[6][7] Lawson attended the University of Tennessee (UT) and played for the Lady Vols basketball team, coached by Pat Summitt.

Lawson received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as the best senior player under 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m).

But five days later, the Shock traded Lawson to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Kedra Holland-Corn and a 2004 second-round draft pick.

Lawson was a free agent when the Sacramento Monarchs folded prior to the 2010 WNBA season, but later signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun.

Lawson was selected to be a member of the United States national team at the 2001 World University Games held in Beijing, China.

Needing a win to remain in medal contention, Lawson scored 25 points to help the USA team defeat Japan, and earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

[11] On July 10, 2008, Lawson was selected to represent the United States with the USA women's national basketball team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

[16] On June 27, 2019, the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that Lawson would join the team as an assistant coach.

[18][19][20] On July 11, 2020, it was announced that Lawson was hired as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team.

In the 2020 Summer Olympics, Lawson coached the USA team to a gold medal in the 3x3 basketball, defeating China 18–15 in the title match.

Conference tournament champion Lawson is married to Damien Barling, whom she met while working in Sacramento soon after the Monarchs' WNBA championship win.