-
Michael Voebel, ESPN Senior Writer
Tina Charles thought her stellar WNBA career was over after she didn’t play in the league last season. Instead, she’s back this year, and on Wednesday night she moved into second place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list behind Phoenix MercuryDiana Turasi.
Charles had 12 points and 17 rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream beat Phoenix 72-63 in College Park, Ga., for their third straight win since the Olympic break.
“It’s just a whole bunch of gratitude,” Charles said of her place on the scoresheet, referring to her faith and the Dream Team’s faith in her. “I was where I was last year, and now I’m where I am now… I thought I was done playing last year. So to be here now is really special.”
Charles passed Hall of Famer Tina Thompson (7,488 points) for second place on the all-time list and now has 7,491 career points over her 13 WNBA seasons. Taurasi, who scored just three points Tuesday, has scored 10,500 points over her 20 WNBA seasons. Both are former Connecticut stars who were teammates with USA Basketball at three Olympics and briefly on the WNBA team with the Mercury in 2022.
“To be on the field with Diana, to be in the same sentence, is unimaginable,” Charles said.
Charles now has 184 career double-doubles, the second-most in WNBA history and 10 shy of retired center Sylvia Fowles’ record of 193. Charles’ 3,876 rebounds are also second only to Fowles’ record of 4,006.
Charles, who was selected No. 1 overall in 2010 by Connecticut and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2012 while with the Suns, reached those milestones despite not playing in 2020 (medical exemption during the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2023. She split the 2022 season between Phoenix and Seattle.
Dreams coach Tanisha Wright — Charles’ teammate for three seasons with the New York Liberty — and general manager Dan Padover felt Charles, 35, was still an impact player and signed her as a free agent in February.
Due to injuries, the Dream team went into the Olympic hiatus, losing eight straight games to fall to 7-17. Now, with players like Olympic 3×3 bronze medalist Ryan Howard and Jordyn Canada back in the starting lineup, Atlanta is 10-17 and just one game behind the Chicago Sky for the final playoff spot.
“Really good teams are consistent,” Charles said. “We’ve been consistent.” [tonight]”Defensively, offensively, sharing the ball, celebrating each other.”
When asked how she could celebrate herself, Charles shrugged and said, “I don’t.”
Wright jumped in and added, “She’s definitely going to have a beer tonight. She’s going to go home and have a beer, sit on her swing and listen to some Caribbean music.”
Charles agreed.
“Yes, that’s true,” she said. “But… I think when I’m actually done [playing]“You approach it in a different way. I’m grateful to be around such an amazing group of women. To see Alicia Gray grow, to be around Ryan Howard, to be influenced by them. I think that’s what means the most to me right now in my career.”