WNBA.com: Kara Lawson Playerfile
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Background

WNBA TRANSACTIONS: 4/29/03: Traded by Detroit to Sacramento for Kedra Holland- Corn and a 2004 second round draft pick…4/24/03: Selected by Detroit in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2003 WNBA Draft.M

2008 WNBA REGULAR SEASON:
Averaged 12.2 ppg (.405 FG%, .432 3FG%, .914 FT%), 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.1 bpg, and 24.7 mpg in 32 games played (31 started)…Scored in double figures in 24 games…Led Sacramento in free throw percentage (.914)...Season-highs: points – 23 (at San Antonio, 9/13); rebounds – 6 (at Seattle, 7/27); assists – 5 (twice); steals – 3 (at Seattle, 7/27); blocks – 1 (twice)… PLAYOFFS : Averaged 9.7 ppg (.478 FG%, .375 3FG%, .800 FT%), 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 0.7 spg and 27.0 mpg through three playoff games.

WNBA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Averaging 9.3 ppg (.401 FG%, .396 3FG%, .857 FT%), 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.1 bpg and 23.2 mpg through 192 regular season games…Played over 4,400 minutes and scored over 1,700 career points…2007: Averaged a career-high 11.0 ppg, (.376 FG%, .338 3FG%, .841 FT%), 2.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.2 bpg and 22.8 mpg through 34 games played…Named as a replacement player for the 2007 All-Star Game…Scored in double figures in 17 games…Tied a career-high 24 points at Houston (6/11)… Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds at Los Angeles (6/22)…Dished out a season-high six assists at Los Angeles (6/27)… PLAYOFFS: Averaged 12.3 ppg (.500 FG%, .385 3FG%, .857 FT%), 2.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.7 bpg and 25.0 mpg through three playoff games…2006: Averaged 8.1 ppg (.397 FG%, .398 3FG%, .923 FT%), 1.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.1 bpg and 22.0 mpg through 34 games played (six starts)…Finished seventh in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage…Scored a season-high 19 points at Phoenix (8/13)…Pulled down a season-high six rebounds at San Antonio (8/3)…PLAYOFFS: Averaged 12.2 ppg (.448 FG%, .438 3FG%, .786 FT%), 3.4 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg and 31.9 mpg in nine playoff games (nine started)…Recorded a post-season career-high 22 points at Detroit (8/30), 10 rebounds at Los Angeles (8/26) and a WNBA Finals record six three-pointers at Detroit (8/30)…2005: Averaged 8.0 ppg (.439 FG%, .444 3FG%, .839 FT%), 1.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.1 bpg and 21.2 mpg through 24 games played (one start)…Sat out seven games at the beginning of season (5/27-6/11) due to an ankle sprain and also sat out the final two games of the regular season (8/25-8/27) due to a left shoulder subluxation…Finished third in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage…Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Seattle (8/20)…Pulled down a season-high six rebounds at Los Angeles (8/16)…PLAYOFFS: Averaged 11.3 ppg (.433 FG%, .517 3FG%, .944 FT%), 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg and 26.0 mpg in eight playoff games (two started)…Recorded a post-season-high 18 points and post-season-high nine rebounds and seven assists vs. Houston (9/10)…2004: Averaged 8.6 ppg (.420 FG%, .381 FG%, .841 FT%), 2.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg and 24.3 mpg through 34 games played (10 started)…Tied a franchise-high and a career-high twice, most recently when she netted six, three-pointers (6-of-9) in the double overtime loss to Los Angeles (7/29)…Had a perfect game at Connecticut (7/9) as she shot 8-of-8 from the floor and 5-of-5 from behind the arc, scoring a season-high 21 points…Grabbed a season-high seven rebounds vs. New York (7/1)…Dished out a career-high eight assists vs. Minnesota (9/19)…PLAYOFFS: Averaged 9.7 ppg (.370 FG%, .417 3FG%, .889 FT%), 2.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.2 bpg and 25.5 mpg in six playoff games…Scored a post-season-high 17 points at Los Angeles (9/28) and dished out a post-season-high five assists at Seattle (10/3)…2003: Averaged 7.7 ppg (.392 FG%, .400 FG%, .775 FT%), 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.1 bpg and 22.6 mpg in 34 games…Tied a franchise-high and set a career-high when she scored six three-pointers (6-of-8) in the win over Los Angeles (7/31) and also scored a career-high 24 points…Grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds at Houston (8/5)…PLAYOFFS: Averaged 5.3 ppg (.214 FG%, .304 3FG%, .875 FT%), 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.2 spg, 0.3 bpg and 25.8 mpg in six playoff games…Scored a post-season-high 12 points and grabbed a post-season-high eight boards vs. Houston (8/29).

NATIONAL TEAM EXPERIENCE:
Named to the 2008 U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team, becoming the third Monarchs player in franchise history to do so…Led the team with 15 points (5-of-5 shooting from the field; 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line) off the bench as the U.S. beat Australia, 92-65, in the gold medal game in Beijing, China…Helped the team to an unbeaten 8-0 record in the 2008 Olympics by finishing with 56 points (7.0 ppg), a team-high 24 assists (3.0 apg), 16 rebounds (2.0 rpg), eight steals (1.0 spg) and one block (0.1 spg)… Participated with the 2007-08 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and was a member of the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship Team…Through 20 games, averaged 7.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg and 19.1 mpg with the 07-08 team…Invited to play with the 2006 USA Basketball Women’s National Team during their Spring Training…Played five games with the 2003 WNBA Select Team that participated in the FIBA Women’s World Cup where they finished second, averaged 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 20.8 minutes per game while shooting 51.9% (14-27) from the floor…Captain of the gold-medal winning U.S. World University Games Team in 2001… Member of bronze-medal winning U.S. Women’s World Youth Games Team (1998).

COLLEGE:
Ranks second all-time at Tennessee in career three-pointers made (256) and three-point field goal percentage (.415) and also ranks third all-time in career free throw percentage (.847)…Averaged 13.6 and 4.3 rebounds per game during her four-year college career, appearing in all 143 games and making 137 starts…Led the SEC in three-point field-goal percentage (43.6%) her freshman year…Scored a career-high 32 points vs. Mississippi State (3/8/03)…Pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds versus DePaul (12/19/01)… Recorded a career-high nine assists against ODU…Snagged a career-high five steals against LSU…Led the Lady Vols from the charity stripe for three seasons (2000-2002) and was among the team’s top three scorers all four years…2003 Kodak All-American, Associated Press All-America Second Team and Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Student-Athlete of the Year…Four-time All-SEC first team honoree (2000- 2003)…Two-time Naismith Player of the Year finalist (2002-03)…Two-time U.S. Basketball Writers of America All-America honoree (2002-03)…2003 CoSIDA/Verizon first team Academic All-American selection (Tennessee’s first representative since 1984)…2002 AP All-America third team, Kodak All-America nominee and District Finalist…2001 AP Honorable Mention All-America and CoSIDA/ Verizon Academic All-District honoree…2000 Women’s Basketball Journal Freshman All-America selection and SEC All-Freshman Team.




Personal

  • Full name is Kara Marie Lawson
  • Married Damien Barling on April 12, 2008
  • Daughter of William and Kathleen Lawson, and is the middle child; her two sisters are Susan and Mary Catherine
  • Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2006
  • Member of the Kings broadcasting team for the past three seasons working as an analyst for the Kings House Party Live warm-up show, as well as the Kings half-time and wrap-up shows
  • In late 2006, expanded her role with ESPN as a sideline reporter for the NBA while continuing her role with ESPN as a studio analyst for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship as well as the regular season
  • Worked for ESPN as a color analyst during the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament and also was a member of the broadcast team for the 2004 and 2005 WNBA Draft
  • In 2003, one of seven recipients of the prestigious Torchbearer Award given by the University of Tennessee
  • Is very active in community service and has received numerous awards for her efforts
  • Also active in Race for the Cure and various activities of the American Cancer Society
  • Plays piano
  • Named the 1999 Naismith High School Player of the Year as a senior
  • Also in 1999, was an All-America selection with USA TODAY, Parade and the WBCA
  • Earned MVP honors at the Virginia and WBCA All-Star games
  • Was named the 1998 and 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year for Virginia
  • Entered kindergarten reading at the fourth grade level
  • Was a standout youth football player as a running back and a linebacker for the Fairfax County Football League, leading her team in three categories: rushing, scoring and interceptions.

Career Transactions

  • Selected by Detroit in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2003 WNBA Draft, April 25, 2003
  • Traded by Detroit to Sacramento for Kedra Holland-Corn and Detroit's second-round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft, April 29, 2003
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created:11/22/2009 6:25:55 AM
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