"My little sister from afar": Tamika Catchings gets personal as she celebrates prestigious Maya Moore honor with heartfelt message

After sharing many WNBA battles throughout the 2010s, Tamika Catchings is set to share the stage with Maya Moore during her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend. Catchings is one of five presenters for Moore, including Seimone Augustus, Geno Auriemma, Swin Cash and Lindsay Whalen.

Catchings and Moore have a long shared history, including their matchup in the 2012 WNBA Finals. Catchings defeated Moore’s Minnesota Lynx to capture the first and only championship of her career. On Saturday, she will have the honor of presenting Moore at the Hall of Fame ceremony.

In an exclusive with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Tamika Catchings reflected on Moore’s astonishing achievements, referring to Moore as her "little sister."

“I’m excited for Maya. You look at her career and what she’s been able to do … What a blessing for me to have had the opportunity to play with her with the USA Olympic team and watch her, my little sister, from afar,” Catchings told Medina. “I’m really excited for her and her family with what this honor means and her being able to share it with Jonathan, her kids and her family, it’s a huge honor.”

Moore retired in 2023 after stepping away from basketball in 2019. She spent eight seasons with the Minnesota Lynx, leading the team to four championships. Moore played 271 games, averaging 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Moore’s class includes legends from the NBA and the WNBA, including Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles and others. The list of presenters includes Dwyane Wade, Dominique Wilkins, Patrick Ewing and more.

Tamika Catchings was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020

Tamika Catchings enjoyed a fabled career in the WNBA, spending 16 seasons with the Indiana Fever. She played 458 games, averaging 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Known for her prowess on both ends of the floor, Catchings was selected to 12 All-WNBA and All-Defensive teams.

She won MVP in 2011, before winning the WNBA championship and the Finals MVP in 2012. Catchings retired in 2016 and is widely considered one of the best players to come through the WNBA. Her legendary career saw her become a Hall of Famer in 2020.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan