Tangela Smith

Last updated
Tangela Smith
Personal information
Born (1977-04-01) April 1, 1977 (age 47)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight158 lb (72 kg)
Career information
High school George Washington
(Chicago, Illinois)
College Iowa (1994–1998)
WNBA draft 1998: 2nd round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Sacramento Monarchs
Playing career1998–2012
Position Power forward / center
Number50, 5
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
1998–2004 Sacramento Monarchs
2005–2006 Charlotte Sting
2007–2010 Phoenix Mercury
2011 Indiana Fever
2012 San Antonio Stars
As coach:
2014–2018 Western Michigan (assistant)
2018–present Northwestern (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals
Women's Basketball
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Jones Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1997 Taipei Team Competition

Tangela Nicole Smith (born April 1, 1977) is an American former basketball player in the WNBA. Smith played the bulk of her career for the Sacramento Monarchs and the Phoenix Mercury where she won two WNBA Championships. She's currently an assistant coach at Northwestern University.

Contents

High school

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Smith attended George Washington High School, where she was named a 1994 Kodak High School All-American. Smith was named a High School All-American by the WBCA. [1] She participated in the WBCA High School All-America Game in 1994, scoring three points. [2]

College

Smith graduated from the University of Iowa in 1998. She won the 1998 Big Ten Player of the Year award. She was also a 1998 Kodak/WBCA All-America honorable mention and earned 1996 and 1998 All-Big Ten first team and 1997 All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades.

USA Basketball

Smith competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1997 Jones Cup Team that won the silver medal in Taipei. Several of the games were close, with the USA team winning four games by six points or fewer, including an overtime game in the semifinal match against Japan. The gold medal game against South Korea was also close, but the USA fell 76–71 to claim the silver medal for the event. Smith averaged 8.0 points per game. [3]

WNBA career

Smith was selected 12th overall in the 1998 WNBA draft by the Sacramento Monarchs. She played 6 seasons for the Monarchs, helping them reach the playoffs five times. In 2005, she was traded to the Sting in exchange for Nicole Powell. Charlotte folded following the 2006 season and Smith's rights were acquired by the Minnesota Lynx in the dispersal draft.

On Draft Day in April 2007, she was dealt to the Phoenix Mercury for No. 1 overall pick Lindsey Harding.

On Friday, 13 August 2010 she overtook Vickie Johnson and became the WNBA's all-time leader in games played with 411 in 13 seasons. During her time in the league she missed 15 games.

International career

In the WNBA offseason in 1998–99, Smith was a professional basketball player in Italy, Israel, South Korea and Turkey. In 2001, she helped the Botasspor squad win the Turkish league crown. In 2002, she helped the Shinsegae Coolcats win the Korean league championship. Now she plays in the Hungarian Championship since February 2013, for the 2012 Champion Team, HAT-AGRO UNI Győr.

Coaching career

Tangela Smith began her coaching career in 2014 at Western Michigan University on Shane Clipfell's staff. As an assistant coach, Smith helped WMU to a 74–56 record over four seasons.

On July 6, 2018, it was announced that Smith was hired as an assistant coach and would join Joe McKeown's staff at Northwestern University. This would mark a return to the Big 10 where she played collegiately.

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames 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°League leader

WNBA career statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
1998 Sacramento 281025.340.135.774.14.61.00.61.61.79.6
1999 Sacramento 31320.444.350.065.33.80.50.81.21.28.3
2000 Sacramento 323228.947.40.078.35.61.30.92.01.912.1
2001 Sacramento 323228.542.00.072.95.61.31.11.72.111.2
2002 Sacramento 323233.242.335.785.15.91.30.81.41.814.7
2003 Sacramento 343429.044.026.570.75.51.51.30.91.612.6
2004 Sacramento 343326.741.117.280.44.11.51.10.71.611.2
2005 Charlotte 313134.341.70.079.85.21.31.61.02.713.6
2006 Charlotte 343428.642.136.574.45.31.51.20.92.113.1
2007 Phoenix 343431.541.432.878.86.51.31.21.61.612.6
2008 Phoenix 252528.941.734.886.77.01.11.11.21.611.1
2009 Phoenix 343427.145.145.287.05.40.81.01.71.19.9
2010 Phoenix 343429.239.534.775.05.20.90.70.91.19.2
2011 Indiana 333221.537.134.088.23.11.50.70.51.37.2
2012 San Antonio 15010.041.728.6100.01.10.90.10.20.52.5
Career15 years, 5 teams46340027.542.334.377.75.01.21.01.21.610.9

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
1999 Sacramento 1138.037.50.033.32.00.03.01.01.014.0
2000 Sacramento 2229.540.90.075.04.00.51.00.51.010.5
2001 Sacramento 5532.838.30.081.84.81.61.01.00.811.0
2003 Sacramento 6629.339.733.370.07.71.80.80.51.812.8
2004 Sacramento 6630.844.222.277.35.21.31.52.01.815.8
2007 Phoenix 9931.840.748.480.07.81.71.01.81.411.7
2009 Phoenix 111126.452.652.675.05.80.81.40.80.69.9
2010 Phoenix 4432.348.335.375.06.52.30.51.31.39.3
2011 Indiana 6627.540.740.9100.05.31.70.81.02.29.5
2012 San Antonio 204.533.30.00.00.50.50.00.00.01.0
Career10 years, 4 teams525028.942.943.274.85.81.41.11.11.311.0

College career statistics

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
1994–95 Iowa 28--45.30.064.47.50.70.92.6-9.0
1995–96 Iowa 31--47.111.168.17.02.51.32.2-13.6
1996-97 Iowa 30--53.20.068.56.21.21.31.3-11.6
1997-98 Iowa 29--55.90.070.38.41.31.41.9-19.9
Career118--51.06.768.37.31.51.22.0-13.5
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference. [4]


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References

  1. "Past WBCA HS Coaches' All-America Teams". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 1 Jul 2014.
  2. "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 29 Jun 2014.
  3. "1997 Women's R. William Jones Cup". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  4. "Tangela Smith College Stats". Sports-Reference . Retrieved April 11, 2024.