Local & National News | October 08, 2025
Written By JR Robinson
Few athletes have ever carried the dual titles of legend and leader quite like Chamique Holdsclaw. Known in her prime as the “female Michael Jordan,” Holdsclaw’s meteoric rise in women’s basketball changed the sport—and set a new standard for what it means to be strong, both physically and emotionally. As she prepares to address Germantown’s business and community leaders at the cityCURRENT Signature Speaker Series, her journey offers far more than mere highlights: it’s a blueprint for hope, healing, and the power to turn struggle into service.
Chamique Holdsclaw’s first memories of basketball are bound up in a neighborhood playground in Queens, New York. Raised in an environment where the odds were set high against her, she found an early sense of freedom dribbling through concrete courts under New York’s broad sky. Her grandmother Rosa, a steadying influence, stressed both education and faith as key ingredients to success, shaping Chamique’s fiercely determined spirit. By high school, her name was being whispered among New York sports enthusiasts as a prodigy who could change the game—her record at Christ the King High School still echoes through national rankings today.
National recruiters flocked to see her play, but future Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt’s vision at the University of Tennessee drew Chamique south. As a Lady Vol, she led her team to three consecutive NCAA championships between 1996 and 1998—a feat rarely accomplished—breaking records for points, rebound averages, and winning percentage. The campus was electric with Holdsclaw’s energy and her ability to rally teammates to overcome adversity. Her combination of agility, power, and basketball IQ made her a phenomenon, and fans across the nation recognized her as not just the best player on the court, but the “best that ever was” in women’s college basketball.
In the spring of 1999, the professional basketball spotlight shined directly on Chamique when she was selected as the #1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Joining the Washington Mystics, she wasted no time in turning heads. Rookie of the Year, six appearances in the All-Star game, and scoring records that cemented her as an elite forward—Chamique made history look routine.
Her impact, though, was never limited to box scores. As the WNBA grew, so did its influence on young women across America, with Chamique Holdsclaw front and center as a role model. Her high tops, quick release, and signature style dominated highlight reels. She also became synonymous with leadership off the court—advocating for better pay and recognition for female athletes in a time when women’s sports were fighting for visibility alongside their male counterparts.
Add to this her Olympic gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, and Holdsclaw’s legacy as an athletic icon was complete. Yet, even as the world celebrated her visible accomplishments, few understood the private battles she was waging beneath the surface.
As her WNBA career flourished, Chamique began experiencing a darkness that even the brightest spotlights could not reach. The pressure to perform, constant media scrutiny, and the burden of carrying expectations for her team and fans led to mounting anxiety and depressive episodes. At first, she kept these feelings hidden—believing that as an elite athlete, she had to be invulnerable, unbreakable, and always “on.”
But gradually, the pain behind the scenes began to outpace her ability to conceal it. In what she later described as her lowest point, Holdsclaw withdrew from the game she loved, enduring a period where hope seemed out of reach. She was eventually diagnosed with depression and later bipolar disorder—a turning point that forced her to confront the stigma that surrounds mental illness, particularly in the world of pro sports.
Her decision to share her mental health journey with the public broke barriers. Chamique Holdsclaw became one of the earliest athletes of her stature to speak openly about battling mental illness, and in doing so, she created a ripple effect throughout the sporting world. She gave voice to countless others who suffered in silence, showing that vulnerability is not a weakness, but rather a measure of true strength.
Holdsclaw’s journey to healing involved extensive counseling, treatment, and building support networks off the court. In giving interviews, writing her memoir Breaking Through: Beating the Odds Shot After Shot, and appearing on television and at public forums, she reframed her story not just as a tale of athletic greatness but as a beacon of hope for anyone facing personal demons.
Chamique quickly became an advocate—campaigning for access to mental health care, speaking against the stigma still persistent in communities of color, and pushing organizations to create safer, more supportive environments for athletes.
She founded The Holdsclaw Foundation, focusing on mental health education and youth well-being. The Foundation’s mission: to ensure that young people and communities have the resources, support, and encouragement to deal with life's mental health challenges—in sports, schools, and everyday life.
Today, Holdsclaw’s appearances at events, schools, and conferences are marked less by her trophies and more by heartfelt dialogue with audiences. Her honesty, humor, and humility cut right through to the pain and hope people carry—her story is not just about recovery but also about building a world where others are empowered to seek help.
CityCURRENT’s Signature Speaker Series, hosted in partnership with Delta Dental of Tennessee, offers Memphis and Germantown a unique opportunity on Friday, October 24 to connect diverse leaders in business and community activism around the themes Chamique Holdsclaw represents. This gathering, held at The Great Hall & Conference Center, is tailored for those who wish to drive positive change by building bridges between corporate innovation and grassroots impact.
Importantly, thanks to ongoing support by corporate partners, event attendance is entirely free to individuals—echoing Holdsclaw’s message that access can be a lifeline. The morning program, running from 7:30 to 9:45 a.m. CT, will include a keynote, moderated conversation, and open Q&A, welcoming attendees to engage deeply with Holdsclaw’s story and the broader discussion on mental health and community resilience.
Beyond individual inspiration, the event serves as a call for lasting change. Organizers aim for participants to return to their own organizations, teams, and families with a renewed commitment to cultivating environments where personal challenges are met with compassion, not judgment.
Chamique Holdsclaw’s journey holds unique resonance for Memphis, a city known for both its sports heritage and its drive to confront social challenges. From the triumphs of the Grizzlies to local high school teams, Memphis understands victories—and the toughness required when times are hard. Yet Holdsclaw’s message strikes a chord beyond scoreboards: her advocacy around mental health is especially crucial in communities where stigma, economic barriers, and cultural expectations can prevent people from seeking help.
For business leaders, there is a direct line between Holdsclaw’s story and the importance of supporting wellness within organizations. Mental health is increasingly recognized as central to performance, retention, and innovation. Companies that foster open conversations, de-stigmatize mental illness, and offer holistic support create not only better workplaces but also lead the way in positive social change.
If sport is a metaphor for life, then Chamique Holdsclaw stands as proof that the greatest games are played not in the arena, but against the odds that define our personal and communal struggles. Her journey from stardom to advocacy challenges us all: to redefine strength, to build communities where healing is possible, and to transform our victories and setbacks into fuel for a deeper purpose.
On October 24 in Germantown, the cityCURRENT community gathers not just to celebrate a legend, but to embrace the lessons she offers—of hope, honesty, and the courage to help others heal. As Holdsclaw herself says, “You never know whose life you’re going to touch just by sharing your story.”
Let this morning be more than an event. Let it be the turning point for conversations—and lives—in Memphis and beyond.
Registration is required, and seating is limited. Join us at The Great Hall & Conference Center, 1900 S Germantown Rd., Germantown, TN 38138, 7:30–9:45 a.m. CT, for a transformative morning with Chamique Holdsclaw. Hosted by Delta Dental of Tennessee, powered by cityCURRENT and our generous partners—this is an opportunity to unite, inspire, and power GOOD throughout our community.
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