Long before she was leading the Duke women’s basketball team as their first African American head coach, Kara Lawson was helping bring a championship to Sacramento.
Lawson, who made a name for herself as a point guard under the legendary Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee, was drafted fifth overall in the 2003 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock before getting traded to the Monarchs.
Just two seasons later, she was helping her squad to a conference-best 25-9 record and eventual championship for Sactown, as the Monarchs took down the Connecticut Sun in the 2005 WNBA Finals.