Sports

Lynx star Seimone Augustus gets Hall of Fame nod

Seimone Augustus
Minnesota Lynx' Seimone Augustus, center, celebrates after defeating the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals basketball game in 2013.
John Bazemore/AP

WNBA basketball sensation Seimone Augustus is headed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Augustus, whose nicknames include “The Queen of the Crossover” and “Money Mone,” won four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx. She retired from playing professional basketball in 2021 while playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Selected as the first overall pick in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Lynx, Augustus scored 6,005 points during her professional career. She ranks 14th in WNBA history in regular season scoring and eighth in playoff scoring. Only the Lynx’s Maya Moore has scored more points in WNBA Finals history.

 Seimone Augustus (33) and Damiris Dantas (34)
Minnesota Lynx players Seimone Augustus (33) and Damiris Dantas (34) cheer from the bench in the fourth quarter of a WNBA basketball game in 2016.
Carlos Gonzalez | Star Tribune via AP

Augustus grew up in Baton Rouge and played college basketball at Louisiana State University. As a child, she played on gravel courts and credits the rough surface for her legendary ball handling skills.

Augustus is only the second Lynx player to be elected to the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, joining Lindsay Whalen who was selected in 2022. In addition to WNBA titles, Augustus also won three Olympic gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016 with Team USA and two FIBA World Championship medals in 2006 and 2014.

“It’s been a long, hard journey, but a very gratifying journey,” Augustus said in a social media post. “It ended with a cherry on top.”

Minnesota retired Augustus’ number in 2022. The Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony is set for Aug. 17 in Springfield, Massachusetts.