Tina Charles (basketball)

Tina Alexandria Charles (born December 5, 1988)[1] is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[2][3] Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun. In 2009 and 2010, she and teammate Maya Moore led the Connecticut Huskies to two undefeated national championships. She has won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

Tina Charles
No. 31 – Washington Mystics
PositionCenter
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1988-12-05) December 5, 1988
Jamaica, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High schoolChrist the King
(Queens, New York)
CollegeUConn (2006–2010)
WNBA draft2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Connecticut Sun
Playing career2010–present
Career history
2010–2013Connecticut Sun
2011–2012Galatasaray Medical Park
2012–2014Wisła Can-Pack Kraków
2014–2019New York Liberty
2014–2015Fenerbahçe
2015–2016Xinjiang Magic Deer
2016–2018Sichuan Whales
2019Beijing Great Wall
2020–presentWashington Mystics
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
2012 LondonTeam
2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam
World Cup
2010 Czech Republic
2014 Turkey
2018 Spain

High school

Charles played basketball at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, New York. After averaging 26.5 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots per game her senior year, she was named WBCA National Player of the Year, "Miss Basketball" for New York state, and was selected as a McDonald's All-American and tabbed New York City Player of the Year by Newsday, the Daily News and the New York Post.[4] Charles was the leading scorer on the Christ the King team that won 57 consecutive games, leading to a USA Today #1 ranking in the country after an undefeated season in 2006.[5] Charles was named a WBCA All-American.[6] She participated in the 2006 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored fifteen points and had twelve rebounds.[7] Charles was named the MVP of the Red team.[8] During high school, Charles also played on the AAU club basketball team the New York Gazelles.

College

In 2009, Charles led the UConn Huskies to a national title as a junior.[9] She was named Final Four MOP and one of the 10 players on the State Farm All-America team during Final Four weekend.[9] Charles made a comment to ESPN during a post-championship interview, in regards to the tradition of sports champions who visit the White House after their title game victories. She said, "Barack Obama, we will be here soon!" and after the 2010 championship she made a comment, "President Barack Obama, we're back!"

On February 13, 2010, before the game vs. St. John's, Charles became the 12th UConn Women's basketball player to be recognized in the Huskies of Honor and was the 2nd player to be honored while still a player. The first was Renee Montgomery the year before.

On March 1, 2010, during a game against Notre Dame, Charles broke two UConn records on the same night. Her fifth rebound made her the all-time leading rebounder at UConn, surpassing Rebecca Lobo's fifteen-year-old record of 1268. Lobo was present working as a commentator for ESPN, and interviewed Charles after the game. Additionally, Charles started the night in third place in career scoring, behind Kerry Bascom and Nykesha Sales. Sales had scored 2,178 points and Bascom 2,177 in their careers. During the game, Charles surpassed both to become the leading scorer in UConn history.[10]

Commemorative Ball for 1000 points

Charles was named the Big East Conference Player of the Year for 2010.[11]

Charles majored in psychology with a minor in criminal justice. She anticipates working in corrections at the close of her basketball career. In 2010, she spent six hours a week as an intern at Bergin Correctional Institution, helping prisoners adjust back to life in society.[12]

WNBA

Connecticut Sun

Charles was the overall #1 pick in the 2010 WNBA draft, selected by the Connecticut Sun.[13]

Charles was named the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year. In her first season, she set all-time league records for rebounds, with 398 (a record that has since been broken by Jonquel Jones in 2017), and double-doubles with 22. (both scoring and rebounds in double digits).[14]

On September 2, 2011, Tina Charles had 10 points, 10 assists and 16 rebounds for the first triple-double in Connecticut Sun history, and only the fifth such accomplishment in WNBA history. Charles had eight assists at halftime, and was taken out of the game with nine, because the lead over the opponent was so large. The coach did put her back in the game in the fourth quarter, and she earned an assist on a pass to Jessica Moore, leading to the triple double.[15] However, subsequent review by the league resulted in a change, as three of the assists should not have been credited to Charles, so she ended the game with seven assists, not ten.[16]

On August 18, 2012, Charles recorded nine rebounds in an 85–74 win over the Liberty. One of the rebounds in the second quarter pushed her career total to 1,000. She accomplished this milestone faster than any other WNBA player in history. She reached 1,000 rebounds in her 89th game, surpassing the record formerly held by Yolanda Griffith, who reached 1,000 rebounds in her 92nd game.[17]

Charles was named the 2012 MVP of the WNBA, winning 25 of 41 first place votes. She led the league in the number of double-doubles recorded, and set the mark for the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 900, 1,000 and 1,100 rebounds.[18]

New York Liberty

In the weeks leading up to the 2014 WNBA Draft, rumors had circulated that Charles could be traded before the draft, so the Sun could obtain more draft picks. Just before the Draft, Charles was traded to her native team the New York Liberty in exchange for Kelsey Bone, the fourth overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft (Alyssa Thomas) and the fourth overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft (Elizabeth Williams).

In 2016, Charles had the best season of her career, averaging a career-high 21.5 points per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 81.2% from the free-throw line.[19] Charles had also led the league in rebounds with 9.9 rebounds per game, winning her fourth rebounding title. Her scoring average was tied with Elena Delle Donne but led the league in total points scored which allowed her to claim the scoring title.[20] The Liberty finished with a 21–13 record. With the WNBA's new playoff format in effect, the Liberty were the number 3 seed in the league with a bye to the second round with one elimination game to play where they were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury.

In 2017, Charles would be voted into the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game making it her fifth career all-star game appearance. On June 2, 2017, Charles scored a career-high 36 points in a 93–89 win over the Dallas Wings.[21] The Liberty would once again finish with number 3 seed in the league, receiving a bye to the second round elimination game. The Liberty would lose yet again in the second round by a final score of 82–69 to the Washington Mystics.

In 2018, Charles re-signed with the Liberty.[22] In 2018, Charles would be voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game for her sixth all-star game appearance. The Liberty would miss out on the playoffs for the first time in 4 years as they finished 7–27.

On June 4, 2019, Charles became the Liberty's all-time scoring leader after a late-fourth quarter layup in a 78-73 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She finished the game with 21 points and 14 rebounds.[23][24]

Washington Mystics

On April 15, 2020, Charles was traded to the Washington Mystics.[25] Charles was medically excused for the shortened 2020 season on July 17, 2020, due to her condition with extrinsic asthma, which impacts her immune system and put her at risk in the coronavirus pandemic.[26]

Overseas

In the 2011–12 off-season, Charles played in Turkey for Galatasaray. From 2012–2014, Charles played two off-seasons in Poland for Wisła Can-Pack Kraków. In the 2014–15 off-season, Charles played in Turkey once again for Fenerbahçe. In the 2015–16 off-season, Charles played in China for the Xinjiang Tianshan Deers.[27] As of November 2016, Charles had signed with the Sichuan Whales for the 2016–17 off-season.[27] In 2017, Charles had re-signed with the Sichuan Whales for the 2017–18 off-season.[28]

USA Basketball

Charles was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event was held in July 2006, when the USA team defeated Canada to win the championship. Charles helped set the tone in the opening game against Paraguay, recording a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. In the gold medal game, she had her second double-double of the tournament with 13 points and 13 rebounds. She was the leading scorer on her team with 12 points per games, as well as the leading rebounder, with 9.5 per game.[29]

Charles was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in the fall of 2009, one of only three college players invited to the training camp.[30] The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics is usually chosen from these participants.[30][31]

Charles was named a member of the team representing the US at the 2009 World University Games held in Belgrade, Serbia. The team won all seven games to earn the gold medal. Charles was the team's leading scorer and rebounder, with 16.1 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. In the gold medal game against previously undefeated Russia, she had 28 points and 18 rebounds.[32]

On October 5, 2009, Charles was selected to be one of the USA National Team members to travel to the 2009 Ekaterinburg International Invitational. She was the only college player on the team.[33] Charles contributed to the USA Basketball win at the Ekaterinburg Tournament. She had double-digit scoring in all three games, with the second game, against Euroleasing Sopron, her best result, scoring 15 points in only 13 minutes of play.[34]

Charles was named the USA Basketball 2009 Female Athlete Of The Year, for her contributions to the Gold Medal earned at the 2009 USA Women's World University Games, the Gold Medal earned at the 2009 Ekaterinburg International Invitational, and the undefeated collegiate season leading to a National Championship.[35]

Charles was named as one of the National team members to represent the USA Basketball team in the WNBA versus USA Basketball.[36] This game replaces the normal WNBA All-Star game with WNBA All-Stars versus USA Basketball, as part of the preparation for the FIBA World Championship for Women to be held in the Czech Republic during September and October 2010.[37]

Charles was selected to be a member of the National team representing the US at the World Championships held in September and October 2010. The team was coached by Geno Auriemma. Because many team members were still playing in the WNBA until just prior to the event, the team had only one day of practice with the entire team before leaving for Ostrava and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. Even with limited practice, the team managed to win its first games against Greece by 26 points. The team continued to dominate with victory margins exceeding 20 points in the first five games. Several players shared scoring honors, with Swin Cash, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Lindsay Whalen, and Sylvia Fowles all ending as high scorer in the first few games. The sixth game was against undefeated Australia — the USA jumped out to a 24-point lead and the USA prevailed 83–75. The USA won its next two games by over 30 points, then faced the host team, the Czech Republic, in the championship game. The USA team had only a five-point lead at halftime, which was cut to three points, but the Czechs never got closer. Team USA went on to win the championship and gold medal. Charles averaged 10.7 points per game, third best on the team and was the second leading rebounder with 4.8 per game.[38]

Charles played for Team USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[39] Charles would earn her first olympic gold medal as they beat France 86–50 for the gold medal.

Charles played for Team USA during the 2016 Summer Olympics, helping them win their sixth gold medal as they defeated Spain 101–72. Charles would earn her second olympic gold medal.

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

WNBA

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2010 Connecticut 343431.0.487.000.76311.7°1.50.71.72.015.5
2011 Connecticut 343433.4.468.000.68711.0°1.90.81.82.217.6
2012 Connecticut 333333.2.499.200.80210.5°1.70.51.42.218.0
2013 Connecticut 292932.8.400.000.75210.11.40.90.92.218.0
2014 New York 343432.9.462.000.7529.42.21.20.82.217.4
2015 New York 343431.0.458.200.7158.52.40.70.62.417.4
2016 New York 323233.7.439.347.8129.9°3.80.80.71.921.5°
2017 New York 343432.2.442.348.8049.42.60.80.72.319.7
2018 New York 333333.0.473.326.7707.02.70.70.62.819.7
Career 9 years, 2 teams 29729732.6.457.322.7639.72.20.81.02.318.3

Postseason
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2011 Connecticut 2236.0.313.000.62512.0°2.01.02.5°2.012.5
2012 Connecticut 5536.0.469.50069610.01.00.82.6°1.818.6
2015 New York 6638.3.434.500.7898.74.00.10.62.020.3
2016 New York 1136.4.417.3331.0009.05.01.00.01.019.0
2017 New York 1136.2.471.500.5006.01.00.00.02.018.0
Career 5 years, 2 teams 151537.0.432.444.7509.42.60.51.51.918.5

College
Tina Charles statistics[40][41] at University of Connecticut
Year G FG FGA PCT 3FG 3FGA PCT FT FTA PCT REB AVG A TO B S MIN PTS AVG
2006–07 36 190 322 0.590 0 0 0.000 76 128 0.594 296 8.2 30 67 81 13 827 456 12.7
2007–08 38 220 364 0.604 0 0 0.000 100 173 0.578 351 9.2 49 75 68 28 982 540 14.2
2008–09 39 259 418 0.620 0 0 0.000 124 182 0.681 348 8.9 41 74 32 35 982 642 16.5
2009–10 39 299 484 0.618 0 1 0.000 110 161 0.683 372 9.5 60 87 63 87 1078 708 18.2
Totals 152 968 1588 0.610 0 1 0.000 410 644 0.637 1367 9.0 180 303 244 163 3869 2346 15.4

Awards and honors
  • 2006 USA Today National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 McDonald's National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 Parade Magazine National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 Gatorade National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 WBCA National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 EA Sports National Player of the Year[1]
  • 2006 Miss New York Basketball[1]
  • 2009 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year[35]
  • 2010 All-BIG EAST First Team (unanimous)[42]
  • 2010 Big East Player of the Year[11]
  • 2010 AP All-America First Team[43]
  • 2010 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Player of the Year.[44]
  • 2010 State Farm Coaches' All-America Team[45]
  • 2010 #1 selection in 2010 WNBA draft[13]
  • 2010 John R. Wooden Award winner[46]
  • 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year[14]
  • 2010 All-WNBA Second Team[47]
  • 2012 WNBA MVP[18]

Personal life

Charles has established a foundation, named Hopey's Heart Foundation, to distribute Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to schools.[48] Charles has also funded a school in Mali.[49] In 2018, Charles was awarded the Mannie Jackson Basketball's Human Spirit Award for her work on education and heart health.[50]

gollark: Forestry, for apiaristics.
gollark: Maybe² ICBM, for purposes.
gollark: Maybe galacticräft.
gollark: Blood Magic?
gollark: RFtools?

See also

References
  1. "UConn Huskies.com". Archived from the original on February 7, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  2. "WNBA Player Movement Central". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA.
  3. "WNBA free agency 2018: A guide to everything you need to know". CBSSports.com.
  4. "Gatorade, the Sports Fuel Company" (PDF). www.gatorade.com.
  5. Lawlor, Christopher (March 28, 2006). "Christ the King claims No. 1 for fifth time". USA Today. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  6. "Past WBCA HS Coaches' All-America Teams". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  7. "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  8. "WBCA High School All-America Game Record Book – MVPs". WBCA. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  9. "Hays: Charles leads UConn to NCAA title, perfect season". ESPN.com. April 7, 2009.
  10. "Charles takes UConn career scoring, rebounding titles in rout". March 1, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  11. Altavilla, John (March 5, 2010). "Tina Charles, Geno Auriemma Win Big East Top Honors". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  12. Ackert, Kristie (March 6, 2010). "UConn basketball star Tina Charles helping inmates make turns for the better with prison internship". NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  13. Altavilla, John (April 9, 2010). "Charles Goes First, Starting A Huge Day For Sun". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  14. Stout, Matt (August 27, 2010). "WNBA: League to award Charles Rookie of the Year honor". Norwich Bulletin. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  15. "Tina Charles' triple-double leads Sun's rout of Fever". ESPN. September 2, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  16. Fuller, Jim. "Upon further review, no triple-double for Charles". New Haven Register. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  17. ALLARD, MARC. "Sun rebound vs. Liberty". he Bulletin. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  18. "Tina Charles Named 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player of the Year presented by Boost Mobile". WNBA. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  19. "Tina Charles 2016 stats". WNBA.com. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  20. "Tina Charles Wins WNBA Peak Performer Award". New York Liberty.
  21. "WNBA: Tina Charles scores career-high 36 points to lead New York over Dallas". Excelle Sports. June 3, 2017. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  22. "Transactions - WNBA". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA.
  23. Takeaways: Tina Charles sets Liberty scoring mark, Liberty trust process
  24. Tuesday, June 4, 2019
  25. Liberty trade Tina Charles to Mystics in 3-team deal
  26. "Tina Charles medically excused for WNBA season". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  27. "WNBA Players Playing Overseas". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA.
  28. "Chinese Basketball, Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings - asia-basket News". www.eurobasket.com.
  29. "Sixth Women's Fiba Americas U18 Championship For Women – 2006". USA Basketball. November 29, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  30. "USA Basketball Women's National Team To Tip-Off Training Tomorrow In D.C." USA Basketball. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  31. "Charles, Moore lead U.S. pool additions". ESPN. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  32. "Twenty-Fifth World University Games – 2009". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  33. "13 Players Named To USA Team For Ekaterinburg International Invitational". USA Basketball. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
  34. "2009–12 USA Basketball Women's National Team Schedule & Results". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  35. "USA Basketball Honors Tina Charles As The 2009 Female Athlete Of The Year". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  36. "Six Olympic Gold Medalists Among 11-Member Team Set To Participate In WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Stars at the Sun Game". USA Basketball. June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  37. "FIBA World Championship for Women". FIBA. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  38. "Sixteenth World Championship For Women – 2010". USA Basketball. October 15, 2013. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  39. "Twenty-One Finalists In The Mix For Final 2012 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team Roster". USA Basketball. February 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  40. "UConn Media Guide" (PDF). p. 140. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  41. "UCONN Season Statistics". University of Connecticut. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  42. "Greene joins Charles, Moore on first team". New Haven Register. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  43. "Moore a three-time All-America". ESPN. March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  44. "USBWA ANNOUNCES 2009–10 WOMEN'S HONORS". U.S. Basketball Writers Association. March 31, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  45. "Past WBCA NCAA DI Coaches' All-America Teams". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  46. Cleaveland, Roger (April 10, 2010). "Another award for Huskies' Charles". American-Republican Inc. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  47. "All-WNBA 1st, 2nd teams announced". ESPN.com news services. September 14, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  48. Pierson, John (May 20, 2013). "WNBA player makes a difference with a good cause". News8 WTNH.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  49. "Kids Camp honors basketball star as philanthropist". Hartford Business.com. May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  50. "Tina Charles Named Winner of 2018 Mannie Jackson – Basketball's Human Spirit Award". wnba.com. WNBA. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
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