On July 17th, 2020, Washington Mystics star Tina Charles announced on her letter in The Players’ Tribune that she will be sitting out for the 2020 WNBA season due to health concerns. She granted a medical exemption on extrinsic asthma, as she had to be realistic for her health condition. Charles, 31, was acquired by the Washington Mystics in a three-team trade, two days before the 2020 WNBA Draft.
This is not what @tinacharles31 was anticipating for 2020.
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) July 17, 2020
But due to her health condition, the @WashMystics center will be sitting out this season. https://t.co/7bHSFRf6Di
Tina Charles said that she was diagnosed with asthma five years ago, and she kept it personal. This season will mark her first sitting out in her career.
She quoted:
“For the last ten years, I’ve not gone into a season. But sitting out the season is what I’m prepared to do. I was diagnosed with this condition five years ago, and I haven’t shared much about it since, but it’s something that first arose when I was playing overseas in Ürümqi for Xinjiang of the WCBA. (When I Googled the city, I found that Ürümqi means “fine pastures,” and that was all I saw on the map — pastures and mountains.)”
-Washington Mystics Center Tina Charles
Charles’ Powerful Start to the WNBA with the Sun
After leading the UConn Huskies to back-to-back national championships, Tina Charles was selected first overall by the Connecticut Sun. In her rookie season, she made history by setting all-time league records of both rebounds (398) and double-doubles (22). Charles managed to win the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the year award, moderating 15.5 PPG and 11.7 RPG. Two seasons later, she won her first league MVP award.
She led the Connecticut Sun to a 25-9 regular-season record, 2nd-best in the WNBA. Charles also participated in the Olympics with Team USA, earning her first gold medal. In her first three seasons with the Sun, Charles became a rebounding champion from 2010-12. She also became the quickest player to reach 1,000 rebounds in the WNBA in her 89th game.
Charles’ Homecoming to New York
On the night of the 2014 WNBA draft, the Sun traded Charles to the New York Liberty in exchange for Kelsey Bone, Alyssa Thomas, and the 1st round pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft. In 2016, she had her best season in her career, averaging a career-high 21.5 PPG, while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 9.9 RPG, and 3.8 APG. She also won the peak performer in both scoring and rebounding that season.
She is a rising star in New York! In a game vs. Dallas, on June 2, 2017, Charles tallied a career-high 36 points in a victory. She also led the Liberty to back-to-back 21-13 regular-season records with 3rd seed in 2016-17 and became a member of the WNBA All-Defensive First Team in the 2017 season.
In the 2019 season, Charles averaged 16.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 2.4 APG in 33 games for the Liberty. On June 4, 2019, she became an all-time leading scorer for the New York Liberty, as she finished with a double-double consisting of 21 points and 14 rebounds.
She became an All-Star for the seventh time in her career for Team Delle Donne. Overall in her career during the 2010s, Charles moderated 18.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 2.3 APG for two teams. I can’t wait to see her in action for the WNBA next year! I loved seeing her performances and encouragement in the WNBA!
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