Lufkin honors WNBA star Natasha Mack with key to the city

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - The city of Lufkin honored Phoenix Mercury star Natasha Mack with the key to the city Monday night at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center.

Mack, a former Lufkin Panther and Angelina Lady Runner, is the first WNBA player to come out of Lufkin.

“Honestly, it is an honor and a blessing, ‘cause you know, I grew up here. I never expect to make it out. People really don’t. And just everybody that came out to support me, ‘cause you know, they can do anything. It’s just holiday break. And so for everybody to be here and come out tonight, that means a lot,” Mack said.

Mack’s journey to professional basketball was not linear. She took a break from basketball before starting her freshman year at Houston.

“When I first got the call from Coach Randy to come back, I was like, no man. You don’t know me like this. This what, this is what I’m here for. And then he text me again. I thought about it. I said, there’s a reason he text me again, like, do I really wanna do this? I have an opportunity to go back to school, play basketball, do what I love. I was like, let me just try it. If not. There’s always a place right here at the Chicken Poultry,” Mack said.

After All-American years at Angelina and Oklahoma State, Mack was drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2021. She was waived by the Sky and then by the Minnesota Lynx a month later.

Following two seasons overseas, including winning medals, Mack returned to the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury.

“[Natasha] got a phone call from the [General Manager Nick U’Ren], um, hey, let’s come out and try out for the Phoenix Mercury. And she did try out and she made the team and it was like a lifelong dream from her and, you know, to continue to push. And she continued to push and then she got a phone call. Well, the coach called in the office and say, Hey, you gonna be starting? BG is hurt. And so, hey, she called me crying and we cried together and I was like, you only continue to go up from here,” said Natasha’s mom Bonnie Lee

The ceremony concluded with city officials presenting Mack with the key to the city.