Taj McWilliams-Franklin

Taj McWilliams-Franklin (born October 20, 1970) is a former American professional women's basketball player.

A two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock and Minnesota Lynx and six-time all-star, McWilliams-Franklin's professional career has spanned three decades, and began before the WNBA was founded.

After attending T. W. Josey High School in Augusta, Georgia, McWilliams-Franklin attended Georgia State University in 1989 and played on the school's basketball team for one season.

However, she had become pregnant during her senior year in high school, and after the coach who recruited her to Georgia State was let go, the incoming staff told her "school was no place for kids."

McWilliams-Franklin moved to Austin, Texas, where a friend connected her with St. Edward's University coach Dave McKey.

She enrolled at St. Edwards as a Rhetoric major.

While at St. Edward's, she set school records and individual achievements, including:

McWilliams-Franklin said that after her first year at St. Edward's, she had the potential opportunity to transfer to a Division I school, but declined to pursue it, because she "felt loyalty is rewarded with loyalty."

McWilliams-Franklin was drafted in 1996 (40th overall pick) and played two seasons for the Philadelphia Rage of the American Basketball League (ABL).

She led the league in blocks with 1.5 per game, and ranked fifth in field goal percentage (.528).

She was also a member of the 1997 All-ABL second team.

McWilliams-Franklin has had a long and successful WNBA career, earning two titles and recognition as one of the all-time great post players in league history.

She ranks first in career offensive rebounds and second in career total rebounds.

McWilliams-Franklin was named to the USA national team in 1998.

The national team traveled to Berlin, Germany, in July and August 1998 for the FIBA World Championships.

The USA team won a close opening game against Japan 95–89, then won their next six games easily.

In the semifinal game against Brazil, the American team was behind by as much as ten points in the first half, but went on to win 93–79.

The gold medal game was a rematch against Russia.

In the first game, the American team dominated almost from the beginning, but in the rematch, the team from Russia took the early lead and led much of the way.

With under two minutes remaining, the USA was down by two points, but held on to win the gold medal, 71–65.

McWilliams-Franklin was selected by the Orlando Miracle in the third round (32nd overall pick) of the 1999 WNBA draft.

From 1999 to 2008, McWilliams-Franklin played in six WNBA All-Star Games.

She starred for the Miracle for four years and remained with the franchise even when the it relocated to Uncasville, Connecticut, and was renamed the Connecticut Sun prior to the 2003 season.

She was also a member of the starting team of the 2004 WNBA All-Star squad that played against a select group of players (who were also WNBA players) from the USA Basketball team.

That game was held on August 4, 2004 at the historic Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The game was held in place of the regular WNBA All-Star Game and was a send-off for the USA Basketball squad prior to their participation at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

McWilliams-Franklin was the recipient of the 2005 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

She was awarded a Tiffany-designed trophy and $5,000.

In addition, she designated an additional $5,000 to go to the Mary Elizabeth House in Richmond, Virginia.

She was also 2nd team all WNBA in 2005.

In February 2007, she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for the draft rights of Érika de Souza and a future selection in the 2007 WNBA draft.

On April 22, 2008 the Los Angeles Sparks traded McWilliams-Franklin to the Washington Mystics for DeLisha Milton-Jones.

On August 12, 2008 McWilliams-Franklin was traded to the Detroit Shock for Tasha Humphrey, Eshaya Murphy, and a second round pick in the 2009 WNBA draft.

Following the trade, McWilliams-Franklin won her first WNBA championship with the Shock as they defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars in a 3-game sweep.

On April 22, 2010, McWilliams-Franklin signed a free agent deal with the New York Liberty.

She was targeted as a key free agent acquisition by Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve prior to the 2011 season.

McWilliams-Frankin played as the team's starting center throughout the season, averaging 7.0 rebounds per game and 11.6 points per game.

Lynx Assistant Coach Jim Petersen credited McWilliams-Franklin with having an outsize impact on the team both on and off the court, saying, "You can talk all you want about the things she has done on the floor, but it is in the locker room, in the scouting reports, in the film sessions and just even around the airport -- she's somebody to talk to that has been there and done that. She has seen it all."

Teammate Candice Wiggins agreed, noting that the team had nicknamed her "Mama Taj", and that "she is like a coach, a big sister for us, off the court and on. She has taken us all in. We are like her little chickies and she is the mother hen."

She retired from the WNBA after the 2012 season.