Essence Carson

Personal: Beyond basketball, Carson is passionate about music, writing poetry, and public speaking. Her professional career extends to roles in the music industry, serving as the Senior Manager of Label Relations at Motown Records and previously working at Priority Records, a hip-hop label owned by Capitol Records. Her musical talents extend to playing multiple instruments, including the piano, bass guitar, drums, and saxophone. Notable figures such as former Rutgers head women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer and high school basketball coach Ed Black have significantly impacted her life. Carson's childhood involved participation in music camps and Girl Scouts, attending a fine and performing arts school, and receiving honors with a dedicated gymnasium and basketball court in her name. She has also appeared as a guest broadcaster on CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball.”

2023 Season: In her second AU Pro Basketball season, Carson concluded the season with 2,684 leaderboard points, starting in 8-of-11 games. Carson averaged 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She surged in the latter part of the season, achieving double figures in scoring in three of the final four games. Her standout performance included a career-high 21 points against Team Smith in the Week Four finale, accompanied by a season-high eight rebounds, earning her MVP 1 recognition and amassing 551 leaderboard points. She contributed consistently, scoring 12 points against Team Hillmon and ending the season with 11 points against Team Smith.

2022 Season: Carson was a starter in the first eight games before missing the remainder of the season. She secured 18th place on the leaderboard with 3,350 points, showcasing remarkable performances, including a season-high 573 points in the Week Two opener against Team Harrison. Averaging 12.0 points per game, Carson scored in double figures five times and contributed 4.5 rebounds per contest. Noteworthy performances included a double-double effort against Team Mitchell with 11 rebounds and back-to-back 15-point performances to commence the season.

Other Professional Experience: Carson boasts a 13-season career in the WNBA, having played in 367 career games with 197 starts. Her contributions in the league include averaging 7.2 points and 2.3 rebounds during her regular season career. She was drafted No. 7 overall by the New York Liberty in the 2008 WNBA Draft and won a WNBA title with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016. Carson also played internationally during the off-season in various countries.

College Experience: During her college career at Rutgers, Carson was a three-time BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year winner. She played in 133 career games, securing 1,262 career points and grabbing 707 career rebounds. Her collegiate achievements included leading the Scarlet Knights to the 2007 NCAA Final Four and representing Team USA, winning four gold medals. Carson's exceptional college career led to her induction into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.