Kayte Christensen
Christensen in 2007
Personal information
Born (1980-11-16) November 16, 1980 (age 43)
Lakeview, Oregon
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2[1] in (1.88 m)
Listed weight171[1] lb (78 kg)
Career information
High schoolModoc (Alturas, California)
CollegeUC Santa Barbara (1998–2002)
WNBA draft2002: 3rd round, 40th overall pick
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Playing career2002–2008
PositionForward
Number20
Career history
2002–2005Phoenix Mercury
2006Houston Comets
2006Phoenix Mercury
2007–2008Chicago Sky
Career WNBA statistics
Points463 (3.2 ppg)
Rebounds373 (2.6 rpg)
Steals90 (0.6 spg)

Kayte Lauren Christensen (born November 16, 1980) is an American color commentator for the Sacramento Kings[2] and former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association.

Early life and education

Kayte Lauren Christensen was born in Lakeview, Oregon to Randy and Cathy Christensen.[3] She attended Modoc High School in Alturas, California and graduated in 1998.[3] She was named the Shasta Cascade League MVP in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.[3] Her senior season saw her named the California Division V Player of the Year in 1998 en route to winning the California Interscholastic Federation Division V championship.[3]

Christensen attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara where she competed on the women's basketball team with future WNBA players Erin Buescher, Lindsay Taylor, and Kristen Mann.[3] She was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team in 1999 and was the 2002 Big West Player of the Year.[3][4][5][6]

UC Santa Barbara statistics

Source[7]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1998-99 UCSB 30 239 55.1 100 62.1 5.6 0.4 0.9 0.6 8.0
1999-00 UC Santa Barbara 18 188 56.5 0.0 50.8 6.3 0.4 1.4 1.5 10.4
2000-01 UC Santa Barbara 31 426 54.9 0.0 66.7 7.6 0.9 1.5 1.1 13.7
2001-02 UC Santa Barbara 32 465 54.3 - 65.5 9.1 0.8 1.5 0.5 14.5
Career UC Santa Barbara 111 1318 54.9 11.1 63.1 7.3 0.7 1.3 0.9 11.9

Professional basketball career

Christensen was selected by the Phoenix Mercury in the third round (40th overall) of the 2002 WNBA draft.[8] She spent four seasons with the Mercury before she signed with the Houston Comets on March 24, 2006.[5] She was waived on May 19, 2006 when she failed to make Houston's regular-season roster.[6] She was signed to a short-term injury hardship contract by Houston on May 23, 2006 before rejoining the Mercury on June 15, 2006.[9][10]

After the 2006 season ended, Christensen became a free agent until she signed a contract with the Chicago Sky on March 8, 2007.[11][12] She was released from the Chicago Sky on May 20, 2008 after missing games due to a recurring back injury.[12]

Christensen has played professional basketball overseas in South Korea, Turkey, and Greece during the WNBA offseasons.[13][14]

Christensen has twice been the recipient of the WNBA Offseason Community Assist Award, first in 2003 and second in 2004.[15]

Sports commentating career

Christensen served as the Arizona State Sun Devils women's basketball radio color analyst, beginning in 2003, for the Sun Devil Sports Network on NBC 1190 AM.[16]

Christensen served as a courtside reporter for the NBA's Sacramento Kings during Comcast SportsNet broadcasts at Sleep Train Arena. In May 2010, she was replaced by Jim Gray. She returned to her courtside role in the Kings' 2013–14 season.[17] Prior to the start of the 2021-22 NBA season the Kings announced that Christensen would replace Doug Christie as the team's television broadcast color analyst.[18]

She also has worked as a women's basketball color analyst for ESPN and ESPNU, a social media correspondent for the Phoenix Suns, and a social media engagement producer for The Arizona Republic.[19]

Public diplomacy

In June 2011, Christensen traveled to Venezuela as a SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. In this function, she worked with Darvin Ham to conduct basketball clinics for 300 youth from underserved areas and met with Venezuelan sports officials. In so doing, Christensen helped contribute to SportsUnited's mission to promote greater understanding and inclusion through sport.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kayte Christensen". Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  2. ^ "Kings Name Kayte Christensen-Hunter as TV Game Analyst". NBA.com/kings. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "UC Santa Barbara player profile". ucsbgauchos.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. ^ "Awards and Honors: UC SANTA BARBARA'S CHRISTENSEN NAMED BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR". bigwest.org/. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Comets Add Kayte Christensen". Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-07.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ a b "Christensen Rejoins Comets". Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved 2015-03-07.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  8. ^ Appelbaum, Eliav (April 24, 2002). "Christensen Embarks Today for WNBA Player Orientation in Chicago". Daily Nexus. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  9. ^ "2006 WNBA Transactions". Archived from the original on July 16, 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-16.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ "Mercury Sign Kayte Christensen". wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. June 15, 2006. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  11. ^ "Sky Signs Kayte Christensen". wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Sky Release Christensen". Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved 2015-03-07.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ "Kayte Christensen: Blogging From Overseas". wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  14. ^ "Five Former Gauchos Enter 2006 WNBA Training Camps". cstv.com. April 20, 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  15. ^ "Christensen Receives Offseason Community Assist Award". wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. May 28, 2004. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  16. ^ "Mercury's Kayte Christensen Hired as Women's Basketball Color Analyst". thesundevils.com. Arizona State Sun Devils. December 4, 2003. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  17. ^ Ziller, Tom (September 17, 2013). "Kayte Christensen returns to Kings broadcasts". sactownroyalty.com. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  18. ^ "Kayte Christensen-Hunter to replace Doug Christie as Kings color analyst". 9 September 2021.
  19. ^ "KINGS BROADCASTER BIOGRAPHIES". nba.com. Sacramento Kings. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  20. ^ "Basketball Players to Visit Venezuela as Sports Envoys | IIP Digital". iipdigital.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2016-05-01.

External links

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