The first pick in the inaugural WNBA Draft, Tina Thompson was an inspiration and a champion who instantly lived up to her top billing in the new league. Coming off four successful years at Southern Cal where she averaged nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, Thompson helped form a Houston Comets team that was destined to become the WNBA’s first dynasty. Alongside fellow Hall of Famers Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper, Thompson helped the Comets win four straight WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000. The nine-time All-Star and 2000 All-Star MVP always played her best game on the biggest stage. Thompson ended her career as the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and ranked in the top three for career rebounds. In 2016, she was named one of the WNBA’s 20 greatest players. Representing the United States, Thompson won two gold medals as the second leading scorer during both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
“Thompson helped the Comets win four straight WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000.”
WNBA legend Tina Thompson is set to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. We celebrate her incredible WNBA career with 10 key numbers to remember.
1 – Thompson was the No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural WNBA Draft in 1997 by the Houston Comets following a successful collegiate career as the University of Southern California.
2 – Thompson is currently the second-leading scorer in WNBA history with 7,488 career points. She finished her career in first place, but was passed by Diana Taurasi in 2017. Thompson is also the fourth-leading rebounder in league history with 3,070 boards during her career.
3 – She played for three franchises in her 17-year WNBA career. She played her first 12 seasons with the Houston Comets (1997-2008) before joining her hometown Los Angeles Sparks for three seasons (2009-2011) and finally closing out her career with the Seattle Storm (2012-2013).
