Tombi Bates[2] (née Bell; born April 19, 1979), is an U.S. Virgin Islands former professional basketball player.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1979-04-19) April 19, 1979 (age 43)[1] Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Nationality | Virgin Islander |
| Listed height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Norland (Miami, Florida) |
| College | Florida (1997–2001) |
| WNBA draft | 2001 / Round: 3 / Pick: 39th overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Lynx | |
| Position | Guard |
| Number | 5 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Bates played for Miami Norland Senior High School, and during her tenure there, was one of the top players in her county.[3]
Bates played for the Florida Gators from 1997 to 2001. She was featured in an April 2001 article for The Gainesville Sun.[4]
| 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 | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | Florida | 25 | 1 | 14.7 | .426 | .362 | .672 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 4.1 |
| 1998-99 | Florida | 25 | 1 | 14.1 | .344 | .250 | .619 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
| 1999-00 | Florida | 34 | 34 | 29.6 | .371 | .294 | .677 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 7.1 |
| 2000-01 | Florida | 28 | 27 | 34.2 | .494 | .377 | .705 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 12.4 |
| Career[5] | 112 | 63 | 24.0 | .426 | .362 | .672 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 6.9 |
Bates was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in 2001.[6]
Bates spent the 2005–2006 season as an assistant coach of the Miami Hurricanes.[7] Bates later became an NCAA certified referee and a FIBA certified official.[8]
Bates graduated from Florida with bachelor's degree in exercise and sports sciences with a specialization in sport management in 2002.[7] Bates is the sister of NBA player, Raja Bell.[7][9] As of 2013, Bates is a physical education teacher at José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy.[10]