8 ▁FI BA ▁World ▁Championship ▁team . ▁She ▁made ▁a ▁name ▁for ▁herself ▁in ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁as ▁a ▁world ▁class ▁def ender ▁by ▁shut ting ▁down ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁best ▁players . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁she ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁President ’ s ▁F it ness ▁Council , ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁chosen ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁USA ▁Olympic ▁basketball ▁team . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁career ▁McC ray ▁has ▁been ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁She ▁made ▁a ▁new ▁home ▁for ▁herself ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina ▁with ▁a ▁former ▁team mate ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁Da wn ▁St ale y . ▁St ale y ▁said ▁about ▁McC ray : ▁" N ik ki ▁is ▁hun gry ▁for ▁success , ▁and ▁that ▁comes ▁from ▁playing ▁at ▁Tennessee ▁where ▁the ▁coach ▁never ▁sett les ▁for ▁anything ▁less ▁than ▁being ▁number ▁one ▁at ▁whatever ▁she ' s ▁doing . ▁That ▁ment ality ▁is ▁inst illed ▁in ▁Nik ki , ▁and ▁I ▁want ▁people ▁around ▁me ▁like ▁that . ▁She ▁is ▁ener get ic , ▁confident ▁and ▁eng aging ▁– ▁all ▁qual ities ▁that ▁you ▁need ▁when ▁you ' re ▁co aching ▁and ▁rec ruit ing . ▁We ▁spent ▁two ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁together ▁and ▁have ▁shared ▁being ▁successful ▁in ▁the ▁very ▁best ▁ar ena ▁there ▁is ▁to ▁test ▁yourself ." ▁ ▁Other ▁work ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁her ▁career ▁on ▁the ▁court , ▁McC ray ▁also ▁created