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 March 6, 1968) is a talented American former basketball player. She is especially known for her time playing at the University of Tennessee. Carla faced a huge challenge in 1987 when she was in a serious car accident. Doctors were unsure if she would ever play basketball again due to her injuries. However, Carla showed incredible determination and made a full recovery. She later became a key member of the gold medal-winning 1996 Olympic Team.
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Carla McGhee's Basketball Journey
College Star
Carla McGhee played college basketball for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. During her time there, she helped her team win two national championships. These big wins happened in 1987 and 1989. She played in three national tournaments overall. On average, she scored about 6.1 points and grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game during her college career. In 1987, she was even named to the Tennessean All-Freshman team.
Playing Professionally
After college, Carla continued her basketball career professionally. She played one season in the ABL for the Atlanta Glory. There, she averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 26 games.
Carla also spent six seasons playing basketball overseas. She played in Germany in 1990–91 and again in 1998. She also played in Spain from 1991–93 and in Italy from 1993–95. In 1993, she was recognized as an All-Star in both the Spanish League and the Spanish/Italian League.
From 1999 to 2002, McGhee played in the WNBA for the Orlando Miracle. She was a valuable player for the team during those years.
Representing Team USA
Carla McGhee was a proud member of the United States women's national basketball team. She represented the US in several important international competitions.
William Jones Cup
In July 1987, Carla was chosen for the US team competing in the William Jones Cup. This competition took place in Taipei, Taiwan. The US team played seven games and won every single one, earning the gold medal. In the first game against Japan, the US team was behind at halftime. But they came back strong in the second half to win. Carla averaged 7.4 points per game during the tournament.
World Championships
Carla was also selected for the 1994 World Championships. The early games were held in Hobart, Tasmania, and the final games were in Sydney, Australia. The US team won their first six games. However, they lost a close semi-final game to Brazil. The final score was 110–107. The US team then played against the host team, Australia, and won 100–95. This victory earned them the bronze medal. Carla averaged 5.3 points per game in this championship.
Pan American Games
In 1995, Carla was chosen to represent the US at the 1995 Pan American Games. Unfortunately, only four teams signed up for the women's basketball event, so it was cancelled.
Winning Gold at the Olympics
Carla McGhee's final event with Team USA was the 1996 Summer Olympics. These games were held in Atlanta, Georgia, in the USA. The US team played incredibly well, winning all their games by large scores. In one game against Cuba, the US team was down by seven points. But Lisa Leslie scored 24 points, helping the US take control and win. Against Australia, Teresa Edwards set a record with 15 assists. In another game against Japan, Lisa Leslie set a USA Olympic scoring record with 35 points.
In the final game, the US team faced Brazil. Brazil had beaten the US in previous tournaments. But this time, playing in front of a huge home crowd of nearly 33,000 fans, the US team started very strong. They made 71.9% of their shots in the first half and led by eleven points. The US team scored the first eight points of the second half and went on to win the gold medal with a score of 111–87. Carla averaged 3.1 points per game during the Olympics.
See also
In Spanish: Carla McGhee para niños
