Temeka Johnson
Encyclopedia
Temeka Rochelle Johnson (born September 6, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana
) is an American professional basketball
player for the Phoenix Mercury
of the WNBA
. Her primary position is point guard
.
from 2002–2005, graduating from LSU
in 2005. She broke LSU's career assist record. She was also teammates with Seimone Augustus
.
. Upon joining the Mystics
she was criticized for being too short to play professional basketball. That same year she would walk away with the 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and ranked 2nd in the league in assists. At the beginning of the 2006 season, she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks
, and, during the 2009 offseason, to the Phoenix Mercury
who went on to win the WNBA
Championship later that year.
, Croatia
. She played for Raanana in Israel during the 2008-09 WNBA off-season.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
) is an American 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 for 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...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. Her primary position is point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
.
College years
Johnson played for the LSU Lady TigersLSU Lady Tigers basketball
The LSU Lady Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The team is currently coached by former UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell, who accepted the job on April 2, 2011. Past coaches include Barbara Swanner, Jinks Coleman,...
from 2002–2005, graduating from LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in 2005. She broke LSU's career assist record. She was also teammates with Seimone Augustus
Seimone Augustus
Seimone Augustus is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Minnesota Lynx, WBC Spartak Moscow Region and the US national team...
.
- AP All-American honorable mention (2004, 2003, 2002)
- All-SEC First Team (2005, 2004)
- All-SEC Third Team (2003)
- SEC Tournament MVP (2003)
- SEC All-Tournament Team (2003, 2002)
WNBA career
Johnson was selected 6th overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft2005 WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the Women's National Basketball Association through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players...
. Upon joining the Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
she was criticized for being too short to play professional basketball. That same year she would walk away with the 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and ranked 2nd in the league in assists. At the beginning of the 2006 season, she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
, and, during the 2009 offseason, to 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...
who went on to win the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
Championship later that year.
International career
Johnson was a member of the gold medal 2003 USA World Championship Young Women Team in ŠibenikŠibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. She played for Raanana in Israel during the 2008-09 WNBA off-season.
Vital statistics
- Position: Guard
- Height: 5 ft 3 in. (1.6 m.)
- Weight: 145 lbs (65.9 kg.)
- College: Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
- Teams: Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles SparksThe Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
, Washington MysticsWashington MysticsThe Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
, Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe 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...