Raymond Named KU Assistant Basketball Coach
May 7, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Tamika Raymond, who has experienced success on every level as a basketball player and also in the collegiate coaching ranks, has been named assistant women’s basketball coach at Kansas, head coach Bonnie Henrickson announced Wednesday.
“We are thrilled to have Tamika Raymond join the Kansas basketball family,” said Henrickson. “She has achieved success on the national level as a player on every level of her career and has also been a very successful collegiate assistant coach. She will provide invaluable insight to both our players and our staff.”
Raymond will work with the KU post players, including All-Big 12 Rookie Team member Krysten Boogaard, who averaged 9.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in her first season in the program. Current Jayhawk assistant Katie O’Connor will move back to her more natural position of working with the Kansas wing players, the position left void when outgoing assistant Kyra Elzy left the Kansas staff for a similar position at the University of Kentucky.
“For me, the people make the program,” said Raymond, who doubles as a WNBA player in addition to her job as a collegiate assistant coach. “Having an opportunity to work with Lew (Perkins) and Bonnie is one you do not pass up.
“I am very impressed with the direction the Kansas program is heading. From Lew to Bonnie, to the other staff members and down through the players, there is a lot of positive energy. Their drive and willingness to be great is something I am excited to be affiliated with.”
Raymond, age 28, joins the Jayhawk staff after serving as an assistant under Jim Foster at The Ohio State University for the past five seasons. Raymond spent an additional year with Foster, serving as a student assistant in the Buckeye women’s basketball office in 2002 while she was pursuing her master’s degree in sports management.
During her time in Columbus, the Buckeyes experienced great success as OSU finished the 2007-08 season as Big Ten champions for the fourth-straight season. Raymond was part of an Ohio State staff who produced the program’s first-ever three-time All-American in Jessica Davenport and during the 2007-08 season freshman sensation Jantel Lavendar was tabbed as, not only the league’s freshman of the Year, but also the Big Ten Player of the Year. Behind the play of Davenport and Lavendar, OSU has had the Big Ten Player of the Year on its roster in each of the last four seasons.
The Buckeyes competed in the NCAA Tournament in each of Raymond’s seasons in Columbus, advancing past the first round in four of those six tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2005. OSU received a sixth seed or better in each of its last five NCAA Tournaments, including a No. 1 seed in the 2005 tourney.
The Dayton, Ohio native, arrives in Lawrence after her stint at OSU and is also preparing to begin her seventh season playing in the WNBA. She is currently in her first season with the Connecticut Sun after suiting up for the Minnesota Lynx for the past six seasons.
Raymond played in 185 games for the Lynx, including 139 starts. She owns career averages of 6.7 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. In 2005-06, Raymond started 30 of 31 games and topped the Lynx in rebounds at 5.6 per game. She battled injuries and played in a reserve role last season, but connected on 60 percent of her field goal tries for the Lynx.
In 2005, Raymond played in all 34 of Minnesota’s regular-contests and led the Lynx in field goal percentage (.551) for the second consecutive season. She also contributed more than five points and five rebounds per game, which ranked third on the team.
The sixth pick overall in the 2002 WNBA draft, Raymond started in 33-of-34 games in 2004 and averaged 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. At the end of Minnesota’s 2004 playoff run, Raymond was leading the league in field-goal percentage with an overall .540 (102-of-189) average. The Lynx have made appearances in two of the last four WNBA Playoffs, which account for the only two in franchise history.
Raymond was a standout college basketball player at the University of Connecticut. She completed her four-year collegiate career with averages of 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. As a member of two Connecticut national championship teams (2000 and 2002), Raymond claims her favorite on-court moment was winning the 2002 NCAA National Championship and watching her three fellow senior classmates (Sue Bird, Asjha Jones and Swin Cash) enjoy the moment.
An All-Big East selection three consecutive seasons (2000-2002), Raymond also was an Associated Press All-America honorable mention honoree and Naismith Player of the Year candidate for the 2001-02 season. Besides playing under the direction of head coach Geno Auriema, a former Foster assistant for three years, the dean’s list student also served as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Connecticut and majored in interpersonal communication.
Raymond, the 1997 and 1998 Ohio Player of the Year, attended Chaminade-Julienne High School (Dayton, Ohio), where she garnered a wide-range of awards while under the direction of head coaches Ron Russo and Frank Goldsberry. Among the accolades, Raymond was a Street & Smith, Naismith, USA Today and Parade national high school player of the year.
“Tamika’s people skills are what truly set her apart,” said Henrickson, who will be entering her fifth season at the helm of the Kansas program in the 2008-09 season. “The contacts she has made throughout her career with high school and AAU coaches will be invaluable in our efforts to recruit players of the highest caliber to our program.”
The former Tamika Williams, Raymond married Ben Raymond in April of 2007. Ben played collegiate basketball at Minnesota-Duluth. She has two sisters, Tanzania and Tiffany, and one brother, Mike. Her parents are George and Josephine Williams.
Coaching Career
2008-Present – Kansas Assistant Coach
2003-2008- OSU Assistant Coach
Playing Career
WNBA Connecticut Sun (2008-Present)
WNBA Minnesota Lynx (2002-2007)
– Helped Lynx make first two WNBA Playoffs (2003 and 2004) in franchise history
– Minnesota’s leading rebounder in 2006, starting 30 games
– Averaged 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds and started in 33-of-34 games during 2004 campaign
– Played in all 34 games in 2005 and led the team in field goal percentage (.551)
– A starter in 30 of 31 games in 2006 and led Lynx with 5.6 rebounds a game
– A first-round (sixth pick overall) at the 2002 WNBA Draft
University of Connecticut (1998-02)
– Member of two national championships teams (2000 and `02)
– 2002 Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention
– 2002 Naismith Player of the Year candidate
– Three-time All-Big East player
Chaminade-Julienne High School (1994-98)
– Naismith, Street & Smith, USA Today and Parade national high school player of the year
– 1998 Ohio Player of the Year
