Dominique Canty
A durable and versatile WNBA guard who carved out a 12-year career with her defensive tenacity and relentless driving style.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 2·Generation X
Biography
Hailing from Chicago's Whitney Young High School, Dominique Canty brought a tough, physical brand of basketball to the women's game. Drafted by the Houston Comets in 1999, she entered the league as a defensive stopper but quickly evolved into a multifaceted guard who could attack the rim with force. Canty wasn't a flashy superstar; she was a worker, a player whose value was measured in steals, hard-nosed drives, and consistent minutes. She played a key role off the bench for the Comets during their 2000 championship run. Her journey took her to five different WNBA teams, including a standout stint with the Chicago Sky, where she became a veteran leader for the expansion franchise. Canty's longevity and adaptability made her a respected figure, a testament to the kind of player who builds a career on grit and basketball IQ.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Dominique was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dominique Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Dominique's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a WNBA championship with the Houston Comets in 2000.
- Finished her career ranked among the WNBA's top 20 all-time leaders in steals.
- Averaged a career-high 13.3 points per game for the Chicago Sky in 2007.
- Played in over 350 WNBA games across 12 seasons with five different franchises.
Did You Know?
She was a two-time Illinois Ms. Basketball winner in high school.
She played college basketball at the University of Alabama, where she was an All-SEC selection.
After her playing career, she became a basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network.
She also played professionally overseas in countries like Turkey and South Korea.
“You have to be physical and smart to play this game at the highest level.”
