Tina Charles to play in Athletes Unlimited league this winter

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NEW YORK (AP) — Tina Charles is excited to have a chance to play in the U.S. after competing overseas during the WNBA offseason for the past decade.

She has decided to join Athletes Unlimited, the 5-on-5 basketball league that will play its games in Nashville, Tennessee, again this winter.

“It was a chance to take advantage of an opportunity to play home,” Charles said in a phone interview. “I heard great things from players that were active in AU. More importantly, the camaraderie and friendships and opportunity to make an impact playing in AU serves where I'm at in my career.”

The charity component of Athletes Unlimited also was something that Charles liked. She's spent the last 12 years raising awareness for sudden cardiac arrest through Hopey's Heart Foundation. Charles is closing in on reaching a milestone of donating 500 AEDs (automated external defibrillators). She's 17 short right now and will get there in large part through a $20,000 donation by Yale New Haven Health at one of the last Connecticut Sun home games.

“Being able to just raise awareness, placement for AEDs and keep that conversation going is big,” Charles said.

The 36-year-old was awarded the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award by the WNBA earlier this month.

“It was really special to me for the foundation in memory of my aunt,” Charles said. “The Dawn Staley award means a lot. The first time I received the award I was helping build a school in Africa and impacting those kids. It's more about my parents and how they raised me even though my name is reflected on the award.”

Charles, who is the WNBA's all-time leader in rebounds and field-goals made, will join a bunch of WNBA players in Athletes Unlimited.

Alysha Clark, Isabelle Harrison, Lexie Brown, NaLyssa Smith, Ariel Atkins and Odyssey Sims have already signed on to play.

“I'm excited about it, excited to learn from the players and help other players being one of the vets there,” Charles said.

Charles said before the Connecticut Sun season ended that she hoped to return to the WNBA again next season.

“God willing would love to play another year in the WNBA,” she said.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball