The WNBA announced on Wednesday that four-time basketball Olympian and Tamika Catchings has been hired by Pacers Sports & Entertainment as the director of player programs and franchise development. Under her new title, the WNBA All-Star will be responsible for her former team, the Indiana Fever, NBA franchise the Indiana Pacers and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (an NBA development team).
Catchings will assist in player relations, community outreach and development programs for all three franchises. This includes building chemistry among the teams, helping coaches recruit free agents and sharing leadership and professional skills with the players.
The 37-year-old, who is also a longtime president of the WNBA player’s association, will also help in the execution of the league, NBAPA and WNBAPA meetings, and other team and player programming.
As she moves into a @Pacers front office role, look back at @Catchin24's TOP 10 CAREER PLAYS! #WatchMeWork
» https://t.co/r1SNI6aR1u pic.twitter.com/s5iFIStSYw
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 17, 2017
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Before she was hired for this position, Catchings has been known for her passion in community outreach and professional basketball. In 2001, she was drafted to the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 draft pick, and after 16 years of play Catchings has well become the face of the franchise. In 2015, she was honored as the inaugural winner of the ESPN Sports Humanitarian of the Year, and last summer, she became the first two-time recipient of the WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award.