Teresa Weatherspoon facts for kids
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Weatherspoon introduction as Chicago Sky Head Coach, 2023
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| Vinyl BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coach | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 8, 1965 Pineland, Texas, U.S. |
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| High school | West Sabine (Pineland, Texas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 161 lb (73 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Louisiana Tech (1984–1988) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1988–2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2007–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Unrivaled | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1992 | Busto Arsizio | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Magenta | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Como | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | CSKA Moscow | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2003 | New York Liberty | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Westchester Phantoms | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Louisiana Tech (associate HC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2014 | Louisiana Tech | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | New Orleans Pelicans (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Chicago Sky | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Vinyl BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career Unrivaled statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall record | 99–71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon (born December 8, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. She is currently the head coach for Vinyl BC in the Unrivaled basketball league. Before this, she coached the Chicago Sky in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Weatherspoon also played for the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. She was also the head basketball coach for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. Teresa Weatherspoon is a member of both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted in 2010) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted in 2019). Fans voted her as one of the top 15 WNBA players ever in 2011. In 2016, she was named to the WNBA Top 20@20 list, celebrating the league's best 20 players over its first 20 years.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Teresa Weatherspoon was born in Pineland, Texas. She studied health and physical education at Louisiana Tech and was a star basketball player. In 1988, during her final year, she led the Lady Techsters to win the NCAA national title. After college, Weatherspoon played basketball overseas for eight years. She played in countries like Italy, France, and Russia.
Starting in the WNBA
Weatherspoon was one of the first players in the WNBA when it started in 1997. She joined the New York Liberty for their first season. Her very first game was on June 21, 1997. The Liberty won 67–57 against the Los Angeles Sparks. In that game, Weatherspoon scored 3 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and made 10 assists. She was the first player in WNBA history to get double-digit assists in a single game!
Weatherspoon was a skilled ball-handler and a strong leader. Her energetic playing style quickly made her a fan favorite in New York. The Liberty made it to the first WNBA Finals, but they lost to the Houston Comets. Weatherspoon also won the first-ever WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Defensive Star and "The Shot"
In 1998, the Liberty finished the season with 18 wins and 12 losses. Weatherspoon averaged 6.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. She won the Defensive Player of the Year Award again in 1998. This made her the first player to win the award two years in a row.
In 1999, Weatherspoon continued to play well for the Liberty. She was also chosen as an All-Star. The team made it back to the Finals with an 18–14 record. During the 1999 WNBA Finals, Weatherspoon made one of the most famous plays in WNBA history. In Game 2, on September 4, 1999, the Liberty were losing 67–65 to the Houston Comets. There were only 2.4 seconds left, and the Liberty had no timeouts. After getting the ball, Weatherspoon dribbled to half-court. She then shot the ball from 50 feet away, and it went in! This game-winning shot forced a Game 3. People still call that moment "The Shot."
Later WNBA Years
From 2000 to 2003, Weatherspoon was an All-Star every year. She continued to be a consistent and tough player for the Liberty. The Liberty reached the Finals two more times, in 2000 and 2002. This made it four Finals appearances for Weatherspoon and the team. However, they lost both times. They were swept by the Comets in 2000 and by the Sparks in 2002.
The 2003 season was the first time the Liberty had a losing record. They finished 16–18 and missed the playoffs for only the second time in six years. Weatherspoon was also the only WNBA player to start every game she played until the 2004 season. From 1997 to 2003, she played in 220 games and started all of them.
In 2004, Weatherspoon left the Liberty and signed with the Los Angeles Sparks. Her role on the team changed a lot. For the first time in her career, she came off the bench. She played only about 8.6 minutes per game, compared to 31.1 minutes with the Liberty. The Sparks finished with a strong 25–9 record. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the 2004 playoffs.
Weatherspoon's last WNBA game was on September 26, 2004. It was Game 2 of the 2004 Western Conference First Round against the Sacramento Monarchs. The Sparks won the game, but they lost Game 3 and were eliminated. After the 2004 season, Weatherspoon retired from playing.
Coaching Career
Early Coaching Roles
In 2007, Teresa Weatherspoon became the head coach of the Westchester Phantoms. This team was part of the American Basketball Association.
In April 2008, she joined the coaching staff of the Lady Techsters at Louisiana Tech. She was promoted to interim head coach in February 2009. By April 2009, she was named the official head women's basketball coach.
NBA and WNBA Coaching
On September 26, 2019, Weatherspoon was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as a two-way player development coach. She was later promoted to a full-time assistant coach in November 2020. The Pelicans released Weatherspoon from their coaching staff in June 2023.
On October 12, 2023, Weatherspoon was hired as the Head Coach of the Chicago Sky in the WNBA. However, on September 26, 2024, she was fired after the Sky did not make the playoffs. Sky player Angel Reese shared her sadness about the news online. She said Weatherspoon "was the only person that believed in me. The one that trusted me," and called her an "unsung hero" in her life.
Unrivaled League
On November 15, 2024, it was announced that Weatherspoon would be one of the six new head coaches for the Unrivaled basketball league. She will coach Vinyl BC.
National Team Success
Teresa Weatherspoon played for the US national team in several major international competitions.
Goodwill Games Gold
In July 1986, Weatherspoon was part of the US team at the first Goodwill Games in Moscow. The team won against Yugoslavia, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria. In the final game, they faced the Soviet Union, who had a very strong record. The US team won 83–60, earning the gold medal. Weatherspoon averaged 1.6 points per game in this event.
World Championship Gold
A month later, Weatherspoon was also selected for the 1986 World Championship in Moscow. Although she was injured and could not play, the US team was very dominant. They won their early games easily. In the semi-final, they beat Canada 82–59. The final game was against the Soviet team, who also had a perfect record. The US team started strong, scoring the first eight points. They won the gold medal with a score of 108–88.
Olympic Medals
Weatherspoon also played for the US team at the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The team won four out of five games and finished in fifth place. She averaged 8.6 points per game and had 21 steals, which was tied for the most on the team.
She won a gold medal with Team USA at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She also earned a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Coaching Record Summary
Teresa Weatherspoon's overall coaching record at Louisiana Tech was 99 wins and 71 losses.
- As head coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters:
- 2009: WAC Regular Season Champions
- 2010: WAC Tournament Champions
- 2011: WAC Regular Season Champions
- As head coach of the Chicago Sky (2024 WNBA season):
- Overall record: 13 wins, 27 losses.
Personal Life
Teresa Weatherspoon was born to Charles and Rowena Weatherspoon in Pineland, Texas. Her father, Charles Sr., played minor league baseball. He holds a record for hitting three grand slams in one minor league game. Teresa has two brothers and three sisters. She says her family, especially her mother, Rowena, was the biggest influence on her basketball career. Fans often call her by her nicknames, "T-Spoon" or "Spoon." She is a second cousin to former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.
In 1999, she wrote a book called Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls. It shares stories and tips for young girls who want to improve their basketball skills.
Career Achievements
- Second all-time in career assists in the WNBA.
- Led the New York Liberty to the first WNBA Finals in 1997 and again in 1999.
- Started in the first five WNBA All-Star games (1999–2003).
- Named to the All-WNBA Second Team (1997–2000).
- Won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award twice (1997, 1998).
- Made a famous half-court shot to tie the WNBA Finals series in 1999.
- Started every WNBA game she played until the 2003 season.
- Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Images for kids
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Weatherspoon coaching for Louisiana Tech in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Teresa Weatherspoon para niños
- List of female NBA coaches
- 1987 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
- List of NCAA Division I women's basketball career assists leaders
