Tamika Catchings Salary, Background, Professional Career Highlights, Philanthropy and Husband

The powerhouse of Indiana Fever and the US Women’s Basketball team, Tamika Catchings is five times winner of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. She is an American professional basketball player who won 2012 WNBA Championship and 2011 WNBA Most Valuable Player Award. Tamika Catchings salary got even higher as she won four Olympic gold medals.

Birth, Background and College Career

Tamika Catchings was born on July 21, 1979, in Stratford, New Jersey which makes her nationality American. Catchings was born to former NBA player Harvey Catchings. She was born with a hearing loss so, she wore a hearing aid when she was small.

Catchings attended Duncanville High School in Texas, where she played in WBCA High School All-America Game. She received the title WBCA All-America played brilliantly scoring twelve points. Catchings also became the first player to ever score quintuple-double.

Further, she earned All-American when she played with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketball during 1997-2001. She also earned AP Player of the Year, the USBWA Women’s National Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year. In addition, she became WBCA Player of the Year in 2000.

All these awards not only raised Tamika Catchings salary but also demonstrated how good player Tamika is. She has a sister, Tauja, who was drafted by WNBA and currently plays for Sweden.

Professional Career Highlights

In 2001, Tamika Catchings salary started to rise on the professional basis as Indiana Fever drafted her. However, she could not play for 2001 season due to injury. In 2002, she made an outstanding entry in WNBA. As a result, she became WNBA Rookie of the Year averaging 18.6.

When she was still a rookie player, she made WNBA record with 9 steals in the match against Minnesota Lynx.

The following year, Catchings made the best out of 2003 season. She averaged her career-high 19.7 ppg. Catchings reached the milestone in just four seasons making her 2,000 points in 2005. Moreover, she became the fastest player with 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists, and 300 steals. With her continued excellence, she became the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 as well as 2006.

In 2006, Catching led vote for 2006 WNBA All-Star Game. However, she had to stay out of the season due to a foot injury. Later, she led Fever to 22-12 win earning the top seed in the Eastern conference in 2009. Catchings’s contribution led her to recognition and fame. So, she won WNBA Most Valuable Player averaging 15.5 ppg in 2011. She also recorded highest for the Eastern Conference scoring 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg. In the 2012 season, Catchings made game-high 25 points in the final winning WNBA Finals MVP.

During the beginning of 2014 season, Tamika Catchings underwent sore back and missed 17 games. However, she scored high enough to lead Fever to second position in the East. As a result, she became WNBA’s All-time Leading Playoff scorer. While Fever was moving to the Conference Finals, they lost to Chicago Sky with the score of 2-1.

Tamika Catchings salary continued to grow with her success in 2015 season. She led WNBA All-Star vote for the 10^th time in her professional career averaging 13.1. Moreover, she became the WNBA all-time leader as she made 3308th rebound in 2016. Also the second player in WNBA to score 7000 points and 3000 rebounds, Catchings made the best of her final season of her professional career.

USA Basketball Team

Catchings was also in the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team (U18). She successfully got into 1997 FIBA Junior World Championship (U19). During her FIBA season, she pulled the USA to 78-74 victory against Australia helping the team win a gold medal for the first time. With strong performance, Catchings was named to represent the USA at the William Jones Cup in Taiwan in 1998.

Catchings further helped USA team to win a gold medal in 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. They won gold for the third time in defeating Czech Republic after which Catching became one of the team members to represent USA Basketball team in the WNBA vs. USA Basketball.

Furthermore, she was one of the 21 finalists to compete for the final roster representing the USA at 2012 Olympics in London. For the last time, she played for Team USA in 2016 Summer Olympics helping the team win another gold medal defeating Spain.

Post-retirement

Tamika Catchings retired from basketball in 2016; she purchased a tea shop on the north side of Indianapolis. She was a frequent visitor to the shop Tea’s Me Café.  The income from the tea shop also adds to her net worth. Then, she became the director of Players Program and Franchise Development for Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

Husband and Philanthropy

Catchings married Parnell Smith, also a former basketball player, in February 2016 after meeting in 2014 through their mutual friend. Smith used to play at the University of Buffalo.

Tamika Catchings salary was invested in a right place as she founded a charity organization. Her charity organization is named Catch the Stars Foundation founded in 2004.

The objective of this organization is to provide basketball camps, mentoring and literacy programs for underprivileged children. It aspired to see underprivileged children turn into successful academicians and sportsman.

Salary and Net Worth

Tamika Catchings salary grew with her involvement in basketball career from the junior year internally and internationally. Tamika Catchings salary was $100,000 which makes her net worth of $300,000 by the end of her professional career.

The prolific scorer, Tamika Catchings is apparently an astounding basketball player. Born with a setback, she reached to the height of success and still is a remarkable player in basketball.