CHICAGO (WTHR) - Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings is among eight finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame on a list that includes the late Kobe Bryant.
Catchings, who was named to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this week, joins Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett as first-time finalists for the Hall. Coaches Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich, Kim Mulkey and Barbara Stevens are also among the finalists.
Catchings averaged 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 15 seasons with the Fever. She was named the 2011 WNBA MVP and led the Fever to the 2012 WNBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors. Catchings was named to the All-WNBA team 12 times in her career.
She led the league in scoring in her rookie season in 2002 and currently ranks third on the WNBA's all-time scoring list. Her 2.4 steals per game and 1,074 total steals are the best in WNBA history.
She also won four consecutive Olympic gold medals with Team USA from 2002-2016.
Catchings currently serves as the vice president of basketball operations for the Fever.
The finalists who receive 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee will be inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. in August. The inductees will be announced April 4 on ESPN.
