Longtime Indiana Fever G Katie Douglas signs with Connecticut Sun
From the Indiana Fever:
INDIANAPOLIS – With news that Katie Douglas has signed a free agent contract with the Connecticut Sun, the Indiana Fever franchise has extended its best wishes to the former Fever star as she continues her WNBA career.
Douglas enters her 14th WNBA season this summer, after missing most of the 2013 campaign with back trouble. Ranked fifth in WNBA history in steals and 3-point field goals, Douglas underwent back surgery in September and is currently preparing for the opening of training campon April 27.
An unrestricted free agent, she spent the past week negotiating a new contract with the Fever and other clubs. She chose to return to the franchise that drafted her in 2001.
“Katie called me this morning to tell me her decision,” said Fever President and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. “We had a great conversation and we talked about both of us needing to do what was best for both parties.
“I am happy for her and I hope she continues to get better. I thanked her for all that she had done for us and I am happy she won a championship while she was with us. Katie has been an integral part of the franchise and I wish her well in the final years of her career.”
Coach Lin Dunn added, “We wish Katie the best in Connecticut and appreciate all she’s done for our franchise! She was an integral part of our journey to a championship. We are moving forward and reloading with young, talented players.”
A local graduate of Perry Meridian High School who led nearby Purdue University to an NCAA title in 1999, Douglas owns a career pro scoring average of 13.5 points per game, splitting her career between two franchises – Connecticut and Indiana. A starter on the Fever’s 2012 WNBA championship team, Douglas has reached the WNBA Finals four times and is second in league history with 55 playoff games started. Since reaching the playoffs with Connecticut in 2003, Douglas has reached the postseason in 11 consecutive seasons.
Douglas is a four-time All-Star and four-time All-WNBA selection who was acquired by the Fever in a trade with Connecticut on February 19, 2008. Having now completed seven seasons with her hometown club, she is second in franchise history in scoring while posting a 15.5-point scoring average with Indiana.
Douglas owns distinction, in fact, as the first player in WNBA history to record dual milestones of 500 3-pointers and 500 steals. Former teammate Tamika Catchings is the only other WNBA player to reach both milestones.
Indiana opens training camp April 27, prior to hosting a preseason game with the Washington Mystics on Monday, May 5 (12:00 p.m.). The Fever opens the regular season at Chicago on May 16 before hosting its home opener against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, May 17 (7:00 p.m.)
