Catchings Inducted Into Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame

Indiana Fever great and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings was inducted into the 2020 Class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday.

She is joined by Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens and Patrick Baumann in this year’s lass.

“I am incredibly honored to be included in this year’s Naismith Hall of Fame, and God only knows the dreams I had as a little girl to be able to follow in my father's footsteps,” Catchings said. “I am so thankful to stand alongside so many amazing men and women that have come before me.”

Catchings' father, Harvey, played in the NBA from 1974 to 1985.

Catchings played her entire 15-year career with the Indiana Fever, was named the 2011 WNBA MVP and led the Fever to the 2012 WNBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors. She was named to the All-WNBA team 12 times in her career. Catchings played at the University of Tennessee from 1997-2001, winning a national championship and ranks fourth all time in career points for the Lady Vols. She also won four consecutive Olympic gold medals with Team USA from 2002-2016.

Catchings is now the vice president of basketball operations and general manager for the Fever.

“Tamika is a Hall of Famer in every sense of the word, someone whose success on the court and generosity off it have made her such an important figure in our sport,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment Chairman and CEO Herb Simon. "She is what young players aspire to be, and it is fitting that she is being recognized in this very special way. We're so proud that she's a part of our PS&E family, and I congratulate her on this amazing accomplishment."

The Class of 2020 will be enshrined on Saturday, August 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.