Sheri Sam

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (born 1974)}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Sheri Sam

| image =

| league =

| team =

| position =

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 178

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|5|5}}

| birth_place = Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.

| high_school = Acadiana (Scott, Louisiana)

| college = Vanderbilt (1992–1996)

| draft_year = 1999

| draft_round = 2

| draft_pick = 20

| draft_team = Orlando Miracle

| draft_league = WNBA

| career_start = 1999

| career_end = 2008

| career_position = Forward / guard

| career_number = 55, 2

| years1 = {{WNBA Year|1999}}

| team1 = Orlando Miracle

| years2 = {{WNBA Year|2000}}–{{WNBA Year|2002}}

| team2 = Miami Sol

| years3 = {{WNBA Year|2003}}

| team3 = Minnesota Lynx

| years4 = {{WNBA Year|2004}}

| team4 = Seattle Storm

| years5 = {{WNBA Year|2005}}–{{WNBA Year|2006}}

| team5 = Charlotte Sting

| years6 = {{WNBA Year|2007}}

| team6 = Indiana Fever

| years7 = {{WNBA Year|2008}}

| team7 = Detroit Shock

| cyears1 = 2014–2017

| cteam1 = Eastern Illinois (assistant)

| highlights =

2× WNBA champion (2004), 2008)
WNBA All-Star (2002)
Third-team All-American – AP, USBWA (1996)
Kodak All-American (1996)
SEC Tournament MVP (1995)
2x First-team All-SEC (1995, 1996)

| bbr_wnba = samsh01w

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|United States}} }}

}}

Sheri Lynette Sam (born May 5, 1974) is an American professional women's basketball coach and player who played in the WNBA. She was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana as the youngest of eight siblings, and where she was a standout at Acadiana High School. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1996. She was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois University.

Vanderbilt statistics

Source:{{Cite web|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1993_736_Vanderbilt%20University.pdf|title=FINAL 1993 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|website=ncaa.org|access-date=2021-07-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1994_736_Vanderbilt%20University.pdf|title=FINAL 1994 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|website=ncaa.org|access-date=2021-07-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1995_736_Vanderbilt%20University.pdf|title=FINAL 1995 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|website=ncaa.org|access-date=2021-07-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1996_736_Vanderbilt%20University.pdf|title=FINAL 1996 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|website=ncaa.org|access-date=2021-07-22}}

class="wikitable"

|+{{{caption|Ratios}}}

!YEAR

!Team

! scope="col" |{{abbr|GP|Games played}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FG%|Field goal percentage}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|3P%|3-point field-goal percentage}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FT%|Free-throw percentage}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|RBG|Rebounds per game}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|APG|Assists per game}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|BPG|Blocks per game}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|SPG|Steals per game}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|PPG|Points per game}}

1992-93

|Vanderbilt

|24

|52.5%

| -

|48.1%

|2.08

|0.46

|0.25

|0.29

|3.21

1993-94

|Vanderbilt

|33

|52.1%

|50.0%

|68.0%

|6.24

|1.94

|0.15

|1.39

|9.21

1994-95

|Vanderbilt

|35

|53.7%

|32.0%

|74.6%

|8.31

|3.60

|0.23

|2.00

|15.54

1995-96

|Vanderbilt

|30

|57.1%

|31.7%

|75.5%

|7.17

|3.50

|0.17

|1.70

|20.40

Career

|122

|54.6%

|33.3%

|71.7%

|6.25

|2.51

|0.20

|1.43

|12.60

class="wikitable"

|+{{{caption|Totals}}}

!YEAR

!Team

! scope="col" |{{abbr|GP|Games played}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FG|Field goals made}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FGA|Field goal attempts}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|3P|3-point field-goals made}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|3PA|3-point field-goal attempts}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FT|Free-throws made}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|FTA|Free-throws attempted}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|REB|Total rebounds}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|A|Assists}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|BK|Blocks}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|ST|Steals}}

! scope="col" |{{abbr|PTS|Points}}

1992-93

|Vanderbilt

|24

|32

|61

|13

|27

|50

|11

|77

1993-94

|Vanderbilt

|33

|125

|240

|51

|75

|206

|64

|46

|304

1994-95

|Vanderbilt

|35

|224

|417

|25

|88

|118

|291

|126

|70

|544

1995-96

|Vanderbilt

|30

|244

|427

|13

|41

|111

|147

|215

|105

|51

|612

Career

|122

|625

|1145

|24

|72

|263

|367

|762

|306

|24

|174

|1537

USA Basketball

She competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1995 Jones Cup Team that won the Bronze in Taipei.{{cite web|url=http://archive.usab.com/womens/wjcup_1995.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808043640/http://archive.usab.com/womens/wjcup_1995.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 8, 2014|title=1995 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP|accessdate=3 August 2014}}

Sam was also invited to be a member of the Jones Cup team representing the US in 1996. She helped the team to a 9–0 record, and the gold medal in the event. Sam averaged 13 points per games, the highest scoring average on the team, and was named to the All-Tournament first team.

Professional

=ABL=

After her college graduation, Sam played three years for the San Jose Lasers in the now-defunct American Basketball League (ABL), a professional women's league.

=WNBA=

Shortly after the ABL ceased operations in 1999, Sam was selected by the Orlando Miracle in the WNBA draft and became one of the Miracle's most productive players that year. Sam was waived by the Miracle just before the 2000 season began, but was signed as a free agent by the Miami Sol. She played three seasons (2000, 2001, and 2002) with the Sol until the team folded due to financial difficulties. After the Sol ceased operations, a dispersal draft was held, and the Minnesota Lynx selected Sam, and she played for the Lynx that season.{{cite web |title=PLUS: W.N.B.A.; Dispersal Draft Scatters 2 Rosters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/25/sports/plus-wnba-dispersal-draft-scatters-2-rosters.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 25, 2003 |access-date=May 21, 2025}}

During the annual WNBA draft on April 15, 2004, Sam and Lynx teammate, Janell Burse, were traded to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Amanda Lassiter and a first-round draft pick. Sam spent the 2004 season with the Seattle Storm, as the team won the WNBA Finals by defeating the Connecticut Sun, two games to one.

After the 2004 season ended, Sam became an unrestricted free agent. On February 14, 2005, Sam signed with the Charlotte Sting. She would be involved in yet another dispersal draft in 2007 after the demise of the Sting in December 2006.{{cite web |title=2007 Charlotte Sting Dispersal Draft Analysis |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/features/dispersalanalysis.html |website=WNBA |date= |access-date=May 25, 2025}} This time, she was selected by the Indiana Fever.

On May 7, 2008, Sheri signed with the Detroit Shock. Her 2008 season with the Detroit Shock was the last of her 10-year WNBA career.{{cite web |url=http://www.vucommodores.com/ot/2011-hof-sam.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053233/http://www.vucommodores.com/ot/2011-hof-sam.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |title=Vanderbilt Official Athletic Site - Athletics}}

During the 2007-08 WNBA off-season, she played for Elitzur Ramla in Israel.{{Cite web|title=WNBA.com: Offseason 2007-08: Overseas Roster|url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/overseas_0708.html|access-date=2021-05-25|website=www.wnba.com}} She played for Panionios in Greece during the 2008-09 WNBA off-season.{{Cite web|title=WNBA.com: Offseason 2008-09: Overseas Roster|url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/overseas_0809.html|access-date=2021-05-25|website=www.wnba.com}}

WNBA career statistics

class="wikitable"

style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|†

|Denotes seasons in which Sam won a WNBA championship

=Regular season=

| align="left" | 1999

| align="left" | Orlando

| 32 || 32 || 34.0 || .388 || .328 || .688 || 4.6 || 2.4 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 2.0 || 11.4

| align="left" | 2000

| align="left" | Miami

| 31 || 27 || 29.2 || .387 || .292 || .670 || 4.3 || 2.1 || 1.1 || 0.2 || 2.4 || 12.8

| align="left" | 2001

| align="left" | Miami

| 32 || 32 || 34.4 || .432 || .276 || .750 || 4.3 || 2.8 || 1.7 || 0.3 || 2.7 || 13.9

| align="left" | 2002

| align="left" | Miami

| 32 || 32 || 33.5 || .434 || .342 || .618 || 4.8 || 2.6 || 2.2 || 0.2 || 2.2 || 14.5

| align="left" | 2003

| align="left" | Minnesota

| 34 || 28 || 28.0 || .383 || .329 || .705 || 4.2 || 2.6 || 1.1 || 0.2 || 1.4 || 11.0

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2004^†

| align="left" | Seattle

| 34 || 32 || 29.9 || .412 || .262 || .855 || 4.1 || 2.4 || 1.6 || 0.2 || 1.9 || 9.1

| align="left" | 2005

| align="left" | Charlotte

| 34 || 33 || 31.6 || .387 || .321 || .713 || 4.3 || 2.7 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 2.9 || 11.4

| align="left" | 2006

| align="left" | Charlotte

| 34 || 34 || 29.1 || .399 || .269 || .627 || 5.1 || 2.6 || 1.6 || 0.1 || 2.1 || 10.6

| align="left" | 2007

| align="left" | Indiana

| 33 || 4 || 17.9 || .339 || .273 || .690 || 2.9 || 1.3 || 0.9 || 0.2 || 1.2 || 5.0

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2008^†

| align="left" | Detroit

| 32 || 15 || 14.9 || .309 || .286 || .692 || 2.8 || 1.2 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 1.0 || 2.9

| align="left" | Career

| align="left" | 10 years, 7 teams

| 328 || 269 || 28.3 || .397 || .302 || .698 || 4.1 || 2.3 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 2.0 || 10.2

=Playoffs=

| align="left" | 2001

| align="left" | Miami

| 3 || 3 || 36.3 || .323 || .222 || .818 || 3.3 || 1.3 || 1.7 || 0.0 || 2.7 || 10.3

| align="left" | 2003

| align="left" | Minnesota

| 3 || 0 || 24.7 || .357 || .000 || .750 || 5.3 || 2.7 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 2.7 || 8.7

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2004^†

| align="left" | Seattle

| 8 || 8 || 31.0 || .329 || .250 || .667 || 5.5 || 3.5 || 1.3 || 0.0 || 3.1 || 7.4

| align="left" | 2007

| align="left" | Indiana

| 6 || 5 || 30.8 || .373 || .500 || .500 || 5.3 || 2.2 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 0.8 || 8.0

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| 2008^†

| align="left" | Detroit

| 6 || 0 || 5.0 || .286 || .000 || 1.000 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0

| align="left" | Career

| align="left" | 5 years, 5 teams

| 26 || 16 || 24.8 || .342 || .273 || .690 || 4.0 || 2.0 || 1.1 || 0.0 || 1.8 || 6.5

Later life

Sam served as the assistant coach of women's basketball for Eastern Illinois University from 2013 to 2017. From 2017 to 2019 she was director of athletics, advancement officer, for Mercy High School in San Francisco, and from 2019 to 2020 director of athletics for athletic advancement at the Bay School of San Francisco.

In September 2020 Sam was named the managing director of the Northern California PGA Foundation.{{Cite web|title=Former WNBA All-Star, Sheri Sam, Named Managing Director of Northern California PGA Foundation|url=https://www.pga.com/story/former-wnba-all-star-sheri-sam-named-managing-director-of-northern-california-pga-section|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.pga.com}}

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web|date=June 10, 2010|title=1996 Women's R. William Jones Cup|url=http://www.usab.com/history/additional-usa-basketball-history/r-williams-jones-cup-team/1996-womens-r-william-jones-cup.aspx|publisher=USA Basketball|accessdate=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907023857/http://www.usab.com/history/additional-usa-basketball-history/r-williams-jones-cup-team/1996-womens-r-william-jones-cup.aspx|archive-date=7 September 2015|url-status=dead}}

}}

External links

[http://www.eiupanthers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=668&path=wbball Eastern Illinois Panthers coaching bio]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20050303180318/http://www.wnba.com/playerfile/sheri_sam/index.html?nav=page WNBA.com: Sheri Sam Bio]

Category:1974 births

Category:Living people

Category:All-American college women's basketball players

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel

Category:American women's basketball players

Category:Charlotte Sting players

Category:Detroit Shock players

Category:Eastern Illinois Panthers women's basketball coaches

Category:Indiana Fever players

Category:Miami Sol players

Category:Minnesota Lynx players