Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Tamika Raymond

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2010  –  Malawi
  • 2011  –  Tanzania
  • 2012  –  China
  • 2013  –  Ukraine
  • 2013  –  Nigeria
  • 2014  –  Sri Lanka

Tamika Maria Raymond is an Assistant Coach for the women’s basketball team at the University of Kansas. Prior to serving in that role, Raymond played professional basketball in the WNBA for six seasons. During the 2002 WNBA Draft, the Minnesota Lynx selected Raymond with the sixth overall pick. She played her last season in the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun.

Prior to playing in the WNBA, Raymond attended the University of Connecticut, where she majored in interpersonal communications. She played for the school’s women’s basketball teams, which won Division I National Championship teams in 2000 and 2002. She completed her four-year collegiate career with averages of 10.6 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. She finished as UConn’s all-time leader in field goal percentage at 70.3 percent.

Raymond had a stellar high school basketball career in Dayton, OH. She was named the 1997 and 1998 Ohio Player of the Year and was selected to the 1997-98 Associated Press girls Division I All-Ohio high school basketball team. She was named “Ohio’s Miss Basketball” by the Associated Press.

Billy Owens

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2010  –  Malawi

Billy Owens, a 6’9” shooting forward, spent 10 years successful years in the NBA, making stops with the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors. He was an unanimous selection to the 1991-92 NBA All-Rookie First Team, averaging 14.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 1.13 spg for the Warriors and finished third in Rookie of the Year balloting behind Larry Johnson and Dikembe Mutombo.

He was drafted third overall in the 1991 NBA Draft after a stellar Junior year at Syracuse University. He was named Big-East Player of the year, Consensus All-American and averaged over 20 points per game.

Owens was also a member of the USA national team during the 1990 World Championship, taking home the bronze medal.
The Carlisle, Pennsylvania, native led his hometown to four consecutive Pennsylvania AAA state titles and was considered to be one of the top two prep players in his class alongside Alonzo Mourning.