Nikki McCray was a well-known basketball player and instructor who has long made contributions to the sport. When the Columbus Quest selected her in the 1996 Women’s National Basketball Association draft, she began her professional basketball career.
McCray-Penson also had an effective professional basketball career that lasted from 1996 to 2006, playing eight seasons in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). With this team, she played basketball for the first time. She accepted a contract with another team after finishing her basketball career with this one in 1997.
She returned from playing basketball in 2006 with the previous basketball team Chicago Sky after playing for the Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, and San Antonio Stars. What was the cause of death for former South Carolina women’s basketball assistant Nikki McCray, and how did she pass away?
Nikki McCray’s Cause of Death Revealed
On July 7, 2023, Nikki McCray reportedly passed away from breast cancer. While working for South Carolina in 2013, she received a breast cancer diagnosis. Later on in the year, she entered remission. Her outstanding performance at the Olympics in Atlanta paved the way for the establishment of the WNBA in 1997.
Nikki McCray-Penson has died at the age of 51.
She was a two-time SEC POY at Tennessee, two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time WNBA All-Star, and head coach at ODU and Mississippi State.
More on her legacy: https://t.co/IOdZcPONUk pic.twitter.com/3dIIdiOSs1
— ESPN (@espn) July 7, 2023
As McCray-Penson continued to excel, the United States’ dominance in women’s basketball was further cemented when she won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. When McCray-Penson received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2013 while working as a member of Dawn Staley’s coaching staff at the University of South Carolina, she had to deal with a personal problem.
Despite the diagnosis, she remained strong and overcame the challenges, inspiring others in the process. She started her coaching career after her WNBA career and has since been the head coach at Old Dominion and Mississippi State.
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What Happened to Nikki Mccray?
Basketball coach and highly renowned player Nikki McCray-Penson tragically lost suddenly at the age of 51. Her death’s cause has not been made public. She had a remarkable career, earning a world championship in 1998 along with two Olympic gold medals as a player in 1996 and 2000.
Her spot on the Olympic team was cemented by McCray-Penson’s superb defensive play and performance against future Hall of Famer Hortencia in a 1993 match. Later, she rose to the position of starting shooting guard at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. McCray-Penson became coaching after quitting playing.
Sadly, her health forced her to leave her position at Mississippi State after just one season. McCray-Penson started her first year as Rutgers’ head coach last year. Her personal struggles throughout her life included being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.
How Did Nikki Mccray Penson Die?
Nikki McCray-Penson lost her battle with cancer and pneumonia at the age of 51. Since 2013, she had been battling breast cancer, which she at the time had won. Her recent departure from her coaching post at Mississippi State in 2021, citing “health concerns,” however, suggested that she still had chronic health issues.
According to reports, McCray-Penson also had pneumonia, which probably made her health problems worse. Her death’s precise circumstances have not been made public. The basketball world is in sorrow as a result of her passing because she had a significant influence on the game as a player and coach and was well-liked in both roles.
Nikki Mccray: Did She Have Cancer?
It is true that Nikki McCray-Penson battled cancer throughout her life. In 2013, she received her initial breast cancer diagnosis, and she began treatment. According to sources, she beat breast cancer and received the all-clear in 2017.
Nevertheless, it appears that McCray-Penson recently dealt with a relapse or health-related issues. With “health concerns,” she resigned from her post as a coach at Mississippi State in 2021, revealing chronic health issues. She reportedly had a second case of breast cancer, according to reports.
Sadly, the information supplied does not go into specifics regarding the course or severity of her cancer. McCray-Penson’s valiant battle with cancer and her resolve to carry on with her basketball career and coaching ambitions despite the difficulties she experienced are examples of her strength and fortitude.
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Conclusion
The impact Nikki McCray-Penson had on women’s basketball will endure forever. Future generations will be inspired by her incredible accomplishments as an athlete and coach as well as by her unyielding passion and dedication. Although she is no longer with us, she will always be regarded as a true game legend.