Tamika Catchings resigns as general manager of the Indiana Fever

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings is stepping down as the team’s vice president for basketball operations and general manager, the team announced Monday.

Former coach Lin Dunn, who led the team to the 2012 WNBA championship, will serve as interim general manager and senior advisor for Fever basketball operations.

“While change is never easy, now it’s time to take a step back from my role as General Manager, take a well-earned rest, and prioritize my family, my philanthropy, and my other passions,” Catchings said in a statement. “I will forever be grateful to Herb Simon and the Simon family, Jim Morris, Rick Fuson, Kelly Krauskopf, and to the entire PS&E organization for believing in me and standing alongside of me over the last two decades. I’m excited for all that’s on the horizon, but whatever comes next I will always be a part of the Fever family.”

Catchings retired from playing in 2016 and rejoined the franchise as director of player programs and franchise development in 2017. She became vice president for basketball operations and general manager in January 2020.

The Fever have missed the playoffs each season since 2016. The team has won just 12 games in the past two seasons and will have the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft. Their 2020 and 2021 first-round draft picks, Lauren Cox and Kysre Gondrezick, have since been cut by the Fever.

“Since the day we drafted her in 2001, Tamika’s unique ability to encourage, inspire, and unify Hoosiers, both on an off the court, has made her one of Indiana’s most beloved and respected civic voices,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “Tamika is a fierce competitor, a hall of famer in every sense, and she will always be a part of our family. I look forward to watching her excel and grow in whatever pursuits come next.”