It has been 27 years since Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw stepped on the court together for Lady Vols basketball, but they've spent this year reconnecting as part of USA Sports' WNBA coverage team.
Now, the two Tennessee legends will cover their first WNBA Finals together, Catchings as a game analyst and Holdsclaw as a studio analyst. The seven-game series between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries begins Oct. 17 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC), and USA Network will broadcast Games 2 and 3 along with Games 5-7, if necessary.
"With our relationship, we've gone through the highs and lows over the years, just from a standpoint of life happens, we're busy, we're doing different things," Catchings said on a call with media on Oct. 15. "This
has pulled us back together and having more conversation, talking more about the game. We're back to being teammates ... it's just been awesome."
Catchings and Holdsclaw played together from 1997-99 at Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt, and the duo led the Lady Vols to an undefeated national championship in 1998.
Studio host Elle Duncan said getting to know Holdsclaw on a personal level during long days for Wednesday night doubleheaders has been one of the best parts of this season.
Holdsclaw, who was inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in August, came into the job with humility. Duncan said Holdsclaw looked at her one night and told her, "I'm a rookie, Elle. Help me, tell me what I need to know." Holdsclaw has also provided a calming presence to balance Duncan's self-described "frenetic energy."
"She is the human embodiment of aromatherapy ... she's so centered and just grounded, and she's inquisitive," Duncan said. "She was really, really, really adamant that she wanted to be good at this, and she grew so much in this space. She is an amazing woman who has so much conviction and uses her platform in every possible way to shine light on a lot of different topics and places that need it. She's a one-of-one. There's a reason she's one of the GOATs."
Kate Scott, who does play-by-play with Catchings, echoed Duncan's sentiment that getting to know Catchings has been one of her favorite parts of this season.
When they walk into arenas, Scott called the love Catchings receives "overwhelming," and she joked she becomes Catchings' bodyguard after the broadcast ends and the fans start lining up.
"Just seeing the love that she and Chamique have gotten online and in the social spaces, that people have missed these players, that they are so happy to have them back," Scott said. "And what an honor it is for Elle, for me, for all of us at USA to get to be a part of their revival and get to just kind of sit next to the shine and the recognition that they so desperately deserve. It's been an awesome part of this journey this year."
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tamika Catchings, Chamique Holdsclaw teammates again covering WNBA Finals with USA Sports
