Chamique Holdsclaw returns to Knoxville for women's Hall of Fame induction

Chamique Holdsclaw will enjoy the crowning achievement of her basketball career in the town where she produced many of her greatest moments.

It's only appropriate that she's getting inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn., alongside Mickie DeMoss, the former Tennessee assistant coach who helped make sure Holdsclaw remained a Lady Vol.

Holdsclaw, who grew up in New York, struggled to adapt to Knoxville when she first arrived at Tennessee. Holdsclaw credits DeMoss for helping her adjust to her new surroundings and meet the demands of former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt.

"To be going in at the same time as Coach DeMoss is a totally amazing feeling," Holdsclaw said. "When I think about my time at Tennessee, she's a big reason why I left New York to come here. I was so scared of Coach Summitt. I was nervous or whatever, but Mickie was always the silly one who made you feel connected, like it's going to be OK."

Holdsclaw and DeMoss are being inducted Saturday as part of a class that also includes former Colorado coach Ceal Barry, former New Jersey high school and college coach Rose Marie Battaglia, UConn assistant coach Chris Dailey and former players Katie Smith and Tina Thompson.

The induction ceremony took place in a downtown Knoxville theater less than two miles from Thompson-Boling Arena, where Holdsclaw's No. 23 hangs from the rafters.

Holdsclaw is one of three former WNBA stars getting inducted this week.

Thompson, a nine-time WNBA all-star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was the No. 1 pick in the inaugural WNBA draft and helped the Houston Comets win the first four WNBA titles. Smith, a former Big Ten player of the year for Ohio State, won three Olympic gold medals and played on two WNBA championship teams with the Detroit Shock.

Dailey, a former Rutgers forward, has worked on UConn's staff throughout Auriemma's 33-year tenure and has been a part of 11 national championship teams.

Barry won 510 games in 26 seasons as a college head coach. Battaglia won over 700 games in 38 years of coaching at the high school and junior-college level.

The induction ceremony weekend also includes recognizing members of the Women's Professional Basketball League as "trailblazers of the game." The WBL existed from 1978-81 and was the first professional women's basketball league in the United States.