Info on Tamika Williams

[CONNMAN98]

As a Johnny come lately UConn fan I was not watching them 15 years ago. While watching the Huskies this year we all marvel (and rightfully so) over Napheesa's efficiency at shooting (around 68%). When perusing the Huskies record book, I am amazed that the 4 best FG%'s for a single season are Tamika Williams #1, #2, #3 and #4! It certainly doesn't seem to get the publicity it deserves! Actually Napheesa's current % would put her at #4 and break up Tamika's string!

Anyway I'm certainly familiar with the legend of Tamika's class and the exploits of Sue, Swin, Ashja, Diana and Tamika but could someone give me more info on Tamika's incredible FG%. Was she a great offensive rebounder who just scored on put-backs? Did they run plays for her? Did she have a good mid range game? Even if she just cleaned the boards and scored from down low, she still had the highest FG% among all the other bigs who played close to the basket.

Any insights would be appreciated!

 

[Phil]

When perusing the Huskies record book, I am amazed that the 4 best FG%'s for a single season are Tamika Williams #1, #2, #3 and #4! It certainly doesn't seem to get the publicity it deserves!

At the risk of showing off a bit, I have helped. His something that I believe happened although I'm doing a little bit of reconstruction of what seems plausible.

The NCAA keeps track of top field-goal percentage for each year but has a minimum number of shots. Tamika Williams didn't quite qualify for any of those four years. The NCAA also has a career record, also with a minimum number of shots (minimum 400 made). Tamika qualified for the career record for not for the individual year records. My guess is that the NCAA statisticians looked at the individual year one is to identify the career win or not considering the possibility that someone could be a number one for the career even though they didn't qualify for the individual years. I wrote to the NCAA to point this out and they corrected the record.

So not only is she the leader for UConn in each of those four years, shes the NCAA record holder for a career at 70.3%

 

[psconn]

Tamika was unstoppable in her world... typically within 4' of the basket. A great space-maker and finisher under the hoop.

 

[Blakeon18]

Napheesa basically never takes a bad shot. Tamika was the same. The main difference is that Napheesa has much more range....out to trey land...while
Tamika was around the basket and rarely rarely went to even mid-range. Maybe she was a tad taller than Napheesa but she was a bit....just a bit...of a wide-body which
greatly helped her grab rebounds. On that marvelous 2001-2002 team there were 4 future Olympians...Sue/Swin/Dee and Ashja. Tamika could easily have made it 5 imo.

 

[Scotter]

For a long time Tamika was the career FG% leader for both the NCAA and WNBA, but she's been passed in the WNBA by a few players in the last few seasons.

 

[Fiftyish]

And, during at least 1 full year of her career she had major issues with a shoulder problem that limited her arm mobility. Tough kid. Came out of HS as the number one recruit.

 

[LesMis89]

Geno used to say the only reason she missed the inside bunnies was to pad her rebounding stats. She was called the Mayor of Storrs because of her outgoing personality.

 

[connie]

Funny you should mention . . .

I have watched early videos of Tamika's college career, including (on more than one occasion) her terrific performance in the 1998 NCAAWB finals.

It occurred to me that even as a freshman, her game shared some similarities with Phees's. This is why I wonder whether years from now fans of the game may look back on Phees as one of the greats, or who knows? perhaps an all-time great. That is part of the fun of following sports and watching young athletes in the springtime of their careers. You never know where things will end up. Could anyone watching Tom Brady in college have reasonably turned to the person sitting next to them and said, "you know, that guy will one day lead his team to 5 Super Bowls wins."

 

[Aluminny69]

Could anyone watching Tom Brady in college have reasonably turned to the person sitting next to them and said, "you know, that guy will one day lead his team to 5 Super Bowls wins."

Possibly....

 

[connie]

NFL's original "Comeback Kid" is John Elway, 2-3 in Super Bowls. So . . . provided we generously broaden the term "reasonably", then "yes", I suppose "possibly" . . . but not very "probably".

 

[meyers7]

Williams was the bomb. On most other teams she would have been an AA. (but playing with Sveta, Shea, Bird, Cash, Jones....well). She was also a very good defender. A good perimeter defender, had very quick feet. Great player, great leader.

She still holds the WNBA single season shooting percentage at .668%.

 

[connie]

Funny you should mention . . .

I have watched early videos of Tamika's college career, including (on more than one occasion) her terrific performance in the 1998 NCAAWB finals.

It occurred to me that even as a freshman, her game shared some similarities with Phees's. This is why I wonder whether years from now fans of the game may look back on Phees as one of the greats, or who knows? perhaps an all-time great. That is part of the fun of following sports and watching young athletes in the springtime of their careers. You never know where things will end up. Could anyone watching Tom Brady in college have reasonably turned to the person sitting next to them and said, "you know, that guy will one day lead his team to 5 Super Bowls wins."

Yikes! Williams, not Catchings!