2012 Media Guide - WNBA.com

2012 INDIANA FEVER MEDIA GUIDE
#12 LA’TANGELA ATKINSON
Position: Forward
WNBA Years: 4
Height: 6-1
Weight: 164
Born: March 22, 1984 in
Bishopville, S.C.
High School: Lee Central
(Bishopville, S.C.)
A former Fever draft pick who has spent time with the Fever,
Sacramento Monarchs, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics,
Atkinson was signed by the Fever just prior to opening training
camp.
PRO – WNBA
2011: Did not play.
2010: Atkinson was waived in training camp by the Washington
Mystics.
2009: Signed by Seattle in September, she appeared in two
games and scored five points…she contributed 18 rebounds in just
those two games.
2008: Atkinson played five games for Sacramento before
being cut in early July…she averaged 2.8 points and 2.8 rebounds
before she was waived.
2007: Atkinson appeared in 28 games with 2.1 points and 1.6
rebounds per game for the Monarchs…she had a season high of
seven points.
2006: Atkinson averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per
game during her rookie campaign, while playing in 33 contests and
earning her sole starting assignment at Minnesota, 6/2, while
replacing an injured Tamika Catchings…her 2.3 rpg average
ranked ninth-best among the WNBA's rookies…she started the
game at Minnesota, 6/2, and scored a career-high 15 points on 6-8
FG and 3-4 FT…in her only other game with 10+ points, she had
11 points on 5-7 FG and 1-2 FT vs. Sacramento, 7/25.
PLAYOFFS
2009: She did not play in any of three games during the
Western Conference Semifinals against L.A.
2007: She was scoreless in two playoff games for Sacramento,
against San Antonio in the Western Conference Semifinals.
2006: Atkinson posted an average of 8.5 rebounds during a
two-game playoff series with Detroit, including 11 boards in her
first WNBA playoff game, 8/17. In Game 1 of the series, she
scored four points with 11 boards, in 15 minutes of action…in
Game 2, she scored two points with six boards.
PRO – OVERSEAS
2011-12: Atkinson returned to Sweden where she played for
Telge Basketball…in 20 games, she averaged 15.5 points and
12.9 rebounds.
2010-11: Atkinson played with the Norrkoping Dolphine in
Sweden, averaging 15.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game…she
shot 52.6 percent from the floor.
2009-10: She played briefly with Indias de Mayaguez in Puerto
Rico, appearing in nine games and posting averages of 15.1
points and 15.4 rebounds.
34 • FeverBasketball.com
College: North Carolina ‘06
Drafted: By Indiana, first round,
2006 WNBA Draft (9th overall)
Acquired: Signed as a free agent,
4/27/12
2008-09: She averaged 11.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per
contest while appearing in 15 games for Utex Row Rybnik in
Poland.
2007-08: Atkinson signed with Elitzur Halon in Israel in
January, appearing in 11 games. She averaged 19.3 points and
11.5 rebounds per game.
2006-07: Atkinson averaged 17.4 points and 12.5 rebounds
with Raanana Hertzliya in Israel…she appeared in 11 games
before ending her season with a hamstring injury…she led the
Isreal league in rebounds until she returned to the U.S. in January.
COLLEGE
The first player in ACC history to record more than 1,000
career points, 1,000 career rebounds and 350 career assists, she
did not miss a single game in her North Carolina career, playing in
all 134 games and starting 117...she finished her career with 1,012
rebounds, sixth in UNC history...she ranks 10th in program history
with 374 career assists and 22nd in scoring with 1,235 career
points...she Is the only player in school history ranked in the career
top 10 in both rebounding and assists.
2005-06: Atkinson led North Carolina to a 33-2 record and a
No. 1 ranking for most of her senior season...named to the 2006
ACC All-Defensive Team and the 2006 ACC All-Tournament
second team, she was chosen an honorable mention All-America
by the Associated Press...she was one of 17 Division I seniors
selected to play in the WBCA All-Star Challenge, but did not
participate because UNC was competing in the Final Four...she
served as one of the three team captains...she was the only player
in the ACC to rank in the top 10 in both rebounding (7th) and
assists (10th) in conference games...she started every game for
the Tar Heels, who tied the best record in history with a 33-2 finish
and reached the program’s first Final Four since 1994...she
averaged 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and
ranked second on the team in both assists and rebounding...she
had an outstanding game against Connecticut, 12/5, shooting 8-9
FGS for 18 points...she also had eight rebounds, two assists and
one turnover in 31 minutes against the Huskies...she was named
ACC Player of the Week, 12/12...she had a career-high nine
assists on two separate occasions...she tied her career high with
15 rebounds at Duke, 1/29...she finished with a team-high 12
rebounds and 11 points against Maryland, 2/9, for her first doubledouble
of the season...in her final home game, 2/25, against Duke
at Carmichael Auditorium, she turned in her second double-double
of the season and the 20th of her career with 16 points, 11
rebounds.
2004-05: An honorable mention All-ACC selection, she led the
team in rebounding and ranked sixth in the ACC with 7.4 rpg...she
averaged 8.3 ppg, and ranked 11th in the league in steals with
Atkinson’s 10 offensive boards in the 2006 East Semis against Detroit are tied for second-best in a Fever playoff series.