Nikki McCray-Penson, formerly known as just Nikki McCray, has passed away at age 51. Nikki was a former WNBA hall-of-famer that played from 1996-2006 in the league. Her star performances led her to be a two-time Olympic gold medalist, MVP honors in the American Basketball League, and a three-time all-star. During her professional career in the WNBA, she played with the Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, and made her last stop in San Antonio with the Silver Stars.

After she retired from the league in 2006, she then joined South Carolina’s coaching staff alongside Dawn Staley, where Nikki stayed from 2008-2017. In 2012, Nikki got her final recognition from the WNBA, as she was inducted into the hall-of-fame. Sadly, in 2013, McCray was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite her illness, McCray helped lead South Carolina to a title in 2017, and she was then hired for her first head coaching position for Old Dominion University. She coached the Monarchs for three seasons, and in the last season, she led them to a 24-6 record. This earned her a well-deserved Conference USA coach of the year. Moving on from the Old Dominion Monarchs, Nikki headed for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. However, she only spent the 2020-2021 season with them and resigned due to health reasons.

Last year, Nikki took her coaching talents to Rutgers University as an assistant coach. She stayed at Rutgers until the time of her untimely passing. Though the actual cause of death is still unknown, McCray’s family had a history of cancer, which included her as well. The deepest condolences are sent to the family, friends, and players as Nikki will be greatly missed.