.
Catchings led the WNBA in steals (2.26 spg) for an unprecedented sixth time, helping the Fever finish with the league's fifth-ranked defense (78.3 points allowed per game). She also ranked seventh in total defensive rebounds (185), tied for eighth in defensive rebounds per game (5.4), and tied for 10th in total blocked shots (30).
Her 77 steals this season raised her career total to 708 and moved her ahead of Sheryl Swoopes and into second place on the WNBA's all-time list, behind only Ticha Penicheiro, the current Los Angeles Sparks guard who has tallied 728 for her career. Catchings' 99 steals in 2009 were one shy of the WNBA's all-time, single-season record of 100 set by Teresa Weatherspoon of the New York Liberty in 1998 and gave her four of the top five marks in league history. Catchings' 94 steals in 2002 and 2006 are tied for third most, and her 90 in 2005 ranks as the fifth best figure in league history.
Selected by Indiana with the third overall pick in the 2001 Draft, Catchings has been known throughout her career as one of the most complete players ever. In 2010, in addition to leading the league in steals, Catchings paced the Fever in points (18.2 ppg; fifth in the WNBA), rebounds (7.1 rpg), assists (4.0 apg), three-point shooting percentage (.448; second in WNBA), double-doubles (eights), minutes (31.4 mpg), and steals.
One of the most accomplished players in women's basketball history, Catchings is a four-time All-WNBA First Team selection, six-time WNBA All-Star, a member of the WNBA's All-Decade Team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
The University of Tennessee product is the only WNBA player to rank among the top 10 in league history in career points, rebounds, assists and steals. Her WNBA career totals include 4,665 points, 2,134 rebounds, 1,032 assists and 708 steals.
This marks the second season that Kia Motors, an official WNBA marketing partner, has presented four of the league's most illustrious season-ending awards - the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, and Sixth Woman of the Year - grouped under the banner of "The WNBA Performance Awards presented by Kia Motors."
Below are the complete results of the 2010 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors votes and a list of past recipients:
2010 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KIA MOTORS RESULTS
30 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
7 Sylvia Fowles Chicago Sky
1 Nikki Anosike Minnesota Lynx
1 Tina Charles Connecticut Sun
ALL-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KIA MOTORS WINNERS
2010 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
2009 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
2008 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
2007 Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm
2006 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
2005 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
2004 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
2003 Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets
2002 Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets
2001 Debbie Black Miami Sol
2000 Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets
1999 Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs
1998 Teresa Weatherspoon New York Liberty
1997 Teresa Weatherspoon New York Liberty
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 29, 2010
- Catchings Is First Four-Time Recipient of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award - WNBA
- Lynx Forward Rebekkah Brunson Selected to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team - Minnesota Lynx
- Atlanta Dream's McCoughtry, Lyttle Earn All-Defensive Honors - Atlanta Dream
- WNBA All-Defensive Teams Announced - WNBA
- Indiana's Catchings Wins WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award - WNBA
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