Kara Lawson
Encyclopedia
Kara Marie Lawson is a professional basketball
player for the WNBA
and a basketball analyst for ESPN
. Lawson primarily plays as a shooting guard
. She won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Lawson signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun
prior to the 2010 WNBA season
.
her freshman year, then went to West Springfield High School, where she played on the girls' basketball
and soccer teams. Lawson was named a WBCA
All-American. She participated in the 1999 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored twenty points, and earned MVP honors.
(UT) and played for the Lady Vols basketball team, coached by Pat Summitt
. She enrolled in UT's College of Business, and graduated in 2003 with a degree in Finance. Lawson received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award
from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association
as the best senior player under 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m).
in the first round (fifth overall) during the annual WNBA Draft
. But five days later, the Shock traded Lawson to the Sacramento Monarchs
in exchange for Kedra Holland-Corn
and a 2004 second-round draft pick. Two years later, Lawson would be a key member of the Monarchs 2005 championship team.
In recent years, Lawson has been involved in sports broadcasting during the WNBA off-season, doing commentaries for men's and women's college basketball games and Sacramento Kings
games.
Lawson was a free agent when the Sacramento Monarchs
folded prior to the 2010 WNBA season
, but later signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun
.
in Beijing
, China
. She helped the United States capture the gold medal, and led the team in points (15) during the gold medal game against Australia, going a perfect 5-5 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line.
Lawson was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in the fall of 2009. The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics is usually chosen from these participants. At the conclusion of the training camp, the team will travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they compete in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.
in Oklahoma.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
and a basketball analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Lawson primarily plays as a shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
. She won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Lawson signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
prior to the 2010 WNBA season
2010 WNBA season
The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...
.
High school
Lawson attended Sidwell Friends SchoolSidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School is a Quaker private school located in Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through secondary school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas Sidwell, its motto is "Eluceat omnibus lux" , alluding to the Quaker concept of inner light...
her freshman year, then went to West Springfield High School, where she played on the girls' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and soccer teams. Lawson was named a WBCA
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
All-American. She participated in the 1999 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored twenty points, and earned MVP honors.
College
Lawson attended the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
(UT) and played for the Lady Vols basketball team, coached by Pat Summitt
Pat Summitt
Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
. She enrolled in UT's College of Business, and graduated in 2003 with a degree in Finance. Lawson received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award
Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award
The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is an annual college basketball award in the United States intended to honor shorter–than–average players who excel on the court despite their size. The award, named in honor of James Naismith's daughter–in–law, was established for men in 1969 and for women in 1984...
from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
as the best senior player under 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m).
WNBA career
On April 24, 2003, Lawson was selected by the Detroit ShockDetroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in the first round (fifth overall) during the annual WNBA Draft
WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the WNBA through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. The first WNBA draft was held in 1997...
. But five days later, the Shock traded Lawson to the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
in exchange for Kedra Holland-Corn
Kedra Holland-Corn
Kedra Holland-Corn is a WNBA basketball player. After attending the University of Georgia, she played for the Sacramento Monarchs and Houston Comets, and now plays for the Detroit Shock....
and a 2004 second-round draft pick. Two years later, Lawson would be a key member of the Monarchs 2005 championship team.
In recent years, Lawson has been involved in sports broadcasting during the WNBA off-season, doing commentaries for men's and women's college basketball games and Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
games.
Lawson was a free agent when the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
folded prior to the 2010 WNBA season
2010 WNBA season
The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...
, but later signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
.
International career
On July 10, 2008, Lawson was selected to represent the United States with the USA women's national basketball team at the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. She helped the United States capture the gold medal, and led the team in points (15) during the gold medal game against Australia, going a perfect 5-5 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line.
Lawson was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in the fall of 2009. The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics is usually chosen from these participants. At the conclusion of the training camp, the team will travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they compete in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.
ESPN
Lawson serves as an analyst for ESPN covering college basketball and the NBA. On January 12, 2007, she was the first female to serve as a nationwide broadcast analyst for an NBA game, when the New Orleans Hornets took on the Washington WizardsWashington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
in Oklahoma.