Kayte Christensen

"Kayte" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Katie, Katy, or Kate.
Kayte Christensen

Christensen in 2007
Personal information
Born (1980-11-16) November 16, 1980
Lakeview, Oregon
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight 171 lb (78 kg)
Career information
High school Modoc (Alturas, California)
College UC Santa Barbara (1998–2002)
WNBA draft 2002 / Round: 3 / Pick: 40th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Playing career 2002–2008
Position Forward
Number 20
Career history
2002–2005 Phoenix Mercury
2006 Houston Comets
2006 Phoenix Mercury
2007–2008 Chicago Sky
Career WNBA statistics
Points 463 (3.2 ppg)
Rebounds 373 (2.6 rpg)
Steals 90 (0.6 spg)

Kayte Lauren Christensen (born November 16, 1980) is an American color commentator and former professional Women's National Basketball Association player.

Early life and education

Kayte Lauren Christensen was born in Lakeview, Oregon to Randy and Cathy Christensen.[1] She attended Modoc High School in Alturas, California and graduated in 1998.[1] She was named the Shasta Cascade League MVP in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.[1] 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.[1]

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.[1] She was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team in 1999 and was the 2002 Big West Player of the Year.[1][2][3][4]

UC Santa Barbara statistics

Source[5]

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 1.0 0.6 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.[6] She spent four seasons with the Mercury before she signed with the Houston Comets on March 24, 2006.[3] She was waived on May 19, 2006 when she failed to make Houston's regular-season roster.[4] She was signed to a short-term injury hardship contract by Houston on May 23, 2006 before rejoining the Mercury on June 15, 2006.[7][8]

After the 2006 season ended, Christensen became a free agent until she signed a contract with the Chicago Sky on March 8, 2007.[9][10] She was released from the Chicago Sky on May 20, 2008 after missing games due to a recurring back injury.[10]

Christensen has played professional basketball overseas in South Korea, Turkey, and Greece during the WNBA offseasons.[11][12]

Christensen has twice been the recipient of the WNBA Offseason Community Assist Award, first in 2003 and second in 2004.[13]

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.[14]

Kayte 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 has returned to her courtside role for the Kings' 2013-14 season.[15]

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.[16]

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.[17]

Personal life

On September 22, 2014 Christensen was arrested by the California Highway Patrol for driving under the influence (DUI). [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "UC Santa Barbara player profile". http://ucsbgauchos.com. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  2. ↑ "Awards and Honors: UC SANTA BARBARA'S CHRISTENSEN NAMED BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR". http://www.bigwest.org/. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  3. 1 2 Comets Add Kayte Christensen at the Wayback Machine (archived October 17, 2007)
  4. 1 2 Christensen Rejoins Comets at the Wayback Machine (archived October 17, 2007)
  5. ↑ "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Appelbaum, Eliav (April 24, 2002). "Christensen Embarks Today for WNBA Player Orientation in Chicago". Daily Nexus. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  7. ↑ 2006 WNBA Transactions at the Wayback Machine (archived July 16, 2006)
  8. ↑ "Mercury Sign Kayte Christensen". http://wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. June 15, 2006. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  9. ↑ "Sky Signs Kayte Christensen". http://wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  10. 1 2 Sky Release Christensen at the Wayback Machine (archived July 9, 2008)
  11. ↑ "Kayte Christensen: Blogging From Overseas". http://www.wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  12. ↑ "Five Former Gauchos Enter 2006 WNBA Training Camps". http://www.cstv.com. April 20, 2006. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  13. ↑ "Christensen Receives Offseason Community Assist Award". http://www.wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. May 28, 2004. Retrieved March 9, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  14. ↑ "Mercury's Kayte Christensen Hired as Women's Basketball Color Analyst". http://www.thesundevils.com. Arizona State Sun Devils. December 4, 2003. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  15. ↑ Ziller, Tom (September 17, 2013). "Kayte Christensen returns to Kings broadcasts". http://www.sactownroyalty.com. Retrieved March 9, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  16. ↑ "KINGS BROADCASTER BIOGRAPHIES". http://www.nba.com. Sacramento Kings. Retrieved March 6, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  17. ↑ "Basketball Players to Visit Venezuela as Sports Envoys | IIP Digital". iipdigital.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  18. ↑ "Kings broadcaster Kayte Christensen arrested for DUI". http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article2610854.html. sacbee.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
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