Shock's Katie Smith named to WNBA all-decade team
June 13, 2006 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Detroit Shock News Release
Auburn Hills, MI - Detroit Shock All-Star guard Katie Smith was named to the WNBA All-Decade Team, which was unveiled on ESPN2 Tuesday evening at halftime of the Charlotte Sting vs. Washington Mystics game. Smith joins nine other WNBA greats on the team which was selected by fans, a panel of national and WNBA-market media, and the league's current players and coaches.
"I think it's awesome, I never would have expected it," said Smith. "I don't really know how it all panned out in a sense of who voted, but I know a lot of people voted from my home town. I'm just fired up and obviously in good company. To be honored like that is special and I have enjoyed my time in the WNBA."
Smith is in her seventh season in the WNBA after spending the first three years of her career with the ABL. She ranks fourth in WNBA history in total points (3,834), first in made three-pointers (492), seventh in three-point field goal percentage by players with at least 500 career attempts, third in made free throws (946), and third in free throw percentage by those players with at least 500 career attempts.
Smith has been named to All-WNBA teams on four occasions and to five All-Star teams in her career. She also owns league single-season marks for most points (739 in 2001), highest scoring average (23.1 in 2001), most three-pointers (88 in 2000) and most free throws made (246 in 2001). Her 46 points at Los Angeles on July 8, 2001 while a member of the Minnesota Lynx is still the league standard.
The WNBA All-Decade Team honors the 10 players who have contributed the most to the overall success of the WNBA. Consideration was given to on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship and community service, as well as to their contribution to team success and the growth of women's basketball.
"The All-Decade Team represents the very best in women's professional basketball in the WNBA and in the world," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "They represent all that is right with the WNBA and sports. The group consists of not only tremendous athletes who have reached extraordinary heights on the court, but of terrific women who give unselfishly of their time and effort in the community. They are multi-faceted role models, believers, dreamers, achievers, coaches, teachers, leaders and champions."
The All-Decade Team will be brought together for the first time and formally honored at the 2006 WNBA All-Star Game set to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 12. The game will be televised live on ESPN at 7:30 ET.
Below, listed in alphabetical order, is a list of the 10 players named to the WNBA All-Decade Team along with five players who received Honorable Mention.
WNBA All-Decade Team
Name WNBA Team (Current/Last Team) Previous Team(s) Sue Bird Seattle Storm (2002-Current) Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever (2001-Current) Cynthia Cooper* Houston Comets (1997-2000, 2003) Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs (1999-Current) Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm (2001-Current) Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks (1997-Current) Katie Smith Detroit Shock (2005-Current) Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005) Dawn Staley Houston Comets (2005-Current) Charlotte Sting (1999-2005) Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets (1997-Current) Tina Thompson Houston Comets (1997-Current)
Honorable Mention
Name WNBA Team (Current/Last Team) Previous Team(s) Ruthie Bolton* Sacramento Monarchs (1997-2004) Chamique Holdsclaw Los Angeles Sparks (2005-Current) Washington Mystics ((1999-2004)) Ticha Penicheiro Sacramento Monarchs (1998-Current) Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury (2004-Current) Teresa Weatherspoon* Los Angeles Sparks (2004) New York Liberty (1997-2003)
*Retired
WNBA All-Decade Team Facts & Figures
Of the 10 members selected to the All-Decade team...
- All 10 have earned Olympic medals (Jackson, silver with Australia; the rest gold for USA) - 8 won Gold Medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2004 (all but Jackson and Cooper) - 7 have played on a WNBA Championship Team (Swoopes, Cooper and Thompson with Houston in 1997-2000, Leslie with Los Angeles in 2001 and 2002, Bird and Jackson with Seattle in 2004 and Griffith with Sacramento in 2005)
- 4 are current or former members of the Houston Comets (Cooper, Staley, Swoopes, Thompson) - 3 have won a WNBA championship, an NCAA title and a gold medal (Bird, Cooper, Swoopes) - 3 are former #1 overall WNBA Draft picks (Jackson '01, Bird â02, and Thompson â97) - 3 are original members of the WNBA still active as players in the league (Leslie, Swoopes, Thompson, all of whom remain with their original team)
- 3 played collegiate ball at Southern California (Cooper, Leslie, Thompson) - 3 are former members of the American Basketball League (Griffith, Smith, Staley) - 2 are currently head basketball coaches of women's collegiate programs (Cooper - Prairie View A&M and Staley - Temple University)
- 1 is the daughter of a former NBA player (Catchings - father Harvey) - 1 was the first player ever to sign with the WNBA (Swoopes, October 23, 1996)
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