Cappie Pondexter
Encyclopedia
Cappie Pondexter is an American
professional basketball
player in the WNBA, currently playing for the New York Liberty
in the WNBA. She was born in Oceanside, California
and raised in Chicago
, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and deadly midrange jumpshot. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.
Pondexter played for John Marshall Metropolitan High School
in Chicago where she was named a WBCA
All-American. She participated in the 2001 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored sixteen points, and earned MVP honors.
. She led the Scarlet Knights to a 97–22 record and back-to-back Big East Championships in 2005 and 2006. She competed in four NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2005. During the 2005–2006 season, Rutgers compiled a 27–5 record, including a 16–0 record in Big East Conference play. Pondexter took home several awards, including the 2006 Women's Basketball News Service National Player of the year. In her career, the guard scored over 2,000 points.
by the Phoenix Mercury
. As a rookie, she was named to the western conference WNBA all star team.
In 2007, Pondexter played a key role in the Mercury's championship run, and was named 2007 WNBA Finals
Most Valuable Player after averaging 22 points per game during the hard-fought five-game series.
During the 2009 WNBA season
Pondexter became the first player in WNBA history to win 3 consecutive Western Conference Player of the week awards. She was also named to her third WNBA All-star team as a Western Conference reserve.
At the end of the 2009 season, Pondexter helped the Mercury defeat the Indiana Fever
3 games to 2 to win the WNBA championship, the second title for the team in 3 years.
In March 2010, Pondexter was traded to the New York Liberty
as part of a three-team, multiplayer deal. Pondexter indicated in interviews that she had requested the trade. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen year history of the WNBA.
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 32 || 32 || 33.4 || .442 || .373 || .853 || 3.3 || 3.1 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 1.41 || 19.5
|-
| align="left" | 2007
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 31 || 31 || 31.2 || .431 || .333 || .815 || 3.6 || 4.0 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 2.23 || 17.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 32 || 32 || 31.3 || .413 || .313 || .846 || 3.7 || 4.2 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 2.91 || 21.2
|-
| align="left" | 2009
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 34 || 34 || 31.6 || .460 || .358 || .881 || 4.2 || 5.0 || 0.9 || 0.4 || 2.53 || 19.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | New York
| 34 || 34 || 34.3 || .483 || .430 || .892 || 4.5 || 4.9 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 2.38 || 21.4
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | New York
| 34 || 34 || 33.9 || .402 || .345 || .815 || 4.1 || 4.7 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 2.74 || 17.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |6 years, 2 teams
| 197 || 197 || 32.7 || .438 || .360 || .852 || 3.9 || 4.3 || 1.1 || 0.2 || 2.37 || 19.3
| align="left" | 2007
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 9 || 9 || 33.3 || .463 || .316 || .873 || 4.8 || 5.8 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 1.89 || 23.9
|-
| align="left" | 2009
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 11 || 11 || 30.9 || .463 || .250 || .886 || 3.6 || 3.5 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.45 || 18.2
|-
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | New York
| 5 || 5 || 37.2 || .440 || .480 || .903 || 4.2 || 4.6 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.80 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|28.4
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | New York
| || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |4 years, 2 teams
| 25 || 25 || 33.0 || .457 || .333 || .884 || 4.2 || 4.6 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.68 || 22.3
club. When her side's quarter-final match-up against Ros Casares was tied at 67, Pondexter scored the winning basket with just seconds remaining to lift Fenerbahçe to victory. In that same game, she registered 10 assists and 4 steals. Pondexter was among the top five in scoring throughout the season.
2006–07 FIBA Euro All-Star
MVP Turkish Championship
: 2007, 2008 Turkish Cup: 2007 Turkish Presidents Cup: 2007, 2008
After successful two seasons at Fenerbahçe, Pondexter signed with the UMMC Ekaterinburg
club in the Russian Superleague, where she played during the winters of 2008–09 and 2009–10.
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing, 2005 World University Games, 2003 FIBA World Championship for Young Women, 2002 World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Tournament and 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament.
Pondexter 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 traveled to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they competed in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.
Pondexter was named as one of the National team members to represent the USA Basketball team in the WNBA versus USA Basketball. This game replaces the normal WNBA All-Star game with WNBA All-Stars versus USA Basketball, as part of the preparation for the FIBA World Championship for Women
to be held in the Czech Republic
during September and October 2010.
in Japan. Pondexter tweeted: "What if God was tired of the way they treated their own people in there [sic] own country! Idk guys he makes no mistakes." She later tweeted: "u just never knw [sic]! They did pearl harbor so u can't expect anything less." In response to the negative response to her comments, Pondexter replied: "I wanna apologize to anyone I may hurt or offended during this tragic time. I didnt realize that my words could be interpreted in the manner which they were people that knw [sic] me would tell u 1st hand im [sic] a very spiritual person and believe that everything, even disasters happen 4 [sic] a reason and that god [sic] will shouldnt be questioned. But this is a very sensistive [sic] subject at a very tragic time and I shouldnt even have given a reason for the choice of words I used. If youve lost respect for me thats totally fine but please dont let me or my words lose the respect of u the WNBA and what it stands for."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
player in the WNBA, currently playing for the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
in the WNBA. She was born in Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
and raised in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and deadly midrange jumpshot. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.
High school
While growing up in Chicago, Pondexter was a close friend of basketball star Dee Brown.Pondexter played for John Marshall Metropolitan High School
John Marshall Metropolitan High School
John Marshall Metropolitan High School is a public 4-year high school located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It serves the students of the East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, North Lawndale and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. Marshall's principal is Kenyatta Butler...
in Chicago where she 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 2001 WBCA High School All-America Game where she scored sixteen points, and earned MVP honors.
College
Pondexter attended college at Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. She led the Scarlet Knights to a 97–22 record and back-to-back Big East Championships in 2005 and 2006. She competed in four NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2005. During the 2005–2006 season, Rutgers compiled a 27–5 record, including a 16–0 record in Big East Conference play. Pondexter took home several awards, including the 2006 Women's Basketball News Service National Player of the year. In her career, the guard scored over 2,000 points.
WNBA career
Pondexter was selected 2nd overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft2006 WNBA Draft
On November 16, 2005, the Women's National Basketball Association held an expansion draft for the Chicago Sky. It was the first expansion draft since the 2000 season, when the WNBA welcomed the Miami Sol, Portland Fire, Indiana Fever, and Seattle Storm into the league.On April 5, 2006, the WNBA...
by the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
. As a rookie, she was named to the western conference WNBA all star team.
In 2007, Pondexter played a key role in the Mercury's championship run, and was named 2007 WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
Most Valuable Player after averaging 22 points per game during the hard-fought five-game series.
During the 2009 WNBA season
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
Pondexter became the first player in WNBA history to win 3 consecutive Western Conference Player of the week awards. She was also named to her third WNBA All-star team as a Western Conference reserve.
- 2006 WNBA All-star player
- 2007 WNBA All-star player
- 2007 WNBA championship winner with Phoenix Mercury
- 2007 WNBA Final MVP
- 2009 WNBA All-star player
- 2009 WNBA championship winner with Phoenix Mercury
At the end of the 2009 season, Pondexter helped the Mercury defeat the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
3 games to 2 to win the WNBA championship, the second title for the team in 3 years.
In March 2010, Pondexter was traded to the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
as part of a three-team, multiplayer deal. Pondexter indicated in interviews that she had requested the trade. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen year history of the WNBA.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2006
2006 WNBA season
-External links:*******...
| align="left" | Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
| 32 || 32 || 33.4 || .442 || .373 || .853 || 3.3 || 3.1 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 1.41 || 19.5
|-
| align="left" | 2007
2007 WNBA season
-External links:* * * * * * * *...
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 31 || 31 || 31.2 || .431 || .333 || .815 || 3.6 || 4.0 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 2.23 || 17.2
|-
| align="left" | 2008
2008 WNBA season
-Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions....
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 32 || 32 || 31.3 || .413 || .313 || .846 || 3.7 || 4.2 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 2.91 || 21.2
|-
| align="left" | 2009
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 34 || 34 || 31.6 || .460 || .358 || .881 || 4.2 || 5.0 || 0.9 || 0.4 || 2.53 || 19.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010
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...
| align="left" | New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
| 34 || 34 || 34.3 || .483 || .430 || .892 || 4.5 || 4.9 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 2.38 || 21.4
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 WNBA season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began on June 3 with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Minnesota Lynx, featuring 2011 WNBA Draft top pick Maya Moore, in a game televised on NBA TV...
| align="left" | New York
| 34 || 34 || 33.9 || .402 || .345 || .815 || 4.1 || 4.7 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 2.74 || 17.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |6 years, 2 teams
| 197 || 197 || 32.7 || .438 || .360 || .852 || 3.9 || 4.3 || 1.1 || 0.2 || 2.37 || 19.3
Postseason
|-| align="left" | 2007
2007 WNBA Playoffs
The 2007 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2007 season which ended with the Western Conference champion Phoenix Mercury defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Shock 3-2.-Format:...
| align="left" | Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
| 9 || 9 || 33.3 || .463 || .316 || .873 || 4.8 || 5.8 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 1.89 || 23.9
|-
| align="left" | 2009
2009 WNBA Playoffs
The 2009 WNBA Playoffs is the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2009 season.-Format:*The top 4 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs.**All 4 teams are seeded by basis of their standings....
| align="left" | Phoenix
| 11 || 11 || 30.9 || .463 || .250 || .886 || 3.6 || 3.5 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.45 || 18.2
|-
| align="left" | 2010
2010 WNBA Playoffs
The 2010 WNBA Playoffs is the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2010 season.-Format:*The top 4 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs.**All 4 teams are seeded by basis of their standings....
| align="left" | New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
| 5 || 5 || 37.2 || .440 || .480 || .903 || 4.2 || 4.6 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.80 || style="background:#D3D3D3"|28.4
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 WNBA Playoffs
The 2011 WNBA Playoffs is the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2011 season. Four teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs seeded 1 to 4 in a tournament bracket, with the two opening rounds in a best-of-three format, and the final in a...
| align="left" | New York
| || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |4 years, 2 teams
| 25 || 25 || 33.0 || .457 || .333 || .884 || 4.2 || 4.6 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 1.68 || 22.3
Europe career
The 2006–07 campaign marked Cappie Pondexter's first campaign in Europe. She was a major contributor to the success of the Fenerbahçe IstanbulFenerbahçe Istanbul
Fenerbahçe Women's Basketball is the women's basketball department of Fenerbahçe S.K., a major sports club based in Istanbul, Turkey.Fenerbahçe play their matches in the 1.500-seated Caferağa Sport Hall...
club. When her side's quarter-final match-up against Ros Casares was tied at 67, Pondexter scored the winning basket with just seconds remaining to lift Fenerbahçe to victory. In that same game, she registered 10 assists and 4 steals. Pondexter was among the top five in scoring throughout the season.
2006–07 FIBA Euro All-Star
EuroLeague Women
The EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
MVP Turkish Championship
Turkish Women's Basketball League
The Turkish Women’s Basketball League is the top women’s professional basketball league in Turkey organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation. The women’s league started in 1980...
: 2007, 2008 Turkish Cup: 2007 Turkish Presidents Cup: 2007, 2008
After successful two seasons at Fenerbahçe, Pondexter signed with the UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg is a women's basketball team based in Yekaterinburg, Russia that plays in Russia's domestic league and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women. It is a highly successful team in recent years.-External links:* *...
club in the Russian Superleague, where she played during the winters of 2008–09 and 2009–10.
USA Basketball
On the international stage, Pondexter won gold medals with the USAUnited States women's national basketball team
The United States women's national basketball team are the defending Olympic champions in women's basketball. The team is composed of some of the top American players in the WNBA and the women's college game....
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 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, 2005 World University Games, 2003 FIBA World Championship for Young Women, 2002 World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Tournament and 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament.
Pondexter 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 traveled to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they competed in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.
Pondexter was named as one of the National team members to represent the USA Basketball team in the WNBA versus USA Basketball. This game replaces the normal WNBA All-Star game with WNBA All-Stars versus USA Basketball, as part of the preparation for the FIBA World Championship for Women
FIBA World Championship for Women
The FIBA World Championship for Women is a world basketball tournament for women's national teams held quadrennially...
to be held in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
during September and October 2010.
Awards and achievements
- 2006 Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the YearBig East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the YearThe Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year award is given to the women's basketball player in the Big East Conference voted as the top performer by the conference coaches. The 16 head coaches of the league's teams submit their votes following the end of the regular season and...
- 2009 WNBA All-Star Selection2009 WNBA All-Star GameThe 2009 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 25, 2009 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, home of the Connecticut Sun. The game was the 9th annual WNBA All-Star Game...
Controversy
In March 2011, Pondexter drew controversy after posting comments on her Twitter account regarding the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
in Japan. Pondexter tweeted: "What if God was tired of the way they treated their own people in there [sic] own country! Idk guys he makes no mistakes." She later tweeted: "u just never knw [sic]! They did pearl harbor so u can't expect anything less." In response to the negative response to her comments, Pondexter replied: "I wanna apologize to anyone I may hurt or offended during this tragic time. I didnt realize that my words could be interpreted in the manner which they were people that knw [sic] me would tell u 1st hand im [sic] a very spiritual person and believe that everything, even disasters happen 4 [sic] a reason and that god [sic] will shouldnt be questioned. But this is a very sensistive [sic] subject at a very tragic time and I shouldnt even have given a reason for the choice of words I used. If youve lost respect for me thats totally fine but please dont let me or my words lose the respect of u the WNBA and what it stands for."