Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player.

She scored 955 in the 1992–93 season, which is an all-time scoring record for a single season (as of 2006).

Swoopes' 24.9 points-per-game average for her career is the best in school history; she also boasts three triple-doubles and 23 double-doubles, 14 of which came during her senior year.

In 1993, Swoopes won the NCAA women's basketball championship with the Texas Tech Lady Raiders during her senior season.

Her jersey was retired by the school the following year, making her one of only three Lady Raiders to be honored in this way.

The others are Carolyn Thompson and Krista Kirkland, Swoopes' teammate from the 1993 championship team.

As of 2010, Swoopes was still a part of the women's basketball record books in many categories, including single-game scoring record (53 points on March 13, 1993, vs. Texas, tied for tenth place), single-season scoring (955 points in the 1993 season, fourth place), highest championship tournament scoring average (35.4 in the 1993 tournament, second place), best single-game championship scoring performance (47 points vs. Ohio State, 1993 championship), which broke Bill Walton's record, and scoring record for championship series (177 points, five games).

She set the record for the most field goals in the championship game with 16.

Swoopes also set several school records at Texas Tech.

Swoopes was the 1993 winner of the Naismith College Player of the Year award at the age of 22, the Honda Sports Award, was selected as that year's WBCA Player of the Year, and was chosen to the Division I All-American squad in both 1992 and 1993.

Swoopes was named the 1993 Sportswoman of the Year (in the team category) by the Women's Sports Foundation.

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Swoopes was named to the USA national team and competed in the 1994 World Championships, held in June 1994 in Sydney, Australia.

The team was coached by Tara VanDerveer, and won their first six games, when they faced Brazil.

In a closely contested, high-scoring game, Brazil hit 10 of 10 free throws in the final minute to secure a 110–107 victory.

The USA won a close final game against Australia 100–95 to earn the bronze medal.

Swoopes averaged 9.1 points per game, while recording seven steals, second highest on the team.

Swoopes was selected to represent the US at the 1995 USA Women's Pan American Games, but only four teams committed to participate, so the event was cancelled.

Swoopes continued as a member of the USA team at the 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta, Georgia.

The USA team won all their pool play games by large margins, although they were behind Cuba by as many as seven points before Lisa Leslie's 24 points helped the USA take over the game.

Swoopes was recruited for the Houston Comets of the WNBA during the 1997 inaugural season.

Due to the birth of her son, Swoopes had a late-season debut for her career, playing her very first game on August 7, 1997 (6 weeks after the season started).

In her debut game, the Comets defeated the Phoenix Mercury 74 - 70 with Swoopes playing for 5 minutes and recording no stats.

In 2002, Swoopes was named to the national team which competed in the World Championships in Zhangjiagang, Changzhou, and Nanjing, China.

The team was coached by Van Chancellor.

Swoopes scored 16.9 points per game, second highest on the team and recorded a team-high 24 steals.

The USA team won all nine games, including a close title game against Russia, which had a one-point difference late in the game.

Swoopes was named to the National Team representing the US at the 2006 World Championships, held in Barueri and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The team won eight of their nine contests, but the lone loss came in the semifinal medal round to Russia.

The USA beat Brazil in the final game to earn the bronze medal.

Swoopes, hampered by injuries, averaged 3.0 points per game and was second on the team with six blocks.

She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game.

Swoopes has won three Olympic gold medals and is one of eleven women's basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a Fiba World Cup gold, and a WNBA title.

She was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

In 2017, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Born in Brownfield, Texas, Swoopes was raised by her mother, Louise Swoopes, and played basketball with her three older brothers.

She began competing at age seven in a local children's league called Little Dribblers.

She played basketball at Brownfield High School.

Initially recruited by the University of Texas, Swoopes left the school shortly after her arrival without playing a game and enrolled at South Plains College.

After playing at South Plains for two years, Swoopes transferred to Texas Tech, near her hometown.