Tina Charles reached a historic milestone last Saturday, surpassing 4,000 career points in the New York Liberty’s 92-70 win against the Phoenix Mercury at Madison Square Garden.
At 27, Charles is one of the youngest players to accomplish the feat, with only two other players younger than her when they reached the milestone. The Jamaica, Queens native also is the sixth-fastest player to achieve this in WNBA history, getting there in 226 games.
Charles reached the 4,000 point mark after hitting a 3-pointer as she finished the game with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Along with the milestone points, this was also Charles’ 17th double-double of the season.
The former MVP’s success in such a short period of time gives hope to Liberty fans on what they can expect from her in seasons to come. In her seventh season, she is 28th on the all-time scoring list. Entering Wednesday night’s matchup at the Garden against the Seattle Storm (12-17), she is 62 points behind Dallas Wings forward Plenette Pierson, who played for the Liberty from 2010 through 2014, for 27th.
Charles’ contributions to the team are a big part in her being considered for the MVP this year. She has been a vital member of the team, helping them hold a 41⁄2-game lead over the Chicago Sky for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Liberty (20-9) have won seven of their last 10 games, showing they are ready to close out the season on a high note.
