Carla McGhee facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 6, 1968 (age 57) Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
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| High school | Manual Peoria, Illinois |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1999 / Round: 4 / Pick: 44th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Orlando Miracle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Orlando Miracle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Carla Renee McGhee, born on March 6, 1968, is a famous American former basketball player. She is well-known for her time playing at the University of Tennessee. Carla faced a huge challenge early in her career. In October 1987, she was in a serious car accident. She was badly injured and was in a coma for almost two days. Doctors even thought she might never play basketball again. But Carla was incredibly strong and determined. She went on to become a member of the gold medal-winning 1996 Olympic Team.
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Carla's College Basketball Journey
Carla McGhee played college basketball for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. While at Tennessee, she helped her team win two national championships. These big wins happened in 1987 and 1989. She played in three major college tournaments during her time there. On average, she scored about 6.1 points and grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game. Her strong performance earned her a spot on the 1987 Tennessean All-Freshman team.
Playing Professional Basketball
After college, Carla continued her basketball career professionally. She played one season in the ABL. This was for the Atlanta Glory team. During that season, she averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She played in 26 games for the Glory.
Playing Overseas
Carla also played professional basketball in other countries. She spent six seasons playing abroad. Her international career took her to Germany from 1990 to 1991 and again in 1998. She also played in Spain from 1991 to 1993. Later, she played in Italy from 1993 to 1995. In 1993, she was recognized as an All-Star in both the Spanish League and the Spanish/Italian League.
WNBA Career
From 1999 to 2002, Carla McGhee played in the WNBA. She was a player for the Orlando Miracle team. The WNBA is the top professional women's basketball league in the United States.
Carla's USA Basketball Achievements
Carla McGhee proudly represented the United States in several international competitions.
William Jones Cup Gold
In July 1987, Carla was chosen for the US team. They competed in the William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. The team played seven games and won every single one. This earned them the gold medal. Carla averaged 7.4 points per game in this tournament.
World Championship Bronze
Carla was also part of the USA team for the 1994 World Championships. The early games were in Hobart, Tasmania, and the final games were in Sydney, Australia. The US team won their first six games. They then played Brazil in the semi-finals. Brazil won that game, but the USA team bounced back. They beat the host team, Australia, to win the bronze medal. Carla averaged 5.3 points per game in this championship.
Olympic Gold Medalist
Carla McGhee's most famous achievement with the USA team was at the 1996 Summer Olympics. These Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The USA team played incredibly well. They won all their games by large scores.
In the final game, the USA team faced Brazil. Brazil had beaten the US team in past tournaments. But this time, playing in front of a huge home crowd, the USA team started strong. They shot very well and had a big lead at halftime. The USA team continued their strong play in the second half. They won the gold medal with a score of 111–87. Carla averaged 3.1 points per game during these historic Olympic Games.
See also
In Spanish: Carla McGhee para niños
