Jennifer Gillom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Gillom

Personal information
Born	(1964-06-13) June 13, 1964 (age 61) Abbeville, Mississippi, U.S.
High school	Lafayette (Oxford, Mississippi)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	Ole Miss (1982–1986)
NBA Draft	1997 / Round: Allocated
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Pro career	1997–2003
Coaching career	2004–present
Career history
As player:
1997–2002	Phoenix Mercury
2003	Los Angeles Sparks
As coach:
2004–2010, 2017-current	Xavier College Preparatory
2008	Minnesota Lynx (assistant)
2009	Minnesota Lynx
2010–2011	Los Angeles Sparks
2012	Washington Mystics (assistant)
2013–2015	Connecticut Sun (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
WNBA All-Star (1999) All-WNBA First Team (1998) All-WNBA Second Team (1997) No. 22 retired by retired by Phoenix Mercury Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award (2002) Kodak All-American (1986) SEC Female Athlete of the Year (1986) USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1985)
Medals Women's Basketball Representing the  United States Pan American Games Gold 1987 Indianapolis Team World University Games Gold 1985 Kobe Team competition FIBA World Championship for Women Gold 1986 Moscow Team competition Olympic Games Gold 1988 Seoul Team competition Assistant Coach for Women's Basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2012 London Team competition FIBA World Championship for Women Gold 2010 Brazil Team competition

Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom (born June 13, 1964) is a famous American basketball player. She played as a forward and center. Jennifer was a star in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002. Later, she played for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2003.

After her playing career, Gillom became a coach. She coached the Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx. She also worked as an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun. Jennifer Gillom was born in Abbeville, Mississippi. She is known for her amazing basketball skills.

In 2009, Jennifer Gillom was honored. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. This special place is in Knoxville, Tennessee.

College Basketball Career

Jennifer Gillom played college basketball at the University of Mississippi. Her team was called the Ole Miss Rebels. She played there from 1982 to 1986. During her time at Ole Miss, she was a top player.

In her final year, 1985-1986, she scored a lot of points. She averaged 23.2 points per game. This was her best scoring season. She also grabbed many rebounds. She was a very important player for her college team.

Playing for Team USA

Jennifer Gillom was a key player for the USA Basketball Team. She won several gold medals.

International Competitions as a Player

• 1985 World University Games: Jennifer played in Kobe, Japan. The team won a silver medal. They lost a close game to the USSR. Gillom was the second-highest scorer for the USA team.
• 1986 World Championships: She played in Moscow. This time, the USA team beat the USSR. They won the gold medal.
• 1987 Pan American Games: Gillom was part of the team in Indianapolis, Indiana. The USA team won all their games. They earned another gold medal.
• 1988 Olympic Games: Jennifer played in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The team won all five games. This brought home an Olympic gold medal for women's basketball.

Coaching for Team USA

Jennifer Gillom also helped coach the USA National team. She was an assistant coach.

• 2010 FIBA World Championship: She helped coach the team in the Czech Republic. Even with little practice, the team played very well. They won the championship and a gold medal.
• 2012 Olympic Games: She continued as an assistant coach. The team won another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

WNBA Career Highlights

Jennifer Gillom was one of the first players in the WNBA. The league started in 1997.

Starting with the Phoenix Mercury

• Draft and Debut: She was chosen to play for the Phoenix Mercury in 1997. Her first game was on June 22, 1997. The Mercury won that game.
• Consistent Starter: Gillom was a starter for six seasons. She played in 183 games for the Mercury. She started every single one.
• Top Performer: During her time with Phoenix, she averaged 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
• All-Star Recognition: She was chosen for the All-Star Team in 1999. She helped her team win the All-Star Game.
• Playoff Runs: The Mercury made the playoffs three times with Gillom. In 1998, they reached the WNBA Finals. They lost to the Houston Comets.

Moving to the Los Angeles Sparks

• Final Season: In 2003, Gillom joined the Los Angeles Sparks. This was her last season playing in the WNBA.
• Reaching the Finals: The Sparks made it to the WNBA Finals that year. They played against the Detroit Shock. The Sparks lost the series.
• Retirement: Jennifer Gillom retired after the 2003 season. At the time, she was the second-highest scorer in WNBA history.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Jennifer Gillom became a successful coach.

• High School Coach: In 2004, she became the head coach for Xavier College Preparatory High School in Phoenix. In March 2024, her team, the Xavier College Preparatory Gators, won their first-ever WBB championship. They beat the defending champions, the Desert Vista Thunder.
• WNBA Coach: She was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx in 2008. In June 2009, she became the head coach for the Lynx. She coached them until the end of 2009.
• Other WNBA Roles: Gillom also coached for the Los Angeles Sparks from 2010 to 2011. She was an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics in 2012. From 2013 to 2015, she was an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun.

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Gillom para niños