Cappie Pondexter

Cappie Marie Pondexter (born January 7, 1983) is a former American professional basketball player who last played as a member of the Indiana Fever in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and midrange jumpshot. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.

Cappie Pondexter
Pondexter in 2018
Personal information
Born (1983-01-07) January 7, 1983
Oceanside, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Listed weight160 lb (73 kg)
Career information
High schoolJohn Marshall Metropolitan
(Chicago, Illinois)
CollegeRutgers (2002–2006)
WNBA draft2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Playing career2006–2018
PositionPoint guard
Number25
Career history
2006–2009Phoenix Mercury
2006–2009Fenerbahçe Istanbul
2008–2012UMMC Ekaterinburg
2010–2014New York Liberty
2012–2014Fenerbahçe Istanbul
2015–2017Chicago Sky
2015–2016Beşiktaş
2016–2017Girne Üniversitesi
2018Los Angeles Sparks
2018Indiana Fever
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
2008 Beijing Team competition
Universiade
2005 İzmir Team competition
U18 and U19
2000 U18 Mar Del PlataTeam competition
2001 U19 BrnoTeam competition

High school

While growing up in Chicago, Pondexter was a close friend of basketball star Dee Brown.

Pondexter played for John Marshall Metropolitan High School in Chicago where she was named a WBCA All-American. She participated in the 2001 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored sixteen points, and earned MVP honors.[1][2]

College

Pondexter attended college at Rutgers University. She led the Scarlet Knights to a 97–22 record and back-to-back Big East Championships in 2005 and 2006. She competed in four NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2005. During the 2005–2006 season, Rutgers compiled a 27–5 record, including a 16–0 record in Big East Conference play. Pondexter took home several awards, including the 2006 Women's Basketball News Service National Player of the year. In her career, the guard scored over 2,000 points.

Rutgers statistics

Source[3]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2002-03 Rutgers 29 532 47.7 35.8 79.8 5.1 4.9 1.8 0.2 18.3
2003-04 Rutgers 33 592 41.7 38.1 76.9 4.6 4.3 1.8 0.1 17.9
2004-05 Rutgers 27 397 46.0 45.8 79.1 3.5 3.1 1.8 0.3 14.7
2005-06 Rutgers 32 690 48.3 48.8 81.0 4.2 3.2 1.7 0.1 21.6
Career 121 2211 45.8 42.6 79.2 4.4 3.9 1.8 0.2 18.3

WNBA career
Pondexter in 2018

Pondexter was selected 2nd overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. As a rookie, she was named to the western conference WNBA all star team.

In 2007, alongside Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor, Pondexter played a key role in the Mercury's championship run, and was named 2007 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player after averaging 22 points per game during the hard-fought five-game series.

During the 2009 WNBA season Pondexter became the first player in WNBA history to win 3 consecutive Western Conference Player of the week awards. She was also named to her third WNBA All-star team as a Western Conference reserve. At the end of the 2009 season, Pondexter helped the Mercury defeat the Indiana Fever 3 games to 2 to win the WNBA championship, the second title for the team in 3 years.

In March 2010, Pondexter was traded to the New York Liberty as part of a three-team, multiplayer deal. Pondexter indicated in interviews that she had requested the trade.[4] In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA.[5]

In February 2015, Pondexter was traded to the Chicago Sky for Epiphanny Prince.[6]

In 2016, Pondexter was named in the WNBA Top 20@20, a list of the top 20 players of all-time in the WNBA in celebration of the league's twentieth anniversary.

In 2018, Pondexter signed with the Los Angeles Sparks.[7] On June 28, 2018 Pondexter was released by the Sparks.

On July 1, 2018, the Indiana Fever signed Pondexter to a free-agent contract.[8]

On April 16, 2019, Pondexter announced her retirement from the WNBA after 13 seasons in a post on Instagram.[9]

WNBA career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career high ° League leader
† Denotes seasons in which Pondexter won a WNBA championship

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2006 Phoenix 323233.4.442.373.8533.33.11.20.11.419.5
2007† Phoenix 313131.2.431.333.8153.64.00.90.32.217.2
2008 Phoenix 323231.3.413.313.8463.74.21.20.22.921.2
2009† Phoenix 343431.6.460.358.8814.25.00.90.42.519.1
2010 New York 343434.3°.483.430.8924.54.90.90.12.321.4
2011 New York 343433.9.402.345.8154.14.71.30.32.717.4
2012 New York 343434.2.435.327.8674.54.31.30.23.120.4
2013 New York 303034.2°.360.369.8144.54.01.00.13.416.9
2014 New York 343430.8.388.277.7693.43.91.00.12.613.2
2015 Chicago 292930.2.439.381.8243.82.10.90.21.415.1
2016 Chicago 332927.4.429.362.8822.82.70.90.01.512.9
2017 Chicago 291527.2.367.257.7952.94.30.60.12.39.6
2018* Los Angeles 13010.3.349.000.8951.20.80.20.00.33.6
2018* Indiana 171424.2.389.393.8462.42.60.70.01.410.2
2018 Total 301418.2.381.367.8671.91.80.50.00.97.3
Career 13 years, 5 teams 41638230.7.422.350.8423.73.81.00.22.316.4

Postseason
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2007† Phoenix 9933.3.463.316.8734.85.81.20.11.823.9
2009† Phoenix 111130.9.463.250.8863.63.51.20.01.418.2
2010 New York 5537.2.440.480.9034.24.61.20.01.828.4°
2011 New York 3334.7.341.2141.0005.05.30.31.02.314.3
2012 New York 2233.0.289.1001.0004.55.02.50.01.517.0
2015 Chicago 3122.5.308.0001.0001.01.30.60.00.66.0
2016 Chicago 5528.1.407.2001.0001.21.81.40.22.212.4
Career 7 years, 3 teams 383631.7.427.292.9084.44.01.20.11.718.8

Overseas career

The 2006–07 campaign marked Cappie Pondexter's first campaign in Europe. She was a major contributor to the success of the Fenerbahçe Istanbul club. When her side's quarter-final match-up against Ros Casares was tied at 67, Pondexter scored the winning basket with just seconds remaining to lift Fenerbahçe to victory. In that same game, she registered 10 assists and 4 steals. Pondexter was among the top five in scoring throughout the season.

  • Fenerbahçe Istanbul (2006–08)
  • UMMC Ekaterinburg (2008–12)
    • Russian Championship: 2009, 2010
    • Russian Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011
  • Fenerbahçe Istanbul (2012–14)
    • Turkish Championship: 2012, 2013
    • Turkish Presidents Cup: 2012, 2013

After successful two seasons at Fenerbahçe, Pondexter signed with the UMMC Ekaterinburg club in the Russian Superleague, where she played during the winters of 2008–09 and 2009–10.[10]

She signed again with Fenerbahçe Istanbul for the 2012–13, 2013–14 European seasons.[11]

In 2015, Pondexter signed with Beşiktaş JK for the 2015-16 European season.

In November 2016, Pondexter signed with Girne Üniversitesi for the 2016-17 European season.[12]

USA Basketball

On the international stage, Pondexter was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. The event was held in July 2000, when the USA team defeated Cuba to win the championship. Pondexter averaged 6.6 points per game.[13]

Pondexter was named to the USA Women's U19 team which represented the USA in the 2001 U19 World's Championship, held in Brno, Czech Republic in July 2001. Pondexter scored 11.0 points per game, and helped the USA team to a 6–1 record and the bronze medal.[14]

Pondexter won gold medals with the USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 2005 World University Games,[15] 2003 FIBA World Championship for Young Women, 2002 World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Tournament and 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament.

Awards and achievements

4 Seasons Style Management

Cappie started a style management company, 4 Seasons Style Management, which has since styled the new urban rock band Guitars N Bandanaz. 4 Seasons has now rebranded and moved to Los Angeles, California. While rebranding was happening in 2014, they continued to operate out of the New York headquarters.:[16]

Controversy

In March 2011, Pondexter drew controversy after posting comments on her Twitter account regarding the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan.[17] Pondexter tweeted: "What if God was tired of the way they treated their own people in there [sic] own country! Idk guys he makes no mistakes." She later tweeted: "u just never knw! They did pearl harbor so u can't expect anything less."[18] In response to the negative response to her comments, Pondexter replied: "I wanna apologize to anyone I may hurt [sic] or offended during this tragic time. I didnt [sic] realize that my words could be interpreted in the manner which they were people that knw [sic] me would tell u 1st hand im [sic] a very spiritual person and believe that everything, even disasters happen 4 a reason and that god [sic] will shouldnt be questioned. But this is a very sensistive [sic] subject at a very tragic time and I shouldnt [sic] even have given a reason for the choice of words I used. If youve [sic] lost respect for me thats [sic] totally fine but please dont [sic] let me or my words lose the respect of u the WNBA and what it stands for."[19]

Notes
  1. "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved 29 Jun 2014.
  2. "WBCA High School All-America Game Team MVP's". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  3. "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  4. "Phoenix Mercury's Cappie Pondexter initiated trade to New York". archive.is. July 21, 2012. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved 2014-04-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Sky send Epiphanny Prince to New York for Cappie Pondexter". Chicago Sun-Times.
  7. Sparks sign veteran guard Cappie Pondexter, a two-time WNBA champion
  8. "Indiana Fever Sign Two-Time WNBA Champ, Seven-Time All-Star Cappie Pondexter". wnba.com. WNBA. July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  9. "Two-time WNBA champion Pondexter retires". espn.com. Mechelle Voepel. April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  10. Cappie Pondexter Basketball Career (EuroBasket) Archived October 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  11. She kept her promise Archived April 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Cappie Pondexter Girne Üniversitesi İle Anlaştı - basketball.com.tr". basketball.com.tr (in Turkish). November 19, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  13. "Fourth Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team -- 2000". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  14. "Fifth FIBA Women's U19/Junior World Championship -- 2001". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  15. "Twenty-Second World University Games -- 2005". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  16. http://www.cappiepondexter.com/CP23-NEWS/2012/08/photo-shoot-with-guitars-n-bandanaz/%5B%5D
  17. "Cappie Pondexter sorry for tweets". ESPN. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  18. "Pondexter Apologizes for Tweet About Japan". New York Times. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  19. "Former Rutgers standout Cappie Pondexter apologizes for Japan remarks on Twitter". Star-Ledger. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
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