Tennessee State hires San Antonio assistant Candice Dupree as new women's coach
Seattle Storm's Candice Dupree handles the ball during a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Everett, Wash. Tennessee State has hired the seven-time WNBA All-Star as the Tigers' new women's basketball coach, athletic director Mikki Allen announced Thursday, May 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Elaine Thompson
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee State has hired seven-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree as the Tigers' new women's basketball coach.
Athletic director Mikki Allen announced the move Thursday. Dupree is the program's 13th coach all-time.
Dupree played 16 seasons in the WNBA as the sixth overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Temple. She played for Chicago, Phoenix, Indiana, Seattle and Atlanta in her career. Dupree then took part in the NBA's assistant coach program before working with San Antonio as a player development assistant.
“It is an honor to be entrusted with upholding the tradition and legacy of TSU while embracing the evolving landscape of sports,” Dupree said in a statement.
With the Spurs, Dupree started as an assistant guest coach during the 2022 summer league. She was hired as player development coach two months later. She worked with the NBA's youngest roster to start this season, a group led by NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama.
Allen said Tennessee State is excited to have Dupree set the stage for unprecedented success.
“Her legendary playing career and success as an NBA assistant coach in player development bring unmatched expertise to our women’s basketball program," Allen said.
Dupree still ranks third all-time in WNBA history with 2,842 made field goals, fifth with 494 games played and fifth in career points with 6,895. She won a WNBA title in 2014 with Phoenix Mercury.
She takes over a program that went 11-19 this past season.
