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What would you do if you could bring a star down to eye level? What if you were only an arm’s length away? Will you try to recreate her glow? Or would you gaze upon her beauty, both unfathomably bright and painstakingly supernatural?
Being so close to greatness would make the average person’s eyes pop out of their head like a spooky trick in a Halloween store window. However, for recent BYU freshman Kanon Catchings, he has been holding the stars since his birth.
The legacy begins in the fall of 1974 with Harvey Catchings, who made his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers. Midway through an 11-year career at L, Catchings became the basketball equivalent of the daughters of Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams Jr. Harvey, with Tamika and Tauja setting the stage for the entire family to take over. hardwood.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to touch a star, you’d have to either ask someone who had the Indiana Fever from 2002-2016 or her great-nephew to truly understand just how bright a star Tamika Catchings is.
“I looked at him a lot,” Cannon recalled. “He was one of the first basketball players I really knew.”
Tamika Catchings, despite her radar hearing loss, kick started her legacy by winning three high school state championships in two different states (Illinois and Texas). As her college career progressed, she made her presence known on the court, helping the Tennessee Lady Vols to an undefeated season and NCAA Championship in 1998 under legendary coach Pat Summitt, paving the way for recent college stars like Angel Reese and Kaitlyn Clark.
Spending her entire career with the Fever, Catchings led the team to the 2012 championship and amassed a long, decorated list of accomplishments, including WNBA MVP (2011), 10 All-Star selections and five Defensive Player of the Year awards. Not to mention, four straight Olympic gold medals (2004-2016) and the WNBA’s all-time steals record (1,074).
A star in her own right, Catchings exceeded family expectations and set a precedent for how greatness moves. “I wanted to be like him,” Canon explains.
The next closest star in Kanon’s orbit was Tamika’s sister and Kanon’s mother, Tauja, who led her high school team to two state championships (’95-96) and was named the 1996 Illinois Mrs. Basketball. At the University of Illinois, Tauja became the first player in Illini history with over 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals, earning All-Ten honors and status as one of the greatest players in Illinois history.
Almost a decade later, another branch of the Catchings family tree emerged through Canon. Standing at 6-9 and known for his athleticism, the youngest Catchings got a fresh start at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he quickly made a name for himself.
“One aspect I would like to show a lot of people is that I can defend all positions on the court,” he explains. Being able to be anywhere on the court is where Cannon feels he has a leg up on other recruits.
Beginning his junior season in high school, Cannon averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 rebounds before joining the Overtime Elite (OTE). There, he maintained his collegiate eligibility, playing at a high level and averaging 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Kanon’s decision to suit up for the Cougars had a lot to do with his former OTE coach, Tim Fanning.
“That was a big attraction for me when I came to BHU,” he explains. “It means a lot to have someone who knows you and has coached you before on staff.”
At BYU, Catchings hopes to improve his shooting and physicality, especially hoping to improve his skills to exceed his family’s expectations. His defensive instincts, a hallmark of the Catchings family, is something he’s eager to showcase, and with his Hall of Fame aunt as a mentor, he’s looking forward to growing all parts of his game.
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” he says. “Handling the ball, passing the ball, (and) especially defending, but also just shooting (I’m) just trying to be as consistent as possible in everything I do on the field.”
After what could be a breakout freshman season, the four-star recruit has a lot of pressure on his shoulders heading into November. But with that transcendent family stardom looming in the background, Catchings has all the guidance and tools he needs to add to the legacy, perhaps not only to reach the stars, but to become one himself.
Portraits via BYU Athletics.
