Seattle Storm center Tina Charles became the fourth WNBA player to reach 7,000 career points on Sunday, reaching the milestone in style during the first half of a 27-point, 15-rebound effort in the Storm's 82-72 win against the Atlanta Dream. The performance, which came in her second start in Seattle, was Charles' best since signing with the Storm on June 28.
"The milestone is something I'll probably reflect back on when I'm retired," Charles said. "Just trying to get these wins and knowing how important each and every single game is."
Charles joined Tina Thompson (who also reached the mark with Seattle, becoming the first player to do so), Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi in the WNBA's 7,000-point club.
"That's huge, top four," Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. "You definitely give her her props. That's hard to do. That's testament to who she is, who she's been in the league. She's not done yet so it's an amazing feat."
Entering the game, Charles needed 14 points for 7,000. She got there in a hurry, scoring the game's first five points and nine total in the first quarter before hitting back-to-back 3s in the second period to hit the milestone with 5:01 remaining in the half.
When Charles was recognized during a subsequent timeout, she was surprised to learn she had reached 7,000 points, having not thought about the possibility recently.
"I did during my time in Phoenix," Charles said. "I'm not saying before this game but during my time in Phoenix and when I moved up, I knew it could happen during the course of this season. I just didn't know what was going on."
Charles finished the first half with 20 points, the most by any Storm player in a half this season, and her final tallies in points, rebounds and blocks (three) were all new highs since signing in Seattle. Charles needed just 13 shot attempts to score 27 points, in large part thanks to 4-of-6 accuracy from 3-point range.
With Breanna Stewart scoring 18 of her 23 points in the second half and adding 10 rebounds and three blocks, the Charles-Stewart duo joined Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008 as the second set of teammates in WNBA history with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in the same game, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The performance helped explain why Quinn moved Charles into the starting lineup for Friday's loss to the Phoenix Mercury. After starting her first 373 games in the WNBA, Charles had come off the bench in her first eight for the Storm, something she said was useful as she acclimated to a new team after leaving Phoenix for Seattle midseason.
"It really helped to come off the bench when I first got here, just being able to watch Stewie and Ezi [Magbegor] and their movements within the offense, so that really helped," Charles said. "Playing USA Basketball also, that was a great experience for me, knowing that your role changes as the team changes.
"So my role was that the first couple of games. Now I'm inserted back into the starting lineup that I've been doing for the last years of my career."
What Charles has been doing in either role, and throughout her career, is putting up points and rebounds. Reaching 7,000 points also allowed her to inaugurate the WNBA's 7,000-point, 3,500-rebound club as the league's all-time second-leading rebounder to go along with No. 4 all-time in scoring.