Andrea Stinson

Andrea Stinson attended North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, North Carolina, where she established herself as one of the state's leading basketball prospects. She was named North Carolina Miss Basketball in 1987 and was selected as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Female Athlete of the Year for the 1986–87 season.

She continued her basketball career at North Carolina State University from 1987 to 1991. During her collegiate career, she scored 2,136 points and finished among the school's all-time leaders in scoring, field goals, steals, assists, and blocked shots. Stinson earned Kodak and USBWA All-American honors in both 1990 and 1991, was named ACC Player of the Year in 1990, won ACC Tournament MVP honors in 1990, and received First-Team All-ACC recognition from 1989 through 1991. Her jersey number 32 was later retired by NC State.

After college, Stinson began a professional career overseas. She played in France with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre from 1992 to 1994 before continuing in Italy with Parma, Cesena, and Thiene. During her time in Italy, she earned three Italian League All-Star selections and became one of the league's most productive all-around players. She later played in Turkey with Galatasaray and Botassport Adana.

When the WNBA launched in 1997, Stinson was allocated to the Charlotte Sting as one of the league's original players. She immediately became one of the franchise's central figures, averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists during the inaugural season. Over eight seasons with Charlotte, she started every one of her 254 games for the franchise and established herself as one of the team's most productive players.

Her strongest statistical season came in 2000 when she averaged 17.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. She earned WNBA All-Star selections in 2000, 2001, and 2002, while also receiving All-WNBA Second Team honors in 1997 and 1998. In 2001, she helped lead the Sting to the WNBA Finals, where Charlotte finished as runner-up to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Stinson remained with Charlotte through 2004 before joining the Detroit Shock for the 2005 season. She retired after that year having played 272 regular-season games and accumulated 3,351 points, 1,127 rebounds, and 810 assists in the WNBA. Her number 32 was later retired by the Charlotte Sting organization.

After retiring from professional basketball, Stinson became head coach at Newton-Conover High School from 2013 to 2018 and later served as head coach at Walter Williams High School beginning in 2019. She also participated in SportsUnited programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, conducting basketball clinics and outreach initiatives in countries including Algeria, Bahrain, and Jordan.

Stinson represented the United States at the 1991 Pan American Games, where the team won a bronze medal, and at the 1992 William Jones Cup, where Team USA captured the gold medal.

Andrea Stinson played primarily as a guard during her professional career. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall, she was known for her ability to contribute across multiple areas of the game, including scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and perimeter defense. Throughout her WNBA career, she maintained averages of 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while consistently serving as a starter and primary contributor for the Charlotte Sting.

Andrea Stinson was born on November 25, 1967, in North Carolina and attended North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville. She later attended North Carolina State University, where she became one of the most accomplished players in the history of the women's basketball program.

Following her playing career, Stinson remained involved in basketball through coaching and community development programs. She served as a high school head coach in North Carolina and participated in international sports diplomacy initiatives supported by the U.S. Department of State. Through these programs, she worked with young athletes in several countries and contributed to basketball development and cultural exchange efforts.

Andrea Stinson is recognized as one of the foundational players of the Charlotte Sting and among the early stars of the WNBA. She was an original allocated player when the league began in 1997 and spent most of her professional career with a single franchise. Her 3,329 points for Charlotte remain a significant part of the franchise's history.

Her impact extends to collegiate basketball through her achievements at NC State, where her jersey was retired and where she remains among the program's all-time statistical leaders. She also contributed to the growth of women's basketball internationally through her overseas career and participation with USA Basketball.

Andrea Stinson received numerous honors throughout her basketball career. At the collegiate level, she was a two-time Kodak All-American and USBWA All-American in 1990 and 1991. She was named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP in 1990 and earned First-Team All-ACC recognition three consecutive times from 1989 through 1991. Prior to college, she was named North Carolina Miss Basketball in 1987 and was selected as the state's Female Athlete of the Year by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Professionally, she earned WNBA All-Star selections in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 1997 and 1998. Her jersey number 32 was retired by both NC State and the Charlotte Sting. Internationally, she won a gold medal with the United States at the 1992 William Jones Cup and a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games. She also earned multiple Italian League All-Star selections during her overseas career.

Andrea Stinson is a former American professional basketball player best known for her career with the Charlotte Sting in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Born on November 25, 1967, in North Carolina, she developed into one of the most accomplished players in NC State women's basketball history before becoming a foundational player during the WNBA's inaugural era.

At North Mecklenburg High School, Stinson earned North Carolina Miss Basketball honors in 1987 and was recognized as one of the state's top players. She continued her career at North Carolina State University, where she scored 2,136 points and finished among the program leaders in scoring, field goals, steals, assists, and blocked shots. She earned Kodak and USBWA All-American honors in 1990 and 1991, was named ACC Player of the Year in 1990, and received three consecutive First-Team All-ACC selections.

Before joining the WNBA, Stinson played professionally in France, Italy, and Turkey while also representing the United States internationally. She won a gold medal at the 1992 William Jones Cup and a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games.

In 1997, she became one of the original allocated players in the WNBA and spent eight seasons with the Charlotte Sting. During her WNBA career, she earned three All-Star selections, two All-WNBA Second Team honors, and helped lead Charlotte to the 2001 WNBA Finals. She retired after the 2005 season with career averages of 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game across 272 games.

Following her playing career, Stinson transitioned into coaching and community engagement, serving as a high school head coach and participating in international sports diplomacy initiatives for the U.S. Department of State.