7-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree hired as Tennessee State's women's coach
Seven-time WNBA All-Star and former San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Candice Dupree was named the Tennessee State women's basketball coach Thursday.
She replaced Ty Evans, who resigned April 3 after four seasons with the Tigers.
Dupree, 39, played for coach Dawn Staley at Temple before Staley moved on to become a three-time national champion coach at South Carolina. Dupree spent the past two years on the Spurs' staff, where she became the second former WNBA player to coach under Gregg Popovich following Becky Hammon, who was with San Antonio from 2014 to 2022.
"I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead and coach the future of women’s basketball at Tennessee State University,” Dupree said in a release. “I am eager to continue building our program in alignment with the incredible culture and values embodied within the Tiger family. It is an honor to be entrusted with upholding the tradition and legacy of TSU while embracing the evolving landscape of sports. Most importantly, I am committed to nurturing the holistic development of our student-athletes."
Evans went 34-78 overall and 20-54 in the Ohio Valley Conference during his tenure. TSU hasn't posted a winning record since the 2014-15 season.
Dupree's coaching career began at the NBA draft combine, where she led a team of prospects. Her association with San Antonio began when she served as an assistant guest coach for the Spurs’ summer league team in July 2022. Two months later, Dupree was appointed as a player development coach for the franchise.
"Hiring Candice Dupree marks a pivotal moment in our pursuit of excellence,” TSU athletic director Mikki Allen said. “Her legendary playing career and success as an NBA assistant coach in player development bring unmatched expertise to our women’s basketball program. We're excited to welcome her championship mindset and global influence within the basketball community, setting the stage for unprecedented success here at Tennessee State."
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After being named the Atlantic 10 player of the year at Temple, Dupree was selected by the Chicago Sky in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft. She went on to be named an All-Star in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
In 2014, along with teammates Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, Dupree helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship and a record-breaking regular-season record of 29–5.
Dupree played for five teams in her WNBA career, averaging 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game overall. She had 6,895 career points and 3,149 rebounds.
She retired after splitting the 2021 season with the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm.
During her time with San Antonio, Dupree played a pivotal role in nurturing one of the NBA's youngest rosters, working with talents such as the 2023 No. 1 overall pick and NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree hired as Tennessee State's women's coach
