Kara Lawson entered UT in 1999 already an All-American, having been named a WBCA All-American, and having participated in the WBCA High School All-America game, where she scored 20 points and was named most valuable player. She had an outstanding basketball career, receiving the Frances Pomery Naismith Award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association as the best senior player under five feet eight inches tall. She also prospered academically, graduating in 2003 with a degree in finance. She was drafted in 2003 by the Detroit Shock (first round, fifth overall pick) during the WNMA draft, but was traded five days later to the Sacramento Monarchs. Two years later, Lawson was a key member of the Monarchs 2005 championship team. When the Monarchs went out of business prior to the 2010 season, Lawson signed with the Connecticut Sun. She was member of the 2008 Olympic gold-medal USA women’s basketball team and also made the team for 2012.
She serves as an analyst for ESPN covering college basketball and the NBA. On January 12, 2007, she was the first woman to work as a nationwide broadcast analyst for an NBA game, when the New Orleans Hornets played the Washington Wizards.