Born Chamique Shaunta Holdsclaw on August 9th, 1977 in Queens, NY, she first made her mark as a high school basketball star at Christ The King High School. There she led her team to four State Championships in a row and became an All-American and one of the most highly sought after College Basketball recruits in the country. She later accepted a full athletic scholarship to play collegiately for the perennial Women's Basketball powerhouse University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers and Hall of Fame Coach Pat Summit. She went on to have a stellar collegiate career that included leading the Lady Vols to three straight NCAA Championships, which was the first time that had ever been accomplished in Women's College Basketball history.
After her illustrious college basketball career, which included several All-American honors and countless other awards, Chamique would go on to be the #1 Pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics. Her rookie season was capped with a WNBA Rookie of the Year Award as well as her first of six WNBA All-Star appearances. In 2000 she had the honor of winning an Olympic Gold Medal with Team USA at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Aside from her outstanding athletic talent, Chamique is a first class human being who loves giving back to the community. She spends a great deal of her free time speaking to various women's organizations and to young girls about the importance of self-esteem and education as well as leading a healthy and physically active lifestyle.
As of late Chamique has devoted a lot of her focus and time making appearances and speaking at various conferences, panels, and events within the mental health community to share her own personal struggles with depression and how she has been able to overcome her battles. Her book "Breaking Through: Beating The Odds Shot After Shot" aims to inspire others to find the strength to face their own adversity, life challenges, and personal obstacles in their lives to strive to become their best despite their circumstances. She also wants to empower others who have struggled with mental health to go seek the professional help they need. Chamique ultimately hopes to erase the ugly stigma associated with mental health issues, especially within the African-American community.She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
In 2013 she founded the Chamique Holdsclaw Foundation, which works to support initiatives that facilitate the optimized mind, body and spirit of individuals through its mental health and wellness-focused programs. Chamique currently resides in the Atlanta area.
