Rhonda Mapp

Rhonda Mapp is a former professional basketball player. She played 13 professional seasons, including time in Spain, Italy, France, Turkey, Israel, and Korea.

Biography

Rhonda Mapp is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree major in communications. Rhonda Mapp became one of the most prolific scorers in the ACC. By the end of her senior year, Rhonda led the ACC in scoring avg 22 points per game and became a Kodak and Street & Smith All American. After being drafted in the first round by the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA's Elite Draft (the third pick overall), Rhonda picked up in the pros where she left off in college. In just two seasons, the 6'3 starting forward for the Charlotte Sting became a valuable contributor to the team by averaging over 11 points and 5 rebounds per game. In 1998, despite a foot injury, Rhonda came back to average 15 points in her next four games. Prior to playing with the Sting. Rhonda spent six seasons aboard averaging 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Rhonda won her first WNBA Championship in 2000 with the LA Sparks. Rhonda has been an indispensable part of the Sting's growth into a Championship contender that has reached the WNBA Semifinals in 97' and 98'. However, she has also been invaluable source of support and advocacy for numerous charitable organizations and causes in the Charlotte community and surrounding areas. Her longtime and active participation, commitment to the community and youth involvement has been the impetus for Rhonda's formation of Follow Your Dreams Inc. Since the formation of FYD, Rhonda has made countless appearances and commandeered many supporters and volunteers for the various programs and activities. Her commitment to young people is commendable and exemplifies the qualities we strive so hard to instill in young people.^[1]

Expanded description

Rhonda Mapp was hired as the coach at Queen’s Grant High School in Matthews, North Carolina. Queen’s Grant is a charter school for students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County area and has an enrollment of about 500. Mapp led Asheville to a state-championship in 1987 and has her jersey (No. 51) retired at the school. She still holds the school record for rebounds in a season (514) and career (1,032).^[2]

College Career

A dominant low-post player, Rhonda Mapp was named to the first-team All-ACC squad in 1991 and 1992. Mapp helped lead the Wolfpack to a three-year record of 67-25 as well as NCAA Tournament appearances in 1989 and 1991. In 1991, she helped lead the Wolfpack to win the ACC Championship and was named to the first-team All-tournament team and shot 57.6 percent for the season State finished with a No. 7 final national ranking by the Associated Press and 10th by USA Today. In her final season in 1992, Mapp led the ACC in scoring (22.0) and rebounding (9.8) and finished her collegiate career with 1,553 points, which still ranks 10th on the Wolfpack career scoring list. She also ranks 5th at NC State in career scoring average (17.6), 9th in career field goals made (625), 4th in career field goal percentage (.578), 9th in rebounds (810) and 6th in career double-doubles (37). Played five seasons professionally in the WNBA with the Charlotte Sting (1997-99) and Los Angeles Sparks (2001, 2003).^[3]

WNBA

Mapp was the third pick in the 1997 WNBA Elite Draft.^[4] In 2003, Mapp became the first player to be dismissed for violation of the league's antidrug program.^[5]

WNBA stats - per game averages

Personal life

Mapp has a father named Kenneth. In 1998, she founded the nonprofit Follow Your Dreams Inc.^[7]

Follow Your Dreams Inc.

This non-profit organization is dedicated to helping young people realize their dreams while simultaneously teaching them to become responsible, well-rounded and successful adults. Follow Your Dreams strives to increase opportunities for young people, particularly girls, in its commitment to the following: 1. Promoting self-esteem by providing sports programs and life skills workshops that encourage self-confidence, the mastery of special skills and self-awareness. 2. Promoting self-determination by providing career awareness camps that encourage discipline, perseverance and tenacity. 3. Promoting self-growth by providing motivational speaking, cultural exposure and health and education seminars that encourage self-care and positive self-perception. FYD offers a comprehensive networking of programs that work together to address its goals and overall mission as well as to instill in young people qualities such as teamwork, dedication, commitment, persistence, leadership, work ethic and honesty. Our programs include the following: 1. Scholarship Awards; 2. Mentoring Programs; 3. Sports Camps and 5 star workouts 4. Career Development and Awareness Programs; 5. Health Education and Awareness Programs; 6. Education Seminars 7. Etiquette Classes; 8. Awards Banquets; and Workshops Relating to Goal Setting; 9. Conflict Resolutions FYD’s commitment to positively influence the lives and attitudes of young people and their community is real and sincere. FYD takes pride in improving the physical emotional and psychological well being of our young people and is proud to encourage and teach each of them to “follow their dreams.^[8]

References