NEW YORK — Having already etched her name in the WNBA record books, Atlanta Dream center Tina Charles became the league’s all-time leading rebounder and set a record for most career double-doubles on Thursday night against the New York Liberty.
Charles needed just two rebounds entering Thursday’s final regular-season game to tie Sylvia Fowles as the all-time leading player. Just 3:08 into the first quarter, Charles grabbed her third rebound of the game, surpassing Fowles’ record of 4,006 and making history.
Charles scored her 10th point of the game less than two minutes into the third quarter and grabbed her 10th rebound just before the halfway point of the quarter. The double-double was the 194th of her career and 15th of the season, a team-high.
“I’m happy for Tina,” Dream coach Tanisha Wright said before the game. “I’m glad she proved not only to others, but to herself, that she’s still capable of playing at a high level in this league. And she’s done that time and time again throughout her playing days.”
Charles, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun, is also the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, entering Thursday’s game with 7,686 points.
After not playing in the WNBA last season, Charles signed a one-year deal with Atlanta last season. She has started 39 games for the Dream this season and recorded the first triple-double in franchise history on August 28.
A tribute video for Tina Charles aired between the first and second quarters, recognizing her as the second-leading scorer in WNBA history and the league’s new all-time leading rebounder. https://t.co/nRD12h3zI1 pic.twitter.com/pkXnouaxX8
— Ben Pickman (@benpickman) 19 September 2024
After beginning her career with the Sun, Charles later played with the Liberty and Washington Mystics. She spent the 2022 season with the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm. Charles’ Hall of Fame resume includes nine All-WNBA appearances, four All-Defensive Team honors, and the 2012 WNBA MVP. Charles is the only player in WNBA history to ever record more than 4,000 rebounds and 7,000 career points.
Charles was honored before Thursday’s game when she was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. A video tribute to Charles aired between the first and second quarters at Barclays Center, and she received a standing ovation from those in attendance.
“She’s just done it at a high level for a very long time,” Wright said. “And she obviously still does it today. She’s what we call a professional.”
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(Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
