Teresa Weatherspoon

Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played for the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and served as the head basketball coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. Weatherspoon was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history. In 2016, Weatherspoon was chosen to the WNBA Top 20@20, a list of the league's best 20 players ever in celebration of the WNBA's twentieth anniversary.

Playing and coaching career
Born in Pineland, Texas, Weatherspoon was a health and physical education major and star basketball player at Louisiana Tech. In 1988, her senior season, she led the Lady Techsters to the NCAA national title. After college, Weatherspoon played overseas in Italy, France and Russia for 8 years.

WNBA
Weatherspoon is one of the original players of the WNBA in 1997 when she joined the New York Liberty in the WNBA's inaugural season. Her debut game was played on June 21, 1997 in a 67 - 57 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. In her first game, Weatherspoon recorded 3 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists (the first player in WNBA history to record double-digit assists in a game). A talented ball-handler and charismatic leader, her energetic play quickly endeared her to the fans and media in New York. The Liberty reached the first WNBA finals, but fell short to the Houston Comets. Weatherspoon was the first winner of the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The Liberty finished the 1998 season 18 - 12 behind Weatherspoon's averages of 6.8 points, 4 rebounds and 6.4 assists. However, the team missed the playoffs. Weatherspoon would win the Defensive Player of the Year Award again in 1998 becoming the first back to back recipient of the award.

Having a similar productive season with the Liberty in 1999 (in addition to being selected as a 1999 All-Star), Weatherspoon and the team were able to make it back to the Finals with an 18 - 14 record. During the 1999 WNBA Finals, Weatherspoon had one of the most memorable feats in WNBA history; in Game 2 on September 4, 1999 the Liberty were down 67–65 against the Houston Comets with no timeouts left and 2.4 seconds left on the game clock after a shot made by Tina Thompson. After receiving the inbound pass, Weatherspoon dribbled the ball up to half court and made a game-winning shot 50 feet away from the basket to force a Game 3. That moment would later be referred to as "The Shot".

From 2000 to 2003, Weatherspoon would make the All-Star Team every year and have the same productivity throughout the years with no drastic dip in her scoring or rebounding abilities, showing her reliance and toughness to the organization. The Liberty would make the Finals in 2000 and 2002 (making it 4 final appearances for Weatherspoon and the team) but lost the Finals both times. Being swept by the Comets in 2000 and being swept by the Sparks in 2002.

The 2003 season would be the first time the Liberty had a losing record, as they finished the season 16 - 18 and missed the playoffs for only the 2nd time in 6 years. Weatherspoon also had the distinction of being the only WNBA player to start every one of her games until the 2004 season. From 1997 to 2003, she played in 220 games and started in every one of them.

Weatherspoon would finally say goodbye to her time with the Liberty, as for the 2004 season, she would not re-sign with the team and instead signed with the Sparks on February 4, 2004. Her time with the Sparks saw a strong change in Weatherspoon's role on a team, as she would finally come off the bench for the first time in her career and play an average of only 8.6 minutes per game (after averaging 31.1 on the Liberty). The Sparks finished 25 - 9 but would not make the Finals, as they were eliminated in the first round of the 2004 playoffs.

Weatherspoon's final WNBA game ever was Game 2 of the 2004 Western Conference First Round on September 26, 2004 against the Sacramento Monarchs. The Sparks won the game 71 – 57 and evened the series 1 – 1 with Weatherspoon recording 2 rebounds in 3 minutes. However, Weatherspoon did not play in Game 3 and the Sparks lost that game 58 – 73 and were eliminated from the playoffs. After her 2004 season with the Sparks, Weatherspoon retired.

Coaching Career
In 2007 Weatherspoon was the head coach of the Westchester Phantoms of the American Basketball Association. In April 2008 she joined the coaching staff of the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech. On February 9, 2009, she was promoted to interim head coach to replace former head coach Chris Long. April 2, 2009 saw Louisiana Tech shed the interim label and name Teresa head women's basketball coach. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA. In 2016, Weatherspoon was named in the WNBA Top 20@20. On September 26, 2019, Weatherspoon was named two-way player development coach for the New Orleans Pelicans. Weatherspoon was later promoted to a full-time assistant coach for the Pelicans on November 16, 2020. The Pelicans released Weatherspoon from the coaching staff in June 2023.

On October 12, 2023, Weatherspoon was hired to be the Head Coach of the Chicago Sky of the WNBA.

National team career
Weatherspoon was selected to represent the US at the inaugural Goodwill games, held in Moscow in July 1986. North Carolina State's Kay Yow served as head coach. The team opened up with a 72–53 of Yugoslavia, and followed that with a 21-point win over Brazil 91–70. The third game was against Czechoslovakia and would be much closer, ending in a 78–70 victory. The USA faced Bulgaria in the semi-final match up, and again won, this time 67–58. This set up the final against the Soviet Union, led by 7-foot-2 Ivilana Semenova, considered the most dominant player in the world. The Soviet team, had a 152–2 record in major international competition over the prior three decades, including an 84–82 win over the US in the 1983 World Championships. The Soviets held the early edge, leading 21–19 at one time, before the USA went on a scoring run to take a large lead they would never relinquish. The final score was 83–60 in favor of the US, earning the gold medal for the USA squad. For the entire event, Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon averaged 1.6 points per game.

Weatherspoon continued with the National team at the 1986 World Championship, held in Moscow, a month after the Goodwill games in Moscow, although she was injured and unable to play. The USA team was even more dominant this time. The early games were won easily, and the semifinal against Canada, while the closest game for the USA so far, ended up an 82–59 victory. At the same time, the Soviet team was winning easily as well, and the final game pitted two teams each with 6–0 records. The Soviet team, having lost only once at home, wanted to show that the Goodwill games setback was a fluke. The USA team started by scoring the first eight points, and raced to a 45–23 lead, although the Soviets fought back and reduced the halftime margin to 13. The USA went on a 15–1 run in the second half to put the game away, and ended up winning the gold medal with a score of 108–88.

Weatherspoon was selected to be a member of the team representing the US at the 1987 World University Games held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The USA team won four of the five contests. After winning their first two games against Poland and Finland, the USA faced the host team Yugoslavia. The game went to overtime, but Yugoslavia prevailed, 93–89. The USA faced China in the next game. They won 84–83, but they needed to win by at least five points to remain in medal contention. They won the final game against Canada to secure fifth place. Weatherspoon averaged 8.6 points per games. She recorded 21 steals over the course of the event, tied for first place on the team.

Personal life
Weatherspoon was born to Charles and Rowena Weatherspoon in Pineland, Texas. Her father, Charles Sr., played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins' farm system, and holds the record for the most grand slams (three) in a minor league game. Weatherspoon has two brothers and three sisters. She credits her family, especially her mother Rowena Weatherspoon, as the biggest influence on her basketball career. Her fans call her by her nicknames "T-Spoon" or "Spoon". She and former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon are second cousins.

In 1999, she published a book titled Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls, filled with anecdotes and advice on improving basketball skills for young girls.

Career highlights

 * WNBA no. 2 all-time in career assists
 * Led the New York Liberty to the first ever WNBA Finals in 1997 and again in 1999
 * Started in the first five WNBA All-Star games (1999–2003 )
 * All-WNBA Second Team (1997–2000)
 * WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998)
 * Hit a memorable half-court shot to tie the WNBA Finals series with the Houston Comets in 1999
 * Started all her WNBA games up until the 2003 season
 * Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2019

Regular season

 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 28 || 28 || 33.0 || .467 || .086 || .650 || 4.1 || style="background:#d3d3d3;"|6.2° || style="background:#d3d3d3;"|3.0° || .1 || 3.4 || 7.0
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 30 || 30 || 33.4 || .388 || .327 || .609 || 4.0 || 6.4 || style="background:#e0cef2;"|3.3 || .0 || 3.2 || 6.8
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 32 || 32 || 33.9 || .421 || .378 || .679 || 3.3 || 6.4 || 2.4 || .1 || 2.5 || 7.2
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 32 || 32 || 33.7 || .438 || .250 || .741 || 3.4 || 6.4 || 2.0 || .2 || 2.7 || 6.4
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 32 || 32 || 30.4 || .431 || .385 || .671 || 3.7 || 6.3 || 1.7 || .1 || 2.5 || 6.5
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 32 || 32 || 29.8 || .342 || .100 || .519 || 2.7 || 5.7 || 1.3 || .1 || 2.4 || 3.4
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 34 || 34 || 24.2 || .385 || .000 || .750 || 2.9 || 4.4 || .8 || .1 || 1.8 || 2.9
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|Los Angeles
 * 34 || 0 || 8.6 || .320 || .333 || — || .9 || .9 || .4 || .0 || .8 || .5
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
 * 254 || 220 || 28.1 || .411 || .281 || .658 || 3.1 || 5.3 || 1.8 || .1 || 2.4 || 5.0
 * 34 || 34 || 24.2 || .385 || .000 || .750 || 2.9 || 4.4 || .8 || .1 || 1.8 || 2.9
 * style="text-align:left;"|
 * style="text-align:left;"|Los Angeles
 * 34 || 0 || 8.6 || .320 || .333 || — || .9 || .9 || .4 || .0 || .8 || .5
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
 * 254 || 220 || 28.1 || .411 || .281 || .658 || 3.1 || 5.3 || 1.8 || .1 || 2.4 || 5.0
 * 254 || 220 || 28.1 || .411 || .281 || .658 || 3.1 || 5.3 || 1.8 || .1 || 2.4 || 5.0

Playoffs

 * style="text-align:left;"|1997
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 2 || 2 || 37.5 || .500 || .000 || .000 || 1.5 || 5.0 || 2.0 || .0 || 6.0 || 5.0
 * style="text-align:left;"|1999
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 6 || 6 || 33.8 || .452 || .368 || .750 || 3.5 || style="background:#d3d3d3;"|7.5° || 1.0 || .0 || 2.0 || 8.5
 * style="text-align:left;"|2000
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 7 || 7 || 36.1 || .353 || .200 || .636 || 2.7 || style="background:#d3d3d3;"|7.0° || 2.7 || .0 || 2.9 || 4.6
 * style="text-align:left;"|2001
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 6 || 6 || 33.0 || .211 || .273 || 1.000 || 3.7 || 4.7 || 1.2 || .0 || .8 || 3.8
 * style="text-align:left;"|2002
 * style="text-align:left;"|New York
 * 8 || 8 || 30.1 || .475 || .000 || .833 || 4.4 || 6.6 || 1.0 || .0 || 1.8 || 6.6
 * style="text-align:left;"|2004
 * style="text-align:left;"|Los Angeles
 * 2 || 0 || 5.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .5 || .5 || .0 || 1.5 || .0
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
 * 31 || 29 || 31.6 || .382 || .282 || .744 || 3.3 || 6.0 || 1.5 || .0 || 2.1 || 5.5
 * style="text-align:left;"|2004
 * style="text-align:left;"|Los Angeles
 * 2 || 0 || 5.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .5 || .5 || .0 || 1.5 || .0
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
 * 31 || 29 || 31.6 || .382 || .282 || .744 || 3.3 || 6.0 || 1.5 || .0 || 2.1 || 5.5

College
Source

Awards and honors
As a basketball player:
 * 1986 World Championships Gold Medalist (with Team USA)
 * 1986 Goodwill Games Gold Medalist (with Team USA)
 * 1987 World University Games Gold Medalist (with Team USA)
 * 1988 Olympic Games Gold Medalist (with Team USA)
 * 1988 Wade Trophy
 * 1988 Honda Sports Award for basketball
 * 1988 Honda-Broderick Cup winner for all sports
 * 1992 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist (with Team USA)
 * 2010 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2010
 * 2010 Inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
 * 2011 Inducted into the New York Liberty Ring of Honor
 * 2011 Named one of top 15 WNBA Players of All-Time
 * 2019 Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
 * 2020 Inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame

As head coach of Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters:
 * 2009 WAC Regular Season Champions
 * 2009 WNIT Second Round
 * 2010 WAC Tournament Champions
 * 2010 NCAA Tournament
 * 2010 Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year
 * 2011 WAC Regular Season Champions
 * 2011 NCAA Tournament
 * 2011 WBCA Region 7 Coach of the Year