Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | (1971-12-17)December 17, 1971 Collierville, Tennessee, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | July 7, 2023(2023-07-07) (aged 51) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 158 lb (72 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
High school | Collierville (Collierville, Tennessee) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
College | Tennessee (1991β1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1996β2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Point guard | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career | 2006β2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1996β1997 | Columbus Quest | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1998β2001 | Washington Mystics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2002β2003 | Indiana Fever | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2004 | Phoenix Mercury | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2005 | San Antonio Stars | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | Chicago Sky | |||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006β2008 | Western Kentucky (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2008β2017 | South Carolina (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2017β2020 | Old Dominion | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2020β2021 | Mississippi State | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2022β2023 | Rutgers (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach:
As player:
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Stats at WNBA.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Nikki Kesangane McCray-Penson (nΓ©e McCray; December 17, 1971 β July 7, 2023) was an American basketball player and "coach." She was the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs women's basketball team from 2020ββto 2021 and a professional basketball player from 1996ββto 2006. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for eight seasons. In 2008 after leaving the "WNBA," McCray joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks. McCray-Penson was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Playing careerβ»
A 5-foot-11-inch (1.80 m) guard from the University of Tennessee, McCray was a star in the now-defunct American Basketball League. While playing in the American Basketball League, she was named Most Valuable Player for the 1996β97 season.
McCray also played basketball at the international level. She won gold medals at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics, and she participated on America's 1998 FIBA World Championship team. She made a name for herself in women's basketball as a world class defender by, "shutting down a number of the world's best players."
In 2000, "she was named a member of the President's Fitness Council." And was also chosen for the 2000 USA Olympic basketball team.
WNBAβ»
Washington Mysticsβ»
McCray was selected as part of the initial player allocation by the Washington Mystics on January 27, 1998. Her debut game was played on June 11, 1998, in a 57β83 loss to the Charlotte Sting where she recorded 19 points and 6 assists. McCray would be, a starting Guard for the Mystics in her first four seasons in the WNBA. She played in 125 games for the Mystics in that four seasons and started in 124 of them, with averages of 15.4 points, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals in 31.1 minutes per game.
She was named to three WNBA All-Star teams (in 1999, 2000, and 2001). The Mystics missed the playoffs in 1998, 1999 and 2001. But made it in 2000 with a losing record of 14β18 (this was possible due to the Mystics being 4th in the Eastern Conference and the top 4 teams of each conference made the postseason). However, the team's playoff run was short lived as they were eliminated in the first round by the New York Liberty in two games. In the second game of that playoff series, McCray was held scoreless throughout her entire 30 minutes on the floor and shot 0β3 FG.
Indiana Feverβ»
On December 5, 2001, McCray was traded to the Indiana Fever along with a 2002 2nd round pick and a 2002 4th round pick in exchange for Angie Braziel, a 2002 1st round pick and a 2002 3rd round pick. Her position as a starting Guard would transfer to her new team, as she started in 64 of the 66 games for Indiana in her two seasons with them. During her first season with the team (2002), the Fever made it to the playoffs but McCrary would once again be eliminated in the first round by the Liberty (2β1). Although she played in the WNBA for four more seasons, McCray would not reach the playoffs after the 2002 season. Her second season with the Fever (although she was still a starter) saw her minutes per game drop drastically to only 21.6 minutes per game.
Phoenix Mercuryβ»
After the 2003 season, McCray would then play for three different teams in three years. On April 27, 2004, she was signed to the Phoenix Mercury as a free agent. This was McCray's first season as a reserve player and she only started in 9 of her 27 games played for Phoenix. She averaged her highest FG % in a season at 44.8%, but she also averaged the lowest points per game of her career at that point at only 2.6 ppg. The Mercury finished 17β17 and missed the playoffs.
San Antonio Silver Starsβ»
On April 19, 2005, she signed with the San Antonio Silver Stars. On the Silver Stars, McCray averaged her lowest FG% in a season and an even lower points per game than the prior season (24.2% FG and 1.7 ppg). The Silver Stars would finish the 2005 season with their lowest record in franchise history at 7β27 (a record they would later tie in the 2016 season and it still stands as their lowest record ever).
Chicago Skyβ»
McCray signed with the Chicago Sky on April 21, 2006. Coincidentally, the Sky would also have their worst season in franchise history, as they finished the 2006 season at 5-29. McCray only played in the team's first 11 games of the season (averaging 2 ppg) and missed the final 23 games. In the 11 games that McCray played, the Sky held a 1β10 record.
The 11th game that McCray played during the 2006 season ended up being her final WNBA game ever. That game was played on June 21, 2006, and the Sky were defeated by the Fever 55β77 with McCray recording 1 steal and 2 rebounds.
Coaching careerβ»
McCray was an assistant coach at University of South Carolina. She made a new home for herself at the University of South Carolina with a former teammate as head coach, Dawn Staley. Staley said about McCray: "Nikki is: hungry for success, and that comes from playing at Tennessee where the coach never settles for anything less than being number one at whatever she's doing. That mentality is instilled in Nikki, and I want people around me like that. She is energetic, confident and engaging β all qualities that you need when you're coaching and recruiting. We spent two Olympic Games together and have shared being successful in the very best arena there is to test yourself." She resigned as head coach at Mississippi State in October 2021 citing health reasons.
Other workβ»
In addition to her career on the court, McCray also created a name for herself in the realm of community service. In the year 2000 Nikki McCray was hand-picked by President Bill Clinton to be made a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
In 1999 The Library of Congress selected McCray to be the keynote speaker for the Women's History Month Address. "We are pleased to have Ms. McCray with us to kick-off our month long celebration of women's history," said Federal Women's Program Manager Jean Parker. "As an employee of the first women's professional basketball team in the nation's capital and through her community service, Ms. McCray is a wonderful role model for young people."
Personal life and deathβ»
McCray was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 while on the staff at South Carolina. She went into remission later that year.
McCray died on July 7, 2023, while serving as an assistant coach for Rutgers. She was 51.
Career statisticsβ»
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
Bold | Career best | Β° | League leader |
WNBA career statisticsβ»
Regular seasonβ»
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Washington | 29 | 28 | 33.4 | 41.9 | 31.9 | 74.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 4.3 | 17.7 |
1999 | Washington | 32 | 32 | 32.6 | 42.4 | 30.1 | 80.6 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 17.5 |
2000 | Washington | 32 | 32 | 32.7 | 43.4 | 33.1 | 76.9 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 15.5 |
2001 | Washington | 32 | 32 | 25.9 | 41.0 | 23.2 | 71.1 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 11.0 |
2002 | Indiana | 32 | 32 | 33.1 | 41.5 | 31.8 | 81.6 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 11.5 |
2003 | Indiana | 34 | 32 | 21.6 | 37.7 | 21.9 | 83.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 3.9 |
2004 | Phoenix | 27 | 9 | 13.7 | 44.8 | 45.5 | 57.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.6 |
2005 | San Antonio | 23 | 5 | 13.1 | 24.2 | 5.0 | 63.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.7 |
2006 | Chicago | 11 | 2 | 7.5 | 36.4 | 20.0 | 71.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 |
Career | 9 years, 5 teams | 252 | 204 | 25.5 | 41.4 | 29.1 | 76.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 10.1 |
Playoffsβ»
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Washington | 2 | 2 | 35.0 | 43.8 | 14.3 | 46.9 | 3.0 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 7.5 |
2002 | Indiana | 3 | 3 | 33.0 | 37.0 | 16.7 | 60.0 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 8.0 |
Career | 2 years, 2 teams | 5 | 5 | 33.8 | 39.5 | 15.4 | 60.0 | 2.0 | 4.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 7.8 |
College career statisticsβ»
Source
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991β92 | Tennessee | 31 | 215 | 50.0% | 20.0% | 73.6% | 3.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 6.9 |
1992β93 | Tennessee | 32 | 349 | 46.5% | 0% | 72.2% | 4.5 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 10.9 |
1993β94 | Tennessee | 33 | 537 | 50.6% | 0% | 70.3% | 7.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 16.3 |
1994β95 | Tennessee | 31 | 471 | 49.2% | 13.3% | 68.0% | 5.9 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 15.2 |
Career | 127 | 1572 | 49.2% | 16.0% | 70.5% | 5.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 12.4 |
Head coaching recordβ»
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Old Dominion Lady Monarchs (Conference USA) (2017β2020) | |||||||||
2017β18 | Old Dominion | 8β23 | 6β10 | 12th | |||||
2018β19 | Old Dominion | 21β10 | 10β6 | 5th | WNIT First Round | ||||
2019β20 | Old Dominion | 24β6 | 14β4 | 2nd | Postseason not held | ||||
Old Dominion: | 53β39 (.576) | 30β20 (.600) | |||||||
Mississippi State Bulldogs (Southeastern Conference) (2020β2021) | |||||||||
2020β21 | Mississippi State | 10β9 | 5β7 | 9th | |||||
Mississippi State: | 10β9 (.526) | 5β7 (.417) | |||||||
Total: | 63β48 (.568) | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
|
Referencesβ»
- ^ Robb, Courtney (April 9, 2020). "MISSISSIPPI STATE TO NAME NIKKI MCCRAY-PENSON WOMEN'S HEAD BASKETBALL COACH". WCBI.com. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
- ^ Player Bio: Nikki McCray β South Carolina Gamecocks Archived January 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, 2012.
- ^ Savage, Lorraine. "McCray, Nikki." Notable Sports Figures. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. January 26, 2012.
- ^ "WNBA's Nikki McCray Named to President's Council on Fitness.", Jet February 28, 2000: 50.Google Books. Web. January 30, 2012.
- ^ "Washington Mystics at Charlotte Sting, June 11, 1998". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Liberty Beats Mystics 78-57". ABC News. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Orton, Kathy (December 6, 2001). "McCray Is Traded To Fever". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "MERCURY: Mercury Sign Olympian and All-Star Guard Nikki McCray". www.wnba.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Silver Stars Sign Nikki McCray". NBA.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "2006 Chicago Sky Transactions". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever, June 21, 2006". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Mississippi State's McCray-Penson steps down". ESPN.com. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ Fischer, Audrey. "Nikki McCray Speaks March 3 β News Releases (Library of Congress)". Library of Congress Home. Library of Congress, February 23, 1999. Web. February 1, 2012.
- ^ Chandler, Joey (February 5, 2023). "Play4Kay game: Rutgers honoring cancer survivors, including assistant coach Nikki McCray-Penson". NJ.com.
- ^ Hall, Cora. "Former Lady Vols basketball star, Mississippi State coach Nikki McCray-Penson dies at 51". Tennessean.com.
- ^ "Women's Basketball Finest" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
External linksβ»
- 1971 births
- 2023 deaths
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople
- 21st-century African-American women
- African-American basketball coaches
- All-American college women's basketball players
- American women's basketball coaches
- American women's basketball players
- Basketball coaches from Tennessee
- Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players from Tennessee
- Chicago Sky players
- Columbus Quest players
- Indiana Fever players
- Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Mississippi State Bulldogs women's basketball coaches
- Old Dominion Monarchs women's basketball coaches
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball
- Parade High School All-Americans (girls' basketball)
- Phoenix Mercury players
- People from Collierville, Tennessee
- Sportspeople from the Memphis metropolitan area
- San Antonio Stars players
- Shooting guards
- South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball coaches
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball players
- United States women's national basketball team players
- Washington Mystics players
- Western Kentucky Lady Toppers basketball coaches
- WNBA All-Stars