Born in the small town of Ama, LA, Pokey Chatman grew up immersed in time-honored southern traditions of faith, family and hard work. With relatives around every corner, she was always under the watchful eye of her village. And while her childhood was one of simple means, it was filled with the kind of memories and life lessons that shaped who she would become.
Accustomed to hard work from a young age, Pokey was often tasked with working odd jobs to contribute to the household after her parents divorced. That same work ethic was on display when she began to play organized sports at the age of 6. After years of playing with and against her cousins and neighborhood boys, Pokey developed grit and unmatched mental toughness. By the time she was able to play on her first all-girls basketball team, Pokey was already steps ahead of the competition.
Although she enjoyed playing volleyball and softball as a youth, when she began her freshman year at Hahnville High School, she decided to focus solely on basketball. As a five-time AAU All-American, Pokey is recognized for scoring the first 3 point shot in a high school game in the state of Louisiana.
Upon graduating from high school, Pokey wouldn’t travel far from her Ama roots as she embarked on a stellar collegiate career at LSU. Under the leadership of legendary coach and mentor, Sue Gunter, she enjoyed a noteworthy career as the starting point guard for the Lady Tigers from 1987-1991.
As a collegiate athlete, the dynamic floor general set the all-time steals (346) and assists (570) records at LSU. While she remains the school record-holder in career steals, her record in assists lasted for 14 seasons. She led her team to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, was a three-time All-SEC selection and led the SEC in 3-point field goals her junior and senior year. Pokey was also a member of the 1988 USA Women’s U18 team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
As a Kodak All-American, Pokey completed her tenure as a collegiate athlete by leading the Lady Tigers to their first Southeastern Conference title and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
After earning her bachelor’s in general studies in December of 1991, Pokey served one season as a student assistant with the Lady Tigers before becoming an assistant coach the following year. In 1998, Pokey was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Following Gunter’s retirement in 2004, she was named the fourth head coach in LSU history.
During her tenure as head coach for the Lady Tigers, LSU’s record was 105-19, they advanced to the NCAA Final Four three times, earned the No. 1 seed in two NCAA Tournaments and won two SEC regular-season titles.
As a result of her hard work and dedication, Pokey enjoyed a historic rise as head coach at the collegiate level. She earned numerous national coach of the year awards, two Black Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors and two Louisiana Coach of the Year accolades.
When she resigned from her position as head women’s basketball coach in 2007, she added international professional coach to her already impressive resume. As assistant coach of the Women’s Basketball Club Spartak Moscow Region, Spartak won their next three championships. In 2010, as head coach, she led the team to a 16–0 Euroleague record and their fourth straight Euroleague Championship.
By October 2010, Pokey was named the general manager and head coach of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. While there, she helped the organization reach the playoffs for the first time in club history, which led to a four-year playoff run. In 2014, they made it to the WNBA Finals.
Following her tenure in Chicago, she became the general manager and head coach of the Indiana Fever for three years.
While her illustrious career has taken her from state to state and abroad, three things have always remained: faith, family and hard work.
Hard at work while seeking her next coaching opportunity, Pokey is developing her podcast, PG POV. As the leader on the court and a liaison to the coach, the podcast uses her experiences to help others tackle everyday life scenarios through the lens of a point guard.
In addition to PG POV, Pokey is also working on Principles of Play, a play by play game analysis where she evaluates live game footage and provides a fundamental breakdown of the game.
No matter where Pokey’s career has taken her, family is always ever-present as both her mother, Carolyn, and older sister, Dee, play an integral part in managing her day to day business affairs. Outside of basketball, the music lover often finds herself steeped in Louisiana culture, food and spirited jazz while enjoying Old World European wine amongst family and friends. The self-professed wine connoisseur became enthralled with European winemaking and it’s deep-rooted family traditions while traveling abroad.
As she continues to stretch and grow daily, Pokey has found her spiritual footing within the welcoming arms of Mount Zion Baptist Church in her hometown of Ama, LA.
Focused on enriching lives through her philanthropic endeavors and motivational speaking opportunities, Pokey is lending her voice and her platform to positively impact and further the game of basketball and, ultimately, the game of life.
Coach | Motivational Speaker | Educator