The Indiana Fever announced that franchise legend Tamika Catchings is stepping down from her roles as VP of basketball operations and general manager.
Just crossed my desk: Tamika Catchings stepping down as Fever VP of Basketball Ops & GM. pic.twitter.com/ubF9QqiOce
— Angel Gray (@Angel_Gray1) February 14, 2022
Despite stepping down from her roles in the Fever’s front office, she will remain a volunteer co-chair for the ’24 NBA All-Star Board of Directors. Former Fever coach Lin Dunn will take over for Catchings as the interim general manager and senior advisor for basketball operations. Dunn guided the team to three WNBA Finals appearances, winning their lone title in 2012.
The ’22 Hall of Famer held her front-office positions since 2017, but the franchise hasn’t been able to muster much success under her leadership and has missed the playoffs the last five seasons. The team’s last two first-round draft picks — Lauren Cox and Kysre Gondrezick — were cut before they had a chance to develop. Cox now plays for Los Angeles, and the Chicago Sky recently signed Gondrezick.
“While change is never easy, now it’s time to take a step back from my role as general manager, take a well-earned rest, and prioritize my family, my philanthropy, our community, and my other passions,” Catchings said in a statement. “The opportunity to be drafted into this world-class Fever organization, to be embraced by these amazing owners, fans, coaches, teammates, and community, and to be given the chance to grow as an executive leader has been a true blessing.”
As a player, Catchings is the Fever’s most accomplished player, leading the franchise to a title in 2012 and was named Finals MVP. She was named regular season MVP in 2011 and won the Defensive Player of the Year five times. She was also a 10x All-Star, a 12x All-WNBA selection, and a 12x All-Defensive pick after leading the W in steals eight times.
The Fever has the No. 2 pick in the April draft.
