Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings welcomes All-Star Game to her city at last

INDIANAPOLIS — Shortly after the Indiana Fever selected Tamika Catchings as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2001 WNBA draft, she remembers having a microphone thrust in her face and being asked, “What do you know about Indiana?”

Catchings, not knowing much about the state where she would soon be moving to, replied, “They like to play basketball?”

Almost 25 years later, following a 15-year tenure with the Fever that included a WNBA championship in 2012, Catchings couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

“To go from that [draft] moment, to getting to Indy, to making it really our city – this really has become home,” said Catchings, who retired in 2016 as one of the greatest players in league history. “This has become my city, our city.”

During her career, Catchings was a 10-time All-Star but never got the opportunity to play in an All-Star Game in front of an Indianapolis crowd. As a player, she remembers asking the Fever’s front office when it would be Indiana’s turn to host, only to be told that the organization – and city – weren’t quite ready.

This weekend, Indiana will finally have its moment as it serves as host of this year’s midseason contest. Catchings couldn’t be more excited.

“It’s been a blessing to be here [in Indianapolis] and still be a part of it,” said Catchings, who is now a local business owner and broadcaster. “It’s time. Now is the time.”

Prior to the start of All-Star Weekend, Catchings sat down with Andscape senior writer Sean Hurd at her tea shop in Indianapolis to discuss the state of the WNBA, her All-Star Game memories and the excitement around Indiana basketball.