"She held a basketball as a child—now she holds a legacy."
Angel McCoughtry:
A Legacy of Excellence
From East Baltimore to Basketball Greatness
Born in East Baltimore, Angel McCoughtry’s journey began at 8 years old with a simple suggestion to try basketball. She was often the only girl on the court, holding her own against the boys, driven by an unshakable passion. At 16, she defied the odds, convincing her father to let her practice with his boys-only church league—and she dominated.
When setbacks blocked her path, Angel pushed through. After falling short on her SAT score, she took a detour to Patterson School, determined to keep her dream alive. Her grit paid off at Louisville, where she became the program’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and steals, leading the team to its first-ever NCAA Championship.
From Baltimore’s playgrounds to the global stage, Angel rose to become a WNBA legend, earning five All-Star selections, two Olympic gold medals, world championships, and a EuroLeague title. Her story is a testament to relentless passion, fearless determination, and the power of never giving up.
🏀 Early Life & College Career (2005–2009)
2005-2009
University of Louisville
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All-Time Leading Scorer: 2,779 points
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All-Time Leading Rebounder: 1,261 rebounds
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All-Time Steals Leader: 481 steals
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Career Averages: 20.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.5 SPG
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2009 – Led Louisville to its first NCAA Championship game appearance
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2009 – Named Big East Player of the Year (twice) & Defensive Player of the Year (three times)
🏆 WNBA Career& Professional Achievements (2009–Present)
2009-2019
Atlanta Dream
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2009 – Selected #1 Overall Pick in the WNBA Draft
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2009 – Named WNBA Rookie of the Year
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2010 – Set a WNBA Playoff Record with 42 points in a single game
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2011 – Set a WNBA Finals Record with 38 points in a single game
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2012 & 2014 – Led the Atlanta Dream to the WNBA Finals
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5x WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018)
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2x WNBA Scoring Champion (2012, 2013)
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7x WNBA All-Defensive Team Selection
2020-2021
Las Vegas Aces
2022
Minnesota Lynx
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2020 – Returned from injury & led the Aces to the WNBA Finals
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2022 – Signed with the Minnesota Lynx, continuing her professional career
🥇 Records & Career Stats
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WNBA Career Points: 5,785 (18.6 PPG)
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WNBA Career Rebounds: 1,552 (5.0 RPG)
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WNBA Career Assists: 896 (2.9 APG)
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WNBA Career Steals: 617 (2.0 SPG)
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WNBA Playoff Record: Most points in a playoff game (42)
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WNBA Finals Record: Most points in a Finals game (38)
League Rankings (as of 2022)
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3rd – All-time in Free Throws Made
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4th – All-time in Free Throw Attempts
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7th – All-time in Points Per Game (18.6 PPG)
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3rd – All-time in Steals Per Game (2.0 SPG)
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Top 15 – All-time WNBA Scorers
🌍 International Championships & Olympic Success
🏅 USA Basketball & World Championships
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2009 – Helped Team USA win the Gold Medal at the UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational
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2010 – Won FIBA World Championship Gold Medal with Team USA
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2012 – Won FIBA Diamond Ball Tournament with Team USA
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2014 – Won FIBA World Championship Gold Medal (again) with Team USA
🥇 Olympic Medals
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2012 London Olympics – 🥇 Gold Medalist (Team USA)
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2016 Rio Olympics – 🥇 Gold Medalist (Team USA)
🏅 Honors & Recognition
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2019 – Inducted into the University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame
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2021 – Named one of the WNBA’s Top 25 Greatest Players of All Time
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2024 – ACC UNITE Award Recipient for leadership in social justice