 |
WNBA – Saison 2008 |
| |
WNBA – Saison 2008 |
Avertissements : les photos ont été trouvées essentiellements sur les sites de la NBA, de la WNBA et sur SPMSportspage.com (merci à Laurent Doche de Basketbol.org pour le lien).
Les sources pour chaque article cité se trouvent à la fin de chaque article.
Il n'en est tiré aucun profit. Il s'agit d'une page rédigée par une fan pour d'autres fans.
La WNBA, ça commence à bouger. La Draft est le mois prochain. Il y a de superbes talents qui veulent devenir professionnels dont Candace Parker (qui aurait pu rester encore un an au collège (au sens US du terme). Je vous avais parlé d’elle pendant le championnat du monde et de l’énorme impact qu’elle avait eu alors qu’elle n’était qu’étudiante à côté de toutes ces joueuses professionnelles. Certains disent que sa décision est peut-être lié au fait que l’équipe qui a le numéro 1 de la Draft est Los Angeles (et son copain est membre d’une équipe en Californie…). Comme il y a de fortes chances pour que les Sparks (de LA) la choisissent…
En attendant la Draft, la période des transferts et renouvellement de contrats a commencé et il y a eu quelques surprises, encore augmentées par la naissance d’une nouvelle équipe à Atlanta. Je vous renvoie à ce que j’avais écrit après Chicago sur les conséquences pour les autres équipes de l’arrivée d’une nouvelle franchise. Dans les autres vrais transferts, on a pu voir Katie Douglas, élément moteur des Connecticut Suns partir pour les Indiana Fever ou plus surprenant encore, Sheryl Swoopes, figure emblématique des Houston Comets avec qui elle a gagné 4 championnats et 3 titres de MVP, partir pour Seattle. A noter que Swoopes est cette joueuse qui a fait son coming-out alors qu’elle est toujours en activité. Seattle, qui vient de changer d’entraîneur après la démission d’Ann Dononvan, a aussi fait venir Swin Cash (membre du 5 de départ des Shocks) depuis Detroit où elle a gagné 2 championnats. Il y a eu d’autres transferts intéressants, des changements d’entraîneurs, pleins de choses pour rendre la nouvelle saison passionnante.
Autre nouvelle qui fait du bruit dans le landernau du basket féminin américain : Becky Hammon a obtenu la nationalité russe, ce qui fait qu’elle pourra participer aux JO sous le maillot russe. Il faut reconnaître que malgré sa très bonne dernière saison (qui s’est poursuivi en Russie), elle n’a pas été appelée par les sélectionneurs de l’équipe US (et honnêtement, elle est un bien meilleur point guard que … Sue Bird à mon avis). Et pour ceux qui s’étonneraient de voir tant de joueuses américaines dans le championnat russe, les équipes là-bas sont les “danseuses” (sans connotation sexuelle, je précise) de certains nouveaux millionnaires et ils font des contrats en or aux joueuses étrangères pour les faire venir. Comme leur rémunération au sein de la WNBA est fortement réglementée (rien à voir avec les contrats mirifiques de la NBA), qui peut leur reprocher de constituer un filet de sécurité tant que leur santé et leur physique le leur permettent ?
Hammon gets heat for jump to Russia
The former CSU star says she didn't feel she had a good chance to make the U.S. team.
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 04/15/2008 12:36:48 AM MDT
Becky Hammon speaks this part proudly.
"I grew up in the middle of America," she said. "In South Dakota."
That is an important point for her these days. In the past week, the former Colorado State basketball star has had to endure a swell of discontent stemming from publicity of her intention to play for Russia in the Beijing Olympics in August.
Her patriotism has come under attack from those whose memories burn bright with visions of the Cold War. None of it, Hammon said, has anything to do with her.
"We said the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school," Hammon said in a telephone interview from Russia on Monday. "When it was your turn to take the flag out and raise it, you did. We learned how to fold the flag, carry the flag, make sure the corner doesn't touch the ground, everything. So, I grew up in a very patriotic area of the country."
B. Hammon avec Tim Duncan des San Antonio Spurs
et David Robinson, vétéran des Spurs, après avoir remporté le trophée 2008 Haier Shooting StarsAt the same time, she said she understands the questions and fury filling up her e-mail and voice mail box after ESPN.com reported last week that the all-American girl signed with the Russian national team.
She says USA basketball did not show any interest in her, though that is disputed by USA basketball executive director Jim Tooley.
"I know that where one door is closed, other doors open," said Hammon, 31. "And so that's the door I'm walking through."
She went to Plan B and signed to play with CSKA, a team in Russia. Part of the contract language stated she would be eligible to get an international passport, which she got late last month, and become a naturalized citizen. Her papers were rushed through. Two days before the tryouts were to start, and after Hammon had already signed with CSKA, she was asked to try out for the U.S. Team.
"Knowing what I knew before, I still knew my chances weren't good," said Hammon, who talked it over with her agent, parents, coaches and friends before coming to a final decision. "Did I turn down a training session? Yeah, I did. But for me, it's like I also have a chance to win the lottery. Was there a chance? Yes. Was it a good one, honestly speaking? No."
In this Olympic cycle that began in 2006, there was a list of approximately 24 players invited to try out, Tooley said. He said that it is a "rolling" list, meaning players are added and dropped for various reasons throughout the years leading up to the Olympics, and that Hammon was included.
"She's been invited several times since 2006 when we've had this pool," Tooley said. "Would she have made the team? I don't know. But she had a chance to make the team. We've gotten a lot of calls in the last 24 hours about it, and we're kind of surprised because this is a fairly common practice. FIBA rules allow for one player to be naturalized and play on the national team. So Becky's playing within the rules. The decision to play for them was hers."
Hammon, a guard for the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars, was the MVP runner-up last season, averaging 18.8 points and 5.0 assists per game.
"Had I gotten one encouraging comment from committee members, people in charge; if I had gotten, 'You know what? You have a very good chance at making the team.' If I had gotten one comment like that, I wouldn't have signed this contract," she said. "The truth is, there was never a comment made like that."
As a young girl, Hammon dreamed of playing in the Olympics, not in a pro league. The WNBA wasn't even in existence then.
"This was like the highest level to compete at," she said. "I'm doing this as a sporting event. This is not a political statement on any part. I know what I'm doing in my heart is the right thing to do. I know my motives are pure and right, so I can sleep at night. I play strictly for the approval of God first, and country and people are secondary in my mind.
"It would have been very easy for me to stay home and wonder what could have been. It took a lot of courage to say yes, because I knew a lot of the consequences, I knew what people would say about me, I knew what people would think. So my faith gives me a lot of courage to step up to the edge and jump. So that's what I did."
Hammon file
Name: Rebecca Lynn Hammon
Age: 31
Height: 5 feet, 6 inches
Career highlights: AP All-American at Colorado State in 1999. . . . Three-time WAC player of the year (1997-99). . . . All-WNBA first team in 2007 and MVP runner-up. . . . Four-time WNBA all-star. . . . Was NWBL MVP in 2005 with the Colorado Chill. . . . Has scored nearly 2,900 points in a nine-year WNBA career.
En nouvelles sportives, la draft a eu lieu. Candace Parker va bien à Los Angeles. A noter que sa sélection en équipe pro fait beaucoup parler d'elle. Outre le fait qu'elle soit considérée comme la meilleure joueuse de sa génération et peut-être même LA meilleure joueuse qui soit, son arrivée fait bouger les sponsors et pourrait même redéfinir les règles en ce qui concerne les contrats négociés avec les sportives (jusqu'alors limitées bien souvent aux produits d'hygiène !!!)
WNBA Gets Its Spark
Pairing of Leslie and Parker could be just what the league needs
by Josh Peter,
POSTED: Apr 15, 2008
The most marketable duo in women’s basketball locked eyes as if in a stare down.
Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker looked less like teammates than archrivals, as if the veteran star and the phenom already were vying for control of the Los Angeles Sparks, if not the entire WNBA.
“Good,” said the photographer, and the smoldering stares melted.
The staged expressions were part of a photo shoot last week during which it became clear the WNBA and women’s basketball got all it could hope for: a glamorous pairing with the requisite traits
Beauty? Check.
Leslie has modeled for Armani, Tommy Hilfiger and Anne Klein. It’s only a matter of time before fashion magazines court Parker. (Bad news, gentlemen: Leslie is married and Parker is engaged.)
Brains? Check.
Leslie has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. Parker has a 3.35 grade point average at the University of Tennessee and will earn a degree in sports management this spring. style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;
Skills? Check.
Leslie has won three Olympic gold medals, three MVP trophies from the WNBA and two WNBA championship rings. Parker, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft last week, just led Tennessee to its second straight national championship and for the second year in a row was the consensus pick as the women’s national collegiate Player of the Year.
Leslie stands 6-foot-5, Parker stands 6-foot-4, and both can dunk with ease. In fact, Leslie was the first woman to dunk in a professional game and Parker was the first to dunk in an NCAA collegiate game. Maybe that had something to do with why Michael Cooper, coach of the Sparks, was beaming when asked about how he thinks the two will fit in together on the court.
“This is Showtime at its best,” said Cooper, a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” teams that featured Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a fast-paced style that led them to five NBA titles in the 1980s. Cooper said he envisions the versatile Parker as Magic, the fluid Leslie as Kareem and his team as one that will entertain fans of women’s basketball the way the old Lakers entertained NBA fans.
“We’re going to get up and down the floor, and it’s going to be fun,” he said. “We’re going to let it fly and rebound and play defense. And then do it again in another night in another city.”
A celebrated duo on a barnstorming tour comes at an optimal time for the WNBA. Entering its 12th season, the 14-team league still is trying to prove it is a viable enterprise.
Reported attendance has declined from a high of 9,100 per game to about 7,500 per game, according to published reports. Earlier this year the league signed an eight-year TV deal with ESPN, but ratings remain strikingly low.
In what has amounted to child support, the NBA has given the WNBA upwards of $10 million a year. But now the NBA would like to see the women’s league flourish on its own.
Recognizing a PR boon when it sees it, the marketing division of the WNBA has seized the moment. A day after the photo shoot in Los Angeles, a picture of Leslie and Parker standing on either side of Cooper was featured on the league’s website.
And surely it’s just a coincidence that the WNBA’s national telecast on May 17, opening day, will feature a game between the Phoenix Mercury, the league’s reigning champions, and the Sparks.
“There is general consensus around the world that Candace represents a special level of player,” Donna Orender, the WBNA’s commissioner, told the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press after the Sparks drafted Parker.
“I think the impact and the quality of her play is only going to be positive for everybody. But she also represents a broadness in her appeal.” But for now, the real appeal is the prospect of watching Parker and Leslie on the court together.
The Sparks’ good fortune resulted from the team’s misfortune in 2007. Before the season started, Leslie, pregnant with her first child, announced she would sit out the year on maternity leave.
Then, five games into the season, Chamique Holdsclaw, a perennial All-Star expected to lead the team in Leslie’s absence, abruptly retired.
Meanwhile, starting point guard Tameka Johnson was battling a knee injury that limited her to 11 games last season, and the Sparks sputtered to a league-worst 10-24 record.
Of course, there was no better time for a nosedive.
In October, during a lottery weighted in favor of teams with the league’s worst records, the Sparks won the No. 1 overall pick. Parker announced four months later she would forgo her final year of college eligibility, clearly in part because she realized she’d likely end up playing alongside Leslie, her childhood idol.
The two also figure to play prominent roles in August when the USA women’s basketball team competes at the Olympics in Beijing and will be favored to win the gold medal. But the Sparks already think they’ve struck gold.
Last week at the photo shoot in the Staples Center, where the Sparks play their home games, no one thought to bring a baton. But Leslie sounds inclined to pass the baton to Parker -- in due time.
At 35, Leslie looks as trim and fit as ever less than a year after giving birth to her daughter, Lauren, and told a gaggle of reporters, “I’ve won it all, I’ve done it all. But I’m still not done yet.”
But Leslie also said Parker is much further along than she was at the age of 22.
“As far as her game, dude,” Leslie said with the look of awe. ” … She’s very close to my game now. She’s phenomenal, the things she’s capable of doing, so I feel honored that people compare us.
“I would love being her role model and mentor and just give her all the knowledge that I have about the game. That’s what it’s really about is passing it on.”
She’s not just talking about passing along insight on low-post moves either.
“With L.A., the funny part of it is, so many people are coming at you,” Leslie said. “They want to give you their card, they want to do your hair, they want to do so much. I will let Candace know, ‘Look, here are the numbers. Whatever your need.’
“That’s probably the problem with the big city is that you can’t trust everybody. With Knoxville, she probably knows who to trust and where to go and you can stop by somebody’s house and go eat some apple pie and it’s OK. Here, it’s like, ‘Check out that apple pie.’ “
Told that Leslie had declared “Everything’s about Candace, it’s not about me,” Parker looked taken aback.
“Oh, no,” she said. “It’s all about Lisa. I’m the newbie. I’m the new person to the team. I’m trying to learn. This is her city.”
Growing up, Parker marveled at Leslie’s on-court skills. She said she has tried to incorporate the same versatility Leslie exhibited into her own game.
“Her being a tall, mobile post player, forward that can run the floor, get out in transition,” Parker said. “I’ve watched her play a lot, I’m a huge fan of the WNBA and I’m still pinching myself to really believe that I’m going to be playing alongside her.”
It’s no dream anymore. There they were during the photo shoot, looking at home as they stood side-by-side, Parker wearing No. 3, the same number little girls in Tennessee wear in tribute to Parker, and Leslie wearing No. 9, the number on so many replica jerseys worn by Sparks fans.
There’s still the uncertainty of whether Leslie can fully regain her form after skipping last season. There’s also the uncertainly of how quickly Parker can recover from the separated left shoulder she played with during the NCAA tournament.
But neither issue seemed pressing during a photo shoot when the two basketball stars fixed their hair, chatted and occasionally giggled -- when the photographer wasn’t instructing them to exchange serious looks, that is.
Taking it all in, Parker’s mother, Sara, beamed.
“If you had taken pencil and paper,” she said, “you couldn’t have scripted this any better.”
Source : http://www.blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Women_s_Basketball_37/WNBA_Gets_Its_Spark.shtml
Parker Signs With Adidas and Gatorade
Posted By:Darren Rovell
22/04/08
Former University of Tennessee standout and WNBA top draft pick Candace Parker has signed her first two endorsement deals, CNBC has learned.
Parker, who will play with the Los Angeles Sparks, has agreed to a multi-million dollar shoe deal with adidas as well as a sports drink deal with Gatorade.
The race to sign Parker to the shoe deal was a two-horse race between Nike and adidas, which Parker wore throughout her years at Tennessee.
It will be interesting to see what adidas will do with Parker, who we have previously said has all the ingredients to be the most marketable women's basketball player of all-time. Parker is represented by the Goodwin Brothers, Eric and Aaron Goodwin, who declined to comment on the deals.
Gatorade is going through an interesting time in its history. I hope that they have a good plan for Parker because I think she's a good weapon to have against Coke's Vitaminwater brand, which curiously doesn't seem to have a whole lot of women athletes marketing for them.
Sources are telling me that Parker won't immediately have an Adidas signature shoe for this WNBA season. She's scheduled to wear the Pilrahna 3 shoe, the same model she wore at Tennessee. Plans tentatively call for Parker to be the seventh basketball brand endorser along with Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Gilbert Arenas, Chauncey Billips and Tracy McGrady and to be incorporated in basketball advertising. Parker could also become the face of Adidas' women's and training categories.
© 2008 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Source : http://www.cnbc.com/id/24248609
The Game: Danica, Candace Rewriting Rules For Endorsement Game
April 28, 2008
Danica Patrick will likely never dunk a basketball, and 6-foot-4 Candace Parker would find a race car to be a tight fit, but both are successfully moving up the list of top-paid endorsers among female athletes.
By Barry Janoff
Both women achieved milestones last week: On April 20, Patrick, driving in her 50th race, gained her first victory by taking the Indy Race League's IndyCar Series Japan 300. On April 21, Parker, entering her WNBA rookie season with the Los Angeles Sparks, signed her first marketing deals, with adidas and Gatorade.
Although Patrick has alliances with such companies as Motorola, AirTran, Honda, Peak, GoDaddy and Tisso watches, industry analysts predict the victory will move her from about $5-7 million in annual endorsements to more than $10 million. Marketers are targeting the Indy 500 on May 25 (on ABC), during which Patrick will receive extended national exposure.
"This victory will bring many more higher paying sponsors to the table for Danica. It catapults her above [many] others in consideration for endorsement opportunities [among] female athletes," said Robert Tuchman, president, TSE Sports & Entertainment, New York. TSE handles speaking engagements and sponsorship deals for athletes including Patrick, Maria Sharapova, Venus and Serena Williams, Natalie Gulbis and Annika Sorenstam. "Danica participates in a sport where both men and woman compete in the same field. This is something companies can bank on when looking at her overall brand value."
Patrick's victory also lifted the "Anna Kournikova monkey" off her back. Kournikova has not won a singles title since turning pro in 1995, so her position as a high-profile endorser appears to be based solely on her looks.
Parker's initial deals put her in the $3-5 million range. The WNBA will include her in its 2008 brand campaign, and she will be eligible for what will now be called the Hanns-G "Go Beyond" rookie of the month, rookie of the year and all-rookie team honors. Electronics firm Hannspree has been an NBA and WNBA partner since 2005. The Sparks will feature Parker with Lisa Leslie, one of the league's most marketable stars, who did not play last season when she gave birth to her first child. The effort, referring to Leslie and Parker, respectively, is tagged: "She's back! She's here!" Both women are also members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team
Parker joins adidas' marketing roster of NBA stars, which includes Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard. A signature shoe will hit next season; this year she will wear designs including "Sparks" and "Olympics." Adidas also is looking to align her with its urban ProMama line (footwear, clothing, jewelry).
Analysts say Parker could top $10 million in annual endorsements relatively quickly via such areas as food, tech and health & beauty.
The $10 million annual figure is significant, as only four women athletes have hit that plateau: Sharapova, Michelle Wie and both Williams sisters. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods clears $110 million in annual endorsements, and the bevy of male athletes above $10 million includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, David Beckham, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Peyton Manning and Dwyane Wade.
Patrick is represented by Endeavor Talent Agency, Beverly Hills, Calif. Parker is handled by Goodwin Sports Management, Seattle.
"Women athlete sponsorship and endorsement opportunities are at an all-time high," said Tuchman. "Women in every sport are garnering marketing opportunities. With the Olympics this summer you will see an increase in the number of female brand endorsers."
Source : http://www.brandweek.com/bw/magazine/columns/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003794922
Il n’y a pas eu de gros transferts ce jour-là comme l’année dernière, mais malgré tout, quelques mouvements intéressants encore. Ainsi, Y. Griffith (voir l'article sur les raisons probables du transfert) abandonne Sacramento avec qui elle a gagné un titre de championnat et de MVP de la finale pour partir à Seattle. C’est un peu curieux, ce recrutement par le nouveau coach de Seattle car si sur le papier, ça semble superbe, il a récupéré des joueuses de grand talent et d’expérience, mais qui ont eu des problèmes de santé ces dernières saisons. Je n’ai pas trop vu qui étaient les petites nouvelles, mais seront-elles à la hauteur pour boucher les trous ? Il semble cependant que les "anciennes" soient réalistes sur les difficultés qu'elles vont rencontrer alors... Affaire à suivre.
Ailene Voisin: Say it ain't so, 'Yo'
Her exit left gaping hole in the franchise
Last Updated 11:32 am PDT Friday, May 2, 2008
Yolanda Griffith no longer a member of the Monarchs? Doesn't seem right. Doesn't even seem possible. Yet in tonight's exhibition game at Arco Arena, "Yo" will be out there on the court, glaring, growling, defending, scoring, leading, and probably limping, for the visiting Seattle Storm.
After all these years and one WNBA championship, the anchor pulled up and sailed away. At age 38, with probably one season left in her balky knees and aching joints, Griffith signed with a better team, chose to play for a veteran coach and probably figured it was best to move on rather than create a commotion.
It happens. Players get older. Coaches leave or get fired.
The marriage of an aging, strong-willed superstar (Griffith) and a dynamic rookie coach (Jenny Boucek) four years her junior was doomed from the start. These two were about as compatible last year as Ron Artest and Ron Artest.
Boucek understandably wanted to implement her own offensive and defensive schemes, and "Yo," also understandably, wanted to maintain the status quo on the court and in the locker room.
It just happened at a particularly lousy time for the Monarchs, who learned Thursday that forward DeMya Walker is out for the season with another knee injury. Perhaps, in retrospect, Boucek might have been a little more sensitive last season? Might the more seasoned John Whisenant have thought about his players before resigning his coaching duties in a snit? Might "Yo" have hung around for a grand finale?
"There are a lot of 'What ifs?' " Whisenant acknowledged Thursday morning, a few hours after learning the extent of Walker's injury. "(The resignation) was a hard time and a bad decision in terms of how it affected her, given the time of her career."
Griffith's jersey eventually will hang from the rafters. If the Monarchs are intent on establishing and securing a rich tradition, the greatest player in the history of the franchise will be lured back from Seattle as an assistant coach, scout, front-office exective or in some other prominent capacity.
No way "Yo" can be gone for good. No way.
In her nine seasons as the starting center, she earned WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, dominated the locker room, argued with her coaches, badgered and cajoled and challenged teammates and willed the franchise closer and closer to a championship. She did everything except drive the bus during the 2005 parade down J Street.
First, though, she was the sneaky-brilliant draft pick that former Monarchs general manager Jerry Reynolds plucked after Katie Smith and Shannon Johnson had been allocated in the ABL dispersal draft, Chamique Holdsclaw had been drafted by the Washington Mystics with the No. 1 pick, and while the higher-profile former UCLA star, Natalie Williams, remained on the board.
"I wanted 'Yo' because she had the slim body type that would last longer," Reynolds recalled, "and I thought she was the player you could build a franchise around."
At 6-foot-3 and 188 pounds, with a maze of arms and legs and a competitive streak that intimidated less physically gifted players, Griffith emerged as the best offensive rebounder and one of the best defenders in the history of the game. Perhaps most impressively, she didn't simply run the floor; she sprinted 94 feet, often streaking past the other nine players.
"I always said that if C-Webb ran like "Yo" did, he would have averaged six more points," said Reynolds. "She went after every loose ball. She went after every shot. She was (laugh) a perpetual grouch, but once you got to know her, she is just a delightful person. Me being selfish, I'm going to really miss her."
Added a subdued Boucek, who now must contend with a woefully thin frontcourt, " 'Yo' left a legacy as big as any player coming through."
Yes, she did.
Storm Ready to Work to Meet Expectations
Kevin Pelton,
April 21, 2008As the Seattle Storm gathers to open its 2008 training camp, the talent is in place to generate high expectations. After adding All-Stars Swin Cash, Yolanda Griffith and Sheryl Swoopes to the team's existing core of Sue Bird, Janell Burse and Lauren Jackson, the Storm's roster compares on paper to any in the league. Still, as the team gets down to work preparing for the upcoming season, the Storm is ready to dismiss those expectations in favor of putting in the effort necessary to accomplish the team's goals.
"I think a lot of teams around the league look at this team and say, 'Wow, that's a nice roster,'" said Swoopes. "On paper it is, but it doesn't matter what it looks like on paper. All that matters is when we step out on the floor."
"It's an amazing roster (Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel) Brian (Agler) and the coaching staff put together," added Griffith. "This is a lot of talent, but talent doesn't win championships. There's going to be a lot of sacrifices each individual is going to have to mark. We have to have a great starting lineup; we have to have a great supporting cast. We all have to do something every night to make this work. It's going to be interesting."
Griffith and Swoopes were the biggest names on hand as the Storm met the Seattle media during Monday's annual media day. Nine of the 21 players on the team's training-camp roster remain overseas, with seven rookies amongst the 12 players on hand. Forward Shyra Ely and center Ashley Robinson, re-signed earlier in the day, were the only holdovers from last year's roster in attendance. Yet players and coaches alike can envision what kind of team might take the court on May 17's Opening Night against Chicago when the Storm is at full strength.
At times, the talk turned into hyperbole about what the Storm has assembled with a lineup that includes five Olympic medalists, six former WNBA champions and four members of the league's All-Decade Team. Griffith called the roster "a dream team," saying, "You only get so many opportunities to play with so much talent."
Meanwhile, Swoopes was favorably comparing the Storm's talent to the Houston Comets teams she helped lead to championships in each of the first four seasons of the WNBA's existence.
"Looking at the talent on paper, we have more talent on this team than we ever had in Houston from top to bottom," Swoopes said, despite a Comets lineup that included MVPs Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper as well as All-Decade Teamer Tina Thompson. "We didn't have much of a bench. When I look at this roster that we have here, top to bottom - with the exception of the USA team - I've never been part of a team that had so much talent."
Around the league, the talk has not been so unanimously positive. Agler shared that he had heard some doubts from his peers around the league.
"My feedback from people like other coaches and GMs is, 'How are you going to coach this team with all those egos? How are you going to fit those players together? You've got players who are over the hill,' and things like that," said Agler. "I think there's respect for these players, obviously, throughout the league, but I think people have some question marks about us also."
"I think they have to find something to say about it," countered Swoopes. "There's got to be something wrong with it - the age or the egos or whatever."
At the same time, the Storm's new veterans have enough experience to recognize the importance of players accepting their roles. Six Storm players were starters last season, which means either Burse or Griffith will be forced to adjust to a new role as a reserve. Players who are used to featured roles in their team's offense may have to take something of a backseat so the Storm can share the load on offense.
"Any given night, somebody can be the standout player," Griffith said. "As long as we win, that's the most important thing. If we get away from wanting to do it together as a team, it's not going to work. It's going to work because everybody's hungry and everybody wants it just as bad as the next person."
"If you want to call it a challenge, what will be a challenge is how well people are willing to and want to accept their roles, whatever that role is," said Swoopes, "because I think every player that's here this year is going to have to be willing to accept another role.
"Everybody's role is going to change on this team. How are people going to accept that role? I think if players come into training camp starting today and understand this is what we're trying to accomplish as a team, this is what your role is going to be as an individual. I think if players come in and are willing to accept that, I think it's scary how good this team can be."
Additionally, the Storm has respect for the difficult competition in the Western Conference, which will get no easier this season. The Phoenix Mercury is looking to defend last year's WNBA championship, while San Antonio has added All-Star center Ann Wauters to a team that advanced to the West Finals a year ago. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Sparks return MVP Lisa Leslie and add No. 1 overall pick Candace Parker and Sacramento is looking to extend the West's longest streak of playoff appearances.
"All the teams in the Western Conference are good," commented Agler. "That's been proven. The majority of the championships have been won by teams out here. A lot of those teams have still strong foundations there. It's a demanding thing. It's very competitive."
No matter the expectations from the outside, any real pressure on the Storm will come from the team itself. Given the history of winning amongst the team's group of core players, all of whom have won at least one championship, they don't want to squander an opportunity to make history.
"I see a bunch of young ladies wanting one thing and one thing only - and that's to win a championship," said Griffith. "We're putting so much pressure on ourselves because with a team like this, you can't get less. There's already going to be pressure on us. All we have to do is work hard, make each other better, accept criticism from each other and just keep it moving." style='
Seattle Storm revival with Sheryl Swoopes
WENDY CARPENTER; wendy.carpenter@thenewstribune.com
Published: April 30th, 2008 01:30 AM
Updated: April 30th, 2008 06:30 AMThe Seattle Storm’s practice facility was empty after the second day of training camp last week – save for newly acquired forward Sheryl Swoopes, still taking shot after shot.
Nowhere to be found were her teammates, including former University of Washington standout Kristen O’Neill, who had a pair of Swoopes’ signature shoes growing up, and second-round draft pick Allie Quigley, who had Swoopes’ jersey.
The three-time WNBA MVP had missed several shots during the first workout open to the media. She became hesitant, prompting first-year coach Brian Agler to halt practice and remind her to keep shooting.
“Great shooters shoot,” he told her.
“As a veteran player with a lot of pride, I know I’m not going to go out there and let a rookie outwork me,” the 37-year-old Swoopes said. “No, because I have a lot of pride in myself.”
That explains why she has worked so hard to return to the court this summer after missing last season with a back injury and then undergoing surgery.
Now, after four WNBA championships and three MVP awards, Swoopes is attempting a renaissance, playing for a new team for the first time in 10 years. She left Houston last month to sign as a free agent with the Storm, making her one of five superstars on the Seattle roster.
“Change is good,” Swoopes said. “I do feel like being in a new environment, a new atmosphere, new coaches, new system, new players, new city, just everything new is good for me.
“After not playing last season, it was like everyone had forgotten about Sheryl. For me to be able to come here and have a fresh start, I think it’s a good situation.”
Swoopes played in only three games last season because of a bulging disk in her lower back. She went through a three-month rehabilitation after her surgery in October.
Finally, she feels healthy.
“I think I’m at a point in my career right now where I don’t really feel like I have to prove anything to other people,” Swoopes said. “Do I think it’s possible for me to come back and be at the top again? Absolutely. If I felt like I was going to be just another player out there, then I probably would have retired and said, ‘No, I’m done.’ But the athlete in me, the competitor in me, is not going to be satisfied with just being out there.”
Her decision to move to Seattle was not made lightly. She had other people to consider, such as her 10-year-old son, Jordan, and her partner, Alisa Scott, who was an assistant with the Comets for seven years.
Both spent last weekend in Seattle before returning to Houston, where they will remain – except for a few weekend trips back – until Jordan finishes school next month. They will spend the summer in Seattle.
“It wasn’t just me saying, ‘Look, you guys, I’m going to Seattle,’ ” said Swoopes, a Texas native who attended Texas Tech. “Obviously, Scotty and I talked about it. Jordan … said he thought it was great. But it is hard – sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and this is one.”
Swoopes said she is at a good place in life, though it took a while to get there. She was one of the first high-profile athletes to publicly acknowledge she is gay, coming out three years ago.
“It was scary,” Swoopes said. “Even if I didn’t have a child, it would have been scary. But having a child, it’s even scarier because you never really know how people are going to react.
“Even today, there are times when I do worry about it. But it’s such a relief that we can be honest, I can just be myself, live my life and not have to worry about who knows, who doesn’t know. I would like to see us – meaning this world – get to a point someday where (being gay is) not an issue, it’s not a topic, we’re not discussing this. There were so many more positive things that came out of (coming out) than negative, and if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t think twice.”
Swoopes also has no regrets about opting out of training sessions this month with the U.S. national team as it prepares for the Olympics this summer in Beijing.
“This was the ideal situation for me – come to training camp, be in camp every single day, learn Brian’s system, learn my teammates, get myself right physically, mentally, and when we start the season (May 17), I want to be 100 percent,” said Swoopes, who has been on three Olympic teams. “And if USA Basketball is still there and they still want me, of course I want to be a part of it. I don’t think they’ve counted me out yet. Even if it’s me not playing 30 minutes a game, that leadership that I can bring, that’s what’s missing right now. I think that’s something that we need on this team to be successful.”
She likely will get her wish. Caroline Williams, director of communications for USA Basketball, said Tuesday that Swoopes is “still among the 29 players under consideration for the team. Somebody of her caliber – it would have been great to have had her (in the training session at Beijing last week).”
The final, 12-player roster for the U.S. team is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
“If I play, this will definitely be my last one,” Swoopes said. “This would be a great way for me to go out and kind of hand over the reins to some of the younger players.”
Wendy Carpenter: 253-597-8680
The Sheryl Swoopes File>
Born: March 25, 1971, Brownfield, Texas.
WNBA experience: 11 years.
Height: 6 feet. Position: Forward.
Skinny: Signed as free agent with Seattle Storm on March 3. ... First player to be named WNBA MVP three times (2000, ’02, ’05). ... Three-time WNBA defensive player of the year (2000, ’02, ’03). ... Three-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000, ’04). ... Named 1993 national player of the year with Texas Tech.
Career milestones: All-time WNBA steals leader with 589, averaging 2.25 a game. ... Fourth in league in total points with 4,399, averaging 16.8 a game. ... Eighth in league in assists with 901, averaging 3.4 a game.
Wendy Carpenter, The News Tribune
Source : http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/story/348249.html
Cette année, je vais suivre avec attention San Antonio une fois de plus (qui à coups d’échange, a récupéré Anne Wauters, pivot belge qui jouait à New York jusqu’à il y a deux ans et qui avait mis sa carrière WNBA entre parenthèses pour problème de santé puis pour tentative de qualification de la Belgique aux JO. Au Texas, elle va retrouver deux anciennes coéquipières de New York ce qui devrait aider son intégration. L’équipe va également retrouver Erin Buescher qui n’avait fait qu’une demi-saison à cause d’une grave blessure au genou.
On the Comeback Trail With Erin Buescher
Posted Apr 16 2008 4:38PM
One of the better known graduates of the Master's College in Southern California, 'Erin Buescher still seemed like a bit of a longshot to make it big in the WNBA.
But after a breakout season in 2006 with the Western Conference champion Monarchs that earned her the WNBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award, Buescher packed her bags for San Antonio. Last year with the Silver Stars started off well for the 6-3 wing, as she posted career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game, but her season ended on July 11 when she tore her ACL in the opening moments of a game in Phoenix.
But Buescher is on the comeback trail and has her mind set on being ready for Opening Day 2008. WNBA.com spoke recently with Buescher about the progress of her rehab and the mental preparations for playing on a newly recovered knee.
WNBA.com: Talk to me about your ACL injury. Are you 100 percent yet?
Buescher: I'm getting there… I'm getting there. I don't think you're ever 100 percent until you're back and used to playing again, but I'm getting there. I've had a couple of setbacks including some patellar tendonitis which slowed down the whole process, and just my mind… getting your confidence back after a major injury is maybe the biggest hurdle. The thought of actually running around, planting, diving or spinning is crazy… like 'Can I really do that on my knee?'
"But I'm heading back to San Antonio early to work out with the coaches there. And it will help to get my mind back into the right place. But it feels good. Every little step is a victory. And I'm so excited to get back on the floor. I just can't wait. You're usually pretty excited for the season to start, and you're trying to get your fitness level where it should be and get your mind in the right place for games to start. But this is a whole new challenge: I'm still trying to get into playing shape, but most of my focus in on the knee, so I'm not really able to do the sprints and other things I'm used to doing in preseason to be the best I can be. But it's just part of suffering an injury and coming back. There's an adjustment period. And I've never really been injured before, so this is all new to me."
WNBA.com: Does it ever get really frustrating or hard to deal with? Is there ever the concern that you might not get back to the level you were at over the last few seasons?
Buescher: Yeah, it's frustrating. And not just in basketball terms. I live a pretty active life off the court, and off the court is probably where I notice the injury the most. I'm not used to sitting around and not being active: running, hiking or doing something else outside. That's frustrating, because I'm forced into living a different kind of lifestyle. And the main focus of my WHOLE offseason has been my knee and getting it better. Everything has revolved around that for the last seven months, so it's just like… man, one little twist of the knee the wrong way and you have to spend the next year trying to get it back to normal.
"Now, I'm working hard to get back into shape, and where before I'd be seeing and feeling almost immediate results, it's harder now after it atrophies to get the knee back into shape."
WNBA.com: So what does the timetable look like with regard to getting into training camp and possibly being ready for Opening Day?
Buescher:I'm not sure, but I should know more pretty soon once I get situated in San Antonio. Right now, I'm doing my own rehab with a therapist in San Francisco. But doing physical therapy and getting the knee stronger is one thing. Getting on the court and actually playing is another. Of course, I'm hoping that things miraculously get better overnight… that my recovery is part of God's divine plan (laughs)… you know, I am spiritual (laughs), but we'll see. Based on the normal timeframe, it should be ready for the start of the season, but it takes time to get back into the swing of things. You have to ease back into it."
WNBA.com: That's interesting, because having spoken to other athletes who have gone through serious knee injuries like yours, they always say that the mental rehabilitation is almost tougher than the physical rehab. How hard is it to get back to a point where you're able to fully trust your knee again?>
Buescher:Absolutely, that's a big thing. You can go into rehab and do your exercises, your leg-lifts and squats… but it's a whole different thing to get out there on the court and play. It's not easy to get back to a point where you're out there playing and you don't have to think or worry about it. Only time can fix that issue… time and playing on it. But I'm getting anxious to start moving forward." style='
Los Angeles sera aussi mon radar avec le retour de L. Leslie (de maternité), de T. Johnson (de blessure), l’arrivée de la N°1 de la draft, le petit prodige C. Parker (que l’on appelle déjà la meilleure joueuse de tous les temps… à 22 ans, ce doit être un peu lourd à porter. Mais quand vous avez une jeune femme qui donne à son collège son deuxième titre de suite et qui joue les deux derniers matchs avec une épaule déboîtée et reste la meilleure marqueuse….). Voilà une équipe qui devrait faire des étincelles si “la sauce” prend bien.
Je ne perds pas espoir pour les Lynx de Minnesota qui ont les n°1 de la draft des deux précédentes années et avaient le N°3 au tirage cette année. Il y a eu aussi quelques transferts de joueuses solides et d’expérience.
Wiggins picks up where she left off
The third overall draft choice from Stanford entered the game and began scoring quickly.
ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune
Last update: May 1, 2008 - 10:21 PM
Candice Wiggins drove into the lane and made a sweet-looking, 5-foot jump shot Thursday midway through the first quarter. The shot felt as good to her as it looked.
"That's what happened to me in my first exhibition game at Stanford," said Wiggins, taken by the Lynx with the No. 3 pick overall in the WNBA draft last month. "I think I scored 18 points in that game, too. I made a layup on my first shot, and I kind of knew my career at Stanford would be OK."
The 5-11 guard finished as the career leading scorer in Pac-10 history.
In the Lynx' first exhibition game, Wiggins didn't start, but scored 11 seconds after she came in. She was seven of 16 from the field, making one three-pointer and three free throws for her game-high 18 points in Minnesota's 68-57 victory over Connecticut before an announced midday crowd of 1,155 at Target Center.
Not all the day's news was good. The Lynx's two top point guards, Lindsey Harding and Noelle Quinn, watched the game from behind the bench in street clothes.
Harding has a stress fracture in her left kneecap and said she expects to be out about four weeks. She was injured while playing for the U.S. national team in an international tournament in China that ended Saturday.
"I just need to take some time off," said Harding, who missed the last 20 games of last season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee. Harding, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 WNBA draft, had been averaging 11.7 points per game.
Quinn's status is day-to-day because of a strained left quadriceps.
The other two rookies the Lynx took in this year's draft started against the Sun and played extensively. Nicky Anosike, a 6-2 center from Tennessee, scored nine points and had a game-high 10 rebounds. Charde Houston, a 6-1 forward from Connecticut, had eight points and four rebounds.
More surprising was Brittney Vaughn, a free agent who signed late. The 5-6 rookie point guard from Arkansas had 14 points and three steals in 29 minutes.
She made a smart move signing with the Lynx, considering how few healthy point guards the team has. Coach Don Zier-den said the team might sign another soon.
A third veteran point guard, this one a Sun player, also watched Thursday's game.
Former Gophers star Lindsay Whalen did not play because she had just rejoined her team after playing in Europe.
Source : http://www.startribune.com/sports/lynx/18470419.html
Idem pour Chicago qui avait le numéro 2 cette année et qui a choisi Sylvia Fowles pour venir renforcer une équipe qui avait fait bien des progrès pour sa deuxième année d’existence l’année dernière.
Fowles a bit nervous in preseason debut
SKY 66, STORM 46
May 1, 2008
BY TINA AKOURIS takouris@suntimes.com
The first time Sky rookie Sylvia Fowles put on her uniform, she got weak in the knees and was shaking.
Fowles' nervousness didn't let up Wednesday night at the UIC Pavilion as the host Sky beat the Seattle Storm 66-46 in the team's first preseason game.
On her first play for the Sky, the WNBA's No. 2 draft pick went up to block a shot but lost her balance and fell behind the baseline. She left the court and had the scrape on her left hand taped.
Fowles scored her first points as a pro at the 1:19 mark of the first quarter and finished with six points and six rebounds in nearly 11 minutes.
''I kept telling myself not to be nervous, but my legs weren't moving and my knees were shaking,'' Fowles said. ''I was more relaxed in the second half. I was not happy with the way I played, but I was excited to be here. I need to call for the ball more and be strong with the ball, crashing the boards.''
Fowles returned Sunday from a trip to China, where she played in an Olympic tuneup tournament in Beijing for Team USA. Fowles had a double-double for the tournament, 11 rebounds and a team-leading 17.6 points per game.
''Putting on that uniform with USA on it is an unbelievable feeling, especially with everything going on in the world,'' Fowles said.
Because of her trip to China, first-year coach Steve Key had to monitor Fowles' minutes.
''I tried to keep her minutes down,'' Key said. ''I was conscious of her traveling a lot.''
Besides being nervous, Fowles was starstruck. Upon seeing the Storm's Yolanda Griffith, a 10-year WNBA veteran, South Side native and former Carver High School star, Fowles could only think of one thing.
''I wanted to ask her for her autograph,'' Fowles said.
Fowles' LSU teammate Quianna Chaney, taken by the Sky in the second round, came off the bench and scored a game-high 11 points.
''She did a great job coming in and did not hesitate,'' Key said. ''She showed us some things, and they played well together as a team.''
Both teams were missing several players who were overseas. The Sky's Candice Dupree, Jia Perkins, Dominique Canty, Cathy Joens and Bernadette Ngoyisa were absent.
Seven Storm players, including Sue Bird, 2007 MVP Lauren Jackson and the newly acquired Swin Cash, were overseas.
DePaul and Joliet Catholic product Allie Quigley played about 19 minutes for the Storm and was scoreless.
Source : http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/sky/925636,CST-SPT-sky01.article
De façon générale, on attend beaucoup des nouvelles arrivantes alors que l’on dit que cette draft a sûrement été l’une des meilleures qu’il soit et que de très bons éléments se trouvaient encore au 2ème ou 3ème tour.
Eh bien voilà ! Le championnat WNBA a une semaine.
Le premier week-end, grâce à Internet, j'ai vu 4 matchs ou plutôt 3 matchs et deux demi-matchs. Pas obligatoirement ceux que je voulais, mais quelques performances intéressantes quand même.
Alors que dire des premières rencontres. Le match d'ouverture opposa Phoenix, le tenant du titre à Los Angeles. Et le champion tomba à l'issue d'un match haletant. Le score : 99 à 94. Les grands moments : Lisa Leslie marqua 17 points et 12 rebonds pour son retour. Et C. Parker, le petit prodige, frôla l'exploit d'un triple double avec 34 points, 12 rebonds et 8 passes. Elle a quand même battu le record de points pour un premier match par une rookie et égalisé le record du nombre de points réalisé pour le premier match de la saison. Premier constat, Phoenix (tenant du titre) a perdu ses trois premiers matchs malgré de belles prestations de ses deux meilleures joueuses Taurasi et Pondexter. Certains mettent cela sur le compte de l'absence de l'Australienne Penny Taylor, restée au pays pour préparer les JO, d'autres sur la présence d'un nouvel entraîneur. San Antonio, après un mauvais départ face à Sacramento, a gagné ses deux matchs suivants (face à Phoenix et Seattle). Les Lynx de Minnesota ont réussi une belle performance en battant Detroit qui reste toujours un grand favori. L'équipe de New York a perdu son premier match, présentant quelques belles initiatives mais pas assez de constance. L'équipe s'est bien rattrapée lors de son deuxième match face à Washington, faisant tout bien comme il faut. Une équipe à suivre si elle devait maintenir ce niveau de jeu. Les Sun de Connecticut ont remporté tous leurs matchs et ont présenté un bel ensemble alors qu'on les disait perdu pour cette année après le départ de K. Douglas et les absences de N. Sales et M. Dydek. Attendons de voir ce que fera Sandrine Gruda quand elle intégrera l'équipe. Sacramento, après sa première victoire, s'est fait battre par Seattle et Chicago. Seattle, l'équipe brodée de stars, a gagné péniblement ses trois premiers matchs (débuts difficiles récupérés par des secondes mi-temps du feu de dieu) mais n'a pas réussi la même perf' face à une équipe plus solide comme San Antonio. C'est tout ce qu'il y a eu de significatif. Il y a eu d'autres matchs, mais il sera temps de parler de ces équipes dans les semaines qui viennent. |
  |
Sinon quelques articles intéressants, le premier sur le nouvel esprit qui règne à Los Angels surtout depuis le rechat de la franchise. (A noter que si au départ, les équipes WNBA appartenaient aux mêmes groupes que les équipes NBA (pour les hommes), il ya maintenant de plus en plus d'équipes dont les propriétaires sont hors-NBA et mieux encore, dont les propriétaires sont des femmes (Washington, LA et maintenant Seattle).
Et un commentaire du match San Antonio contre Phoenix :Sparks Are Flying
By Kelli Anderson
This isn't your daddy's WNBA anymore, as independent owners take over key teams -- including L.A. -- and an influx of new and returning stars promise the most competitive season ever
When the spirit moves her, Carla Christofferson, a former high school cheerleader and current co-owner of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, puts on the head and feet of the team's dog mascot, Sparky, and happily pads around the team's downtown offices, startling staff members. You can be sure former team owner Jerry Buss, 75, who's known more for chasing young women than for marketing them, never did anything like that. For one thing, there was no mascot before Christofferson and fellow season-ticket holder Kathy Goodman bought the team from Buss, the L.A. Lakers owner, in December 2006. There were also no Indian Princess nights, no games where downtown law firms held partner-associate tournaments beforehand, no Tupperware-like "Influencer Parties" where the goods sold are season tickets instead of plastic bowls. "If a fan brings in 20 friends, a player will come to the party," says Christofferson. "If it's 30, they get [coach] Michael Cooper. Kathy and I are the lowest level. We'll go to anything to get people interested in the Sparks."
Meet the new breed of WNBA owner -- down-to-earth, fan-fixated, female. Goodman, who made her fortune as a lawyer and film executive before becoming a high school English and social studies teacher, and Christofferson, an attorney and former Miss North Dakota, represent the start of what might be a minitrend for the sport: independent female owners.
In '03 the Connecticut Sun, owned by the Mohegan tribe, became the first franchise not tied to an NBA team. Now, when the season begins on May 17, half of the league's 14 teams will have non-NBA owners, with three of the franchises owned by women. Sheila Johnson, the billionaire cofounder of BET, bought a share in the Washington Mystics in '05. A year later Goodman and Christofferson talked Buss into selling them the Sparks for a reported $10 million. And in '07 a group of four self-made Seattle businesswomen -- Storm season-ticket holders all -- persuaded Sonics and Storm owner Clay Bennett to let go of his WNBA team. The L.A. owners have focused on increasing the fan and sponsor base, something that's critical to the WNBA as it moves into its 12th season still looking for widespread visibility and profitability. In addition to luring new fans with special packages for legal associates, father-daughter groups and others, Goodman and Christofferson keep season-ticket holders happy with frequent gatherings, which might be anything from a player autograph session to a March of Dimes walkathon. "They bring an energy and passion that's been missing," says longtime season-ticket holder Deb Anderson. "I've seen Carla and Kathy at community events, and it's like they are campaigning for president. They are shaking hands and establishing relationships with people and suggesting that others become part of it. That wasn't how the Lakers' organization did things."
How do the new owners do things? Christofferson, who is 40, and engaged to be married for the third time, and Goodman, 44, who is single ("She's the optimist; I'm the cynic," says the latter.), could be the stars of a female buddy movie.
"I tend to run for the cliff and assume I'm going to get to the other side, and Kathy will either go along or she'll be like, 'Uh, no,' " says Christofferson. "It's sort of like Thelma & Louise, but she controls the brake. She decides which cliff we fly off of." An all-state basketball player who entered beauty pageants to pay for college, Christofferson graduated from the University of North Dakota and Yale Law School and is now a partner at the prestigious firm of O'Melveny & Myers. She counts former secretary of state Warren Christopher among her mentors, rocker Eddie Van Halen among her former beaus and deer hunting among her hobbies. She is surely the only team owner who has been featured in both Vogue and Bowhunter magazine.
Goodman, a graduate of Harvard and the University of Chicago Law School, didn't play sports growing up in suburban Ohio, New Jersey and upstate New York. "I was a nerdy kid who watched the Watergate hearings and dreamed of a career in the state department," she says. Instead of diplomacy, she went into finance law, made a pile when the London-based Intermedia Films, the independent movie company she helped found, went public in Germany in 2000 and retired at 38 before deciding to become a teacher.
The two women met in 2000 when Christofferson's firm represented Intermedia in a lawsuit. They discovered they were both Sparks season-ticket holders, and a bond was formed. "Her seats were better," says Christofferson, "so I started sitting with her." They eventually got seats together and upgraded to courtside. That's when they started fantasizing about owning the team, which was not for sale. "Then one day Carla said, 'You know what, why don't we own this team?' " says Goodman. "I said, 'O.K., let's do that.' I was totally making fun of her. Then I thought, I wonder if we could buy the team?"
Goodman contacted her Harvard classmate Michael Alter, a real estate developer who is the independent owner of another WNBA team, the Chicago Sky. "I wanted to find out, Is there a business model for independent owners that works, that's not merely philanthropic?" she says.
Assured by Alter that he planned to make a profit someday, the two women approached the Lakers' organization in March 2006. Goodman pitched the team with an analogy from her old life. "I said, 'You're Paramount, and we're little independent filmmakers,' " she says. " 'We've just made a film we love, that's beautiful, that's about a dead cellist. As Paramount, you could spend an hour marketing the dead cellist movie or an hour doing the Mission: Impossible II campaign. If you're a good businessperson, it's clear how you'll spend that hour. It's not because you don't like the little movie; it's a business decision.' We thought we could nurture the Sparks in a way that a combined staff might not have the economic incentive to. They are two different business models.
And separating them makes sense."
Buss agreed. Christofferson and Goodman gathered a group of investors, and the deal was sealed in December. The very day the news went public, however, three-time league MVP center Lisa Leslie announced that she was two months pregnant and would probably miss the '07 season. (She and husband Michael Lockwood had a baby girl, Lauren, last June.) Five games into the season the team's other marquee player, Chamique Holdsclaw, quit because she had lost her enthusiasm for the game. Starting point guard Temeka Johnson played in just 11 games because of a knee injury. Cooper coaxed just 10 wins out of his remaining players, and the Sparks tied Minnesota for the league's worst record.Despite the truism that no one in L.A. will watch a losing team, attendance actually went up from 8,311 a game to 8,695. "It was validating to see that our business plan worked when we lost," says Goodman.
And then there was this silver lining: The Sparks won the 2008 draft lottery, getting the first pick of the most talent-rich WNBA draft ever. On April 9 they selected Tennessee's 6' 5" Candace Parker, the versatile two-time college player of the year who had led the Lady Vols to their second straight national title the night before despite playing with a dislocated left shoulder. A high-profile star -- the rap group Wu-Tang Clan even mentions Parker in its song, Starter -- "Candace Parker has a chance to help the Sparks break through the clutter in Southern California," says David Carter, executive director of USC's Sports Business Institute. "She could attract that casual fan, because I think she'll be one of those folks people talk about. Guess who was at this party the other night? She is the whole package. I think she could drive interest in the team and, by extension, in the league."
Parker has already had an impact. The week she was drafted, the Sparks' season-tickets sales increased sevenfold over the same week last year. Ticket sales for away games have tripled. No doubt the ticket spikes are also fueled by the return of Leslie, whose new book, Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You: The Making of a Champion, came out last month. Leslie says the frontline tandem of her and Parker, who can play all five positions, will be "like David Robinson and Tim Duncan. I have three dimensions, but she has five." Add to that matchup nightmare the reacquired All-Star forward DeLisha Milton-Jones -- who helped the Sparks win titles in 2001 and '02 before being dealt to Washington in '05 -- and a deep supporting cast, and the Sparks will be the team to beat in the West. "This team was built to win a championship," says Cooper.
So, it's Game On in the city, and as a result, certain pockets of the L.A. basin have reordered their priorities accordingly. When the students at High Tech High in Van Nuys, where Goodman teaches, learned that the Sparks' June 6 home opener conflicted with their prom, they knew what they had to do: They changed the date of the prom.
Source : Désolée, j'ai oublié de la noter !
Basketball: Silver Stars meld spotlessly
Web Posted: 05/21/2008 12:04 AM CDT
By Terrence Thomas
Express-News Staff Writer
The Silver Stars finally found their shooting stroke. They finally rebounded and defended like their coach envisioned.
Forward Erin Buescher drove to the basket as if she hadn't torn her left ACL. Sophia Young continued to make a case that perhaps attending training camp is overrated. Helen Darling finally made a shot. That's the kind of night the Silver Stars had — one in which their share-the-wealth approach, combined with a dominating inside game, allowed them to hold off defending WNBA champion Phoenix 81-76 on Tuesday at the AT&T Center.
In winning their home opener before 9,103, the Silver Stars avoided starting 0-2 for the first time since 2005.
“This is a really strong team, and we take a lot of pride in playing at home,” Buescher said. “Tonight was especially nice to get a win against the defending WNBA champions.”
Even more pleasing for the Silver Stars was the way in which they snapped a three-game losing streak to Phoenix (0-2).
The Silver Stars took control in the second quarter with their defense, limiting the Mercury to just 2-of-15 shooting. Phoenix made one field goal in the final 71/2 minutes of the second period.
“I think that was the first time I saw our defensive personality,” Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes said. “Boy, did I enjoy watching it play out after that.”
That defense not only shackled Phoenix, but it sparked the Silver Stars' offense, which started 5 of 20 before heating up to make 21 of the next 39 shots.
Ruth Riley, Young, Sandora Irvin and Buescher keyed the charge. Young had a game-high 25 points, Buescher had 13, and Riley added 11. Becky Hammon had 14 and Darling 12 as five players scored in double digits.
“I thought our team did a good job, for as few days as we've been together, to try and get them the ball,” Hughes said after his team scored 26 baskets on 19 assists. “They did, and our post players were effective in this basketball game.
“I thought our post players really played well. Sophia Young was just magnificent.”
She was far from alone.
The Silver Stars used a 10-0 run in the second quarter, with Riley and Darling combining for six points. Darling's 3-pointer with one second on the shot clock — her first field goal of the season after starting 0 for 12 — gave the Silver Stars their first lead at 23-21.
They never trailed again.
“Coach has likened our team to a soup,” Buescher said. “Everyone's got their ingredient, and as long as everybody does what they do to the best of their ability, we will have a successful season.” The Silver Stars proved that much Tuesday. Rookie Morenike Atunrase played an integral part defensively, helping hound Phoenix's Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi.
Pondexter had 23 points, and Taurasi added 20, but they combined to shoot 15 of 39.
"That was what I was brought in here for, and that’s what I really take pride in,” Atunrase said. “Coach Hughes takes pride in the little things on defense, whether it be steals or getting on the floor after loose balls.’’
Le temps passe vite si on n'y prend pas garde. Récapituler tous les matchs pourraient être fastidieux et c'est rarement ce que j'ai fait jusqu'à présent. Faisons plutôt un point du championnat à ce jour et je commencerai par la conférence Ouest.
La grosse surprise à l'Ouest sont les Lynx de Minnesota – depuis le temps que je vous disais qu'un jour, on allait les remarquer ! Seimone Augustus a enfin les coéquipières qu'elle mérite et elle n'a plus à sortir des scores mirifiques juste pour que l'équipe surnage. Les commentateurs étaient inquiets quand il est apparu que la N°1 de la Draft de l'année dernière, L. Harding, après avoir perdu la moitié de sa saison l'année dernière, allait à nouveau manquer la saison 2008 sur une blessure en Europe juste avant son retour. Mais cette année, Les Lynx bénéficiaient encore du N°3 au tirage de la Draft, N° 3 converti en la personne de C. Wiggins. Or cette dernière occupe plutôt les postes 1 ou 2. Les mêmes commentateurs, sachant que les Lynx avaient besoin de joueuses de grande taille (en position 4 ou 5), étaient persuadés que Wiggins serait échangée contre une vétérane qui pourrait assure le pivot. C'était sans compter que cette Draft était riche de talents (ce qui a été dit régulièrement) et il semble que les Lynx aient touché le gros lot avec leur tirage des 2e et 3e tour avec Nicky Anosike et Charde Houston qui viennent d'équipes universitaires prestigieuses, mais qui n'avaient pas obligatoirement la renommée de certaines de leurs coéquipières. (pour les définitions des postes)
En résumé, je les ai vues jouer et elles déménagent : elles mènent la conférence Ouest avec 6 victoires pour 2 défaites (les 2 défaites contre les Sun du Connecticut dont l'une à un petit point) et leur première victoire fut marquée contre les Shocks de Detroit (équipe championne pour 2006) et une autre contre les Mercury de Phoenix (idem pour 2007). Leur entraîneur ne se fait pas d'illusions et sait que ce sera difficile avec le temps, les autres équipes prenant le temps d'étudier leur jeu. Mais les Lynx pourraient fort bien se retrouver parmi les 4 équipes à aller en play-off à l'Ouest dans une conférence toujours très disputée. (A lire en complément - en anglais)
Ce qui est moins une surprise car ils étaient attendus, ce sont les bons résultats de Los Angeles (2ème de la conférence avec 5 victoires pour 2 défaites). Lisa Leslie mène le jeu tambour battant et aligne les doubles doubles (plus de 10 points dans deux catégories statistiques du style 15 points et 12 rebonds). Candace Parker, après un premier match brillant, s'installe dans la vie de joueuse pro et a trouvé encore le moyen de marquer un nouveau record en étant la première joueuse de la WNBA à avoir marqué un 5 x 5 (soit au moins 5 points dans 5 catégories statistiques (16 points, 16 rebonds, 5 passes décisives, 5 interceptions, 6 contres). J'ai même vu sur un forum que quelqu'un disait qu'elle avait inventé le 6 x 5 car il faudrait ajouter à ces chiffres 7 mauvaises passes ! je voudrais les y voir.
Seattle, avec son équipe bourrée de championnes arrive en 3e position, mais à mon sens, n'a pas encore rencontré de grosse équipe pour se tester.
En 4e rang, Sacramento qui semble avoir survécu au départ de sa capitaine Y. Griffith.
On trouve ensuite San Antonio, dont je vous parle régulièrement, qui ne semble pas trouver son rythme (4 victoires et 4 défaites), puis le champion sortant, Phoenix, et ça, c'est une mauvaise surprise (2 victoires pour 5 défaites) et enfin, Houston (1 victoire pour 7 défaites).
A l'Est, même type de surprise en tête de classement avec les Suns du Connecticut (8 victoires pour une défaite) que l'on n'attendait pas alors que l'équipe avait perdu 3 membres de son Cinq majeur suite à des transfert, maternité et autres problèmes de santé. Mais suite à quelques bons transferts et quelques rookies et une nouvelle mentalité, l'équipe semble au mieux de sa forme. A noter la présence de Sandrine Gruda, pivot de l'équipe de France.
Viennent ensuite les Shocks de Detroit (champion 2006 qui en veut toujours autant) et les Fever d'Indiana où K. Douglas (ancienne locomotive des Suns) semble bien s'adapter. On attend beaucoup de cette équipe si T. Catching revient enfin jouer après avoir été immobilisée près d'un an pour blessure. Catching est l'une des meilleure joueuse défensive de la WNBA.
En 4e position, New York (4 victoires et 4 défaites) qui a encore fait venir pas mal de rookies à l'efficacité mise à l'épreuve. L'équipe arrive à faire de grandes choses mais il y a encore beaucoup de boulot surtout face à de grosses équipes.
Les trois derniers à l'Est : Chicago, Washington et Atlanta. Chicago démarrait bien, mais a perdu son pivot (S. Fowles – N°2 de la Draft) pour quelques semaines pour blessure. Washington… rien d'étonnant quand on a l'impression qu'il n'y a que deux joueuses qui… jouent. Atlanta enfin, mais c'est sa première saison. On remarque cependant des progrès à chaque match et l'équipe devrait finir par gagner une fois ou deux !!
Pour finir, un article qui montre l'évolution des lignées de joueurs entre NBA et WNBA. Jusqu'à présent, on avait les pères dans la NBA et leurs filles dans la WNBA. Parfois des frères et soeurs. Cette année, dans la Draft de la NBA se trouvera pour la première fois le fils d'une ancienne joueuse de la WNBA :
Mother-son legacy a first for WNBA/NBA
By Jeremy Lundblad
Special to ESPN.com"Coooooooop," he'd chant, then start raising the roof. (It was the mid-'90s, after all).
Like any kid playing basketball, JaVale McGee imitated his idols when messing around on the court. He'd knock down a deep shot and celebrate just as he'd seen the pros do.
"Coooooooop."
But there was no "Coop" in the NBA in those days.
McGee was mimicking Cynthia Cooper, his mom's teammate in Europe and a future WNBA star.
"[JaVale] views women differently because he's always been around strong women," said Pamela McGee, his mother.
She would know. The elder McGee starred, along with twin sister Paula, on back-to-back NCAA championship teams at USC. She won Olympic gold before starting a professional career that took her to Brazil, France, Italy and Spain. Her son was her travel companion, thanks to contract terms that included nannies and teammates who helped with the babysitting -- including Cynthia Cooper.
Throughout the 20-year-old McGee's life, his mom has taught him the game of basketball. But as the WNBA enters its twelfth season, the Nevada center represents a piece of history that many probably didn't expect to see this soon. The Nevada sophomore not only is on the verge of becoming an NBA lottery pick but also will become the first WNBA offspring drafted into the NBA.
Given his genes, it's no great shock to see McGee on NBA radars. Like his mom, his father also had an impressive career. "Big" George Montgomery was a force at Illinois in the early 1980s. In 1985, he was a second-round pick of the Trail Blazers, but he never played in the NBA.
It was clear from an early age that McGee was blessed with his parents' size. He was 11 pounds, 11 ounces at birth. From the age of 9 months, you could find him in the gym with his mother, in a stroller next to the bench.
McGee learned the game by watching his mom and the European style of play. His mom preached the importance of learning the game from outside and then developing inside. "She never really made me go to the post," McGee said.
That philosophy is reflected in how he plays the game today. The 7-foot center shot over 35 percent from beyond the arc in his college career.
After eight years of playing overseas, Pamela McGee was 34 years old with two children when the WNBA launched in 1997. Despite her age, she jumped at the chance to play back home, and the Sacramento Monarchs selected her with the second overall pick in the 1997 WNBA draft.
Thanks to the WNBA, thousands of young girls across the country found role models on the professional level. Girls no longer only heard stories of the greatness of Nancy Lieberman or waited until the Olympics to watch Teresa Weatherspoon, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and scores of other budding stars. They were live on television every week in the WNBA.
But girls weren't the only ones finding heroes in the newly formed league. The younger McGee, then 9 years old, sat behind the Monarchs' bench, watching and learning from his mom.
In that inaugural season, Pamela McGee joined seven other mothers playing in the WNBA. That included Sheryl Swoopes, who gave birth during the season and is still an active player. JaVale McGee held the distinction of being the eldest of the children, most of whom were still infants. He also was one of only three sons.
Still, the draft hopeful doesn't remember many details about watching his mom. "I remember sitting in the audience watching them play, wishing I could be out there playing," he said.
His mother's fame never was something he thought much about. Instead, it was, "That's my mom, she plays basketball." "I really didn't look at it like she was famous or anything," he recalled.
That sentiment is echoed by the former WNBA player: "He has no clue what I did as a basketball player," she said. "He just sees me as his mother."
The forward/center played two seasons with the Monarchs and L.A. Sparks before retiring prior to the 1999 season. The marriage of the WNBA and NBA already has produced several family connections. Most notably, Karl Malone's daughter is Cheryl Ford, last year's WNBA All-Star Game MVP.
Spurs reserve forward Ime Udoka and his sister Mfon are the only brother-sister combo in NBA-WNBA history. That will change when Candace Parker, the top pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, suits up this month. Her brother is Raptors guard Anthony Parker. Also, Trail Blazers 2007 draft pick Rudy Fernandez is the brother of Marta, who plays for the Sparks.
But never before has the son of a WNBA player suited up in the NBA. That will change next fall when McGee will suit up for his NBA debut, just like he watched his mother do in the WNBA 11 years ago.
"As a single mother, you just always sit back and say, 'That's my baby,'" Pamela said. "He's realized his dream."
Je pourrais presque faire un copier-coller du premier paragraphe du billet du 12 juin alors je vais m'en abstenir.
Je vais commencer par quelques mots sur les épreuves de basket des JO avant de faire un point du classement de la WNBA à quelques jours de la reprise du championnat.
Chez les hommes, les USA ont repris l'or olympique perdu il y a quatre ans face à l'Argentine. Cependant, j'ai vu le match et à mon avis, l'Espagne n'était pas loin du miracle. Dans quatre ans, à Londres, la finale pourrait être encore plus disputée et ne pas s'achever obligatoirement par une victoire américaine. Mais pourquoi s'étonner ? Plusieurs joueurs de l'équipe d'Espagne participent au championnat américain comme une bonne partie des joueurs de l'équipe de France (qui n'a pas réussi à se qualifier cette année aussi bien chez les hommes que chez les femmes).
Chez les femmes, les USA ont remporté leur quatrième titre d'affilée. Si elles étaient attendues pour montrer leur capacité à conserver leur position, elles avaient en plus quelque chose à prouver après avoir perdu leur première place aux Championnats du monde en 2006.
Leur seul match vraiment difficile, au moins pendant une mi-temps, fut face à la Russie en demi-finale (Russie qui les avait reléguées à jouer pour le bronze aux championnats du monde). Leur solution fut de marquer par deux ou même trois joueuses la "russe" qu'elles considéraient comme la plus dangereuse, en l'occurrence B. Hammon, américaine n'ayant pas été considérée comme pouvant intégrer l'équipe US et qui a accepté un passeport russe et un contrat intéressant avec un club de Moscou pour participer aux JO. Sur ce sujet, je vous ai déjà mis quelques articles. En tous les cas, on ne peut pas dire que la sportivité a étouffé les américaines lors de ces olympiades particulièrement en ce qui concerne B. Hammon (cette dernière restant très digne dans l'adversité). Une dernière note et j'arrête vraiment : ses stats lors des JO ont été équivalentes à celles qu'elle a en championnat (alors qu'elle ne connaissait pas trop sa nouvelle équipe) et largement supérieures à celles des joueuses américaines à la même place qu'elle !!! En tous les cas, la Russie était bien contente de l'avoir alors qu'elle a sauvé la mise de son équipe en quart de finale et a été leur meilleure scoreuse dans le match contre la Chine pour le bronze.)
Les USA ont utilisé la même technique d'étouffement sur une joueuse dans le match de finale contre l'Australie, cette fois Lauren Jackson, la poussant même tant de fois à la faute qu'elle finit le match sur le banc. L'Australie a cependant a semblé manqué de combativité, presque perdue de voir son leader en difficulté et la finale a vite été pliée. A mon sens, l'équipe féminine a encore quelques années de tranquillité devant elle alors que sa relève a montré sa capacité à assurer (une mention particulière pour S. Fowles, pivot des Chicago Sky, 2ème de la Draft cette année, qui se remettait tout juste de blessure et qui a prouvé qu'elle pouvait reprendre le poste de Lisa Leslie, 36 ans, qui participait à ses quatrièmes et derniers JO).
Pour plus d'infos, de photos, d'interviews, le site de la FIBA.
Revenons à la WNBA. Le classement à la reprise se présente comme suite :
A l'ouest
San Antonio domine pour l'instant la conférence ouest et tout le championnat avec le meilleur rapport de 18 victoires pour 9 défaites. Son trio Ann Wauters - Sophia Young – Becky Hammon est une vraie machine à marquer. Avec le jeu solide de R. Riley, H. Darling, E. Buescher et de V. Johnson, l'équipe dispose d'une certaine profondeur de banc qui pourrait faire la différence le moment venu.
Seattle est à un match derrière San Antonio. Cependant, l'équipe devra faire sans sa star Lauren Jackson qui s'est fait bousiller une cheville pendant le JO et qui doit se faire opérer. Tout dépend de la joueuse qui pourrait être engagée pour assurer son remplacement. J'ai lu quelque part qu'il pourrait s'agir de Stepanova, joueuse russe…. Je crois cependant que ce sera dur pour Seattle.
Viennent ensuite à égalité (15 victoires pour 12 défaites) Los Angeles et Sacramento. Los Angeles, après un départ fulgurant, a montré des signes de faiblesse particulièrement dans une série de matchs à l'extérieur. Mais trois de ses joueuses ont participé aux JO et le retour victorieux pourrait contrebalancer la fatigue accumulée et regonfler le moral de l'équipe.
A un match derrière se trouve Houston qui après un début de saison sans fanfare, a réussi à reconstruire son collectif autour de Tina Thompson et quelques rookies de grand talent. Une chose est sûre : les résultats son tellement serrés entre Los Angeles, Sacramento et les trois dernières de la conférence Ouest que toutes ces équipes peuvent prétendrent à une place en play-off (seules les 4 premières de chaque conférence participeront à la phase finale du championnat). San Antonio et Seattle ont un peu plus de marge et, sauf catastrophe, devraient pouvoir conserver leur position.
Minnesota, qui avait connu un départ fantastique, a eu des difficultés (attendues), mais reste également dans la course. A noter que L. Harding, blessée à la fin de sa saison européenne à pu recommencer à jouer ce qui renforce le potentiel des Lynx.
La grosse surprise reste Phoenix, tenant du titre, et dernière cette année de la conférence Ouest. Où placer la faute ? L'absence de Penny Taylor qui s'entraînait avec l'équipe d'Australie ? Le changement d'entraîneur ? Une certaine inconsistance des joueuses en dehors de D. Taurasi et C. Pondexter certainement. Le Basket est un sport collectif et deux marqueuses ne suffisent pas à faire gagner si le reste de l'équipe n'assure pas.
A l'Est :
Les Sun de Connecticut sont à la première place avec un jeu régulier (18 victoires pour 9 défaites) et un banc solide. A noter que Sandrine Gruda améliore ses stats de match en match et va bientôt devenir indispensable à son équipe.
Ensuite, une surprise en la présence de New York à la deuxième place (à un match des Sun avec 17 victoires pour 9 défaites). Mais quand on les a vues jouer, on n'est pas étonné. L'équipe n'a pas de "star" à proprement parler et en fait, tout le monde peut marquer dans cette équipe, à un point tel que l'un des derniers matchs avant l'interruption a été gagné par le banc. L'équipe fait encore parfois des petites erreurs de jeunesse, mais a très bien tenu sa place en battant des équipes comme Detroit ou Los Angeles. En fait, New York n'a jamais perdu plus de deux matchs d'affilée ce qui montre une certaine régularité.
Detroit, qui dominait cette conférence, s'est retrouvé à la troisième place après la dernière journée jouée. Je parle de Detroit depuis que je parle de la WNBA. Cette équipe a un jeu puissant, physique et arrivait (un peu) à intimider ses adversaires. Sauf que ça ne marche plus à tous les coups ! New York a toujours montré une forte résistance et a gagné des matchs à une époque où ce n'était pas les favoris, loin de là.
Et Los Angeles a décidé de rendre coups pour coups lors de leur dernière rencontre, à un point tel que le match a dégénéré en bagarre entraînant l'expulsion immédiate de 11 personnes, puis, à titre de sanction, la suspension pour plusieurs matchs de 10 joueuses (et d'un entraîneur assistant). L'une des conséquences dramatiques de cette altercation est la blessure au genou de C. Ford qui tentait de retenir une de ses partenaires et qui ne pourra finir la saison.
Autre conséquence, Detroit n'ayant plus assez de joueuse à aligner pour le match suivant, à fait appel à une légende, Nacy Liberman, 50 ans, membre du Hall of Fame, qui avait montré au All Stars Game de 2007 qu'elle savait encore tenir un ballon et courir. En 10 minutes de jeu, elle a été créditée de deux passes décisives (pas mal, non ?)
L'autre conséquence récente est le transfert de Taj McWilliams-Franklin de Washington vers Detroit. C'est une joueuse que je suis depuis Connecticut. Elle en était partie pour rejoindre Los Angeles et renforcer cette équipe après l'arrêt maternité de Lisa Leslie. Elle s'est retrouvée échangée à Washington cette année et ne devait pas y être très heureuse : en gros, c'était la seule à marquer régulièrement et ses stats sont très satisfaisantes. En fait, elle devrait vraiment se plaire à Detroit.
En quatrième position se trouve Indiana. Ces derniers matchs ont été décevants ce qui explique ses 12 victoires pour 14 défaites. On aurait pu espérer mieux d'une équipe regroupant K. Douglas et T. Catchings.
Beaucoup plus loin, on trouve ensuite Washington , Chicago et Atlanta. Washington a perdu son entraîneur après une série de défaites cuisantes. L'échange avec Detroit pourrait être un signe que l'équipe va chercher à se reconstruire car plus rien ne semblait marcher.
Chicago pourrait reprendre du poil de la bête avec le retour de blessure de Sylvia Fowles, qui doit être gonflée à bloc après sa première participation aux JO (et des stats brillantes).
Atlanta enfin, petite nouvelle, a réussi à gagner trois matchs et les matchs perdus le sont avec un très faible écart ce qui est de bon augure pour les prochaines saisons.
En conclusion, si à l'Est, les jeux semblent faits (sauf surprise venant de Chicago), la bagarre va être forte à l'Ouest pour une place en play-off et les trois dernière semaines vont être décisives (et les matchs sont diffusés soit sur Internet sur le site de a WNBA, soit sur Sport +).
Reprise le 28 août !
 |
 |
Après une dernière quinzaine enfiévrée, la saison WNBA s'est achevée et les play-offs commencent ce soir.
Conférence Est : Il n'y a pas eu de grosses surprises à l'Est : ceux qui étaient attendus, sont allés jusqu'au bout. Detroit a retrouvé la première place de la Conférence Est après une série de matchs gagnés plutôt facilement face à des équipes plus faibles (sauf un perdu face à Chicago à la suite d'une période de prolongation). Difficile de voir comment va l'équipe, mais il faut noter le rôle important de Taj McWilliams Franklin, transférée de Washington pendant la pause olympique et qui a bien remplacé C. Ford. La plupart des observateurs voient Detroit aller jusqu'en finale. Connecticut tient la 2ème place de la conférence après avoir perdu plusieurs matchs dont deux contre San Antonio. La meneuse des Sun, L. Whalen n' pas joué les derniers matchs à cause d'une entorse, mais se dit prête pour les play-offs. A noter qu'Erin Philipps, de l'équipe olympique australienne, a rejoint son équipe américaine et a fait quelques prouesses. New York a conservé la 3e place après une fin de saison en dent de scie à cause de blessures supportées par ses marqueuses. Espérons que ça ira mieux dans les jours qui viennent. Indiana enfin a gagné son ticket en play-off. T. Catching a enfin retrouvé la forme. K. Douglas semble aller. Il faut espérer que le reste de l'équipe tienne le choc. Les deux premières phases des play-offs se jouent au meilleur de 3 matchs, le 2 et éventuellement le 3e se jouant chez l'équipe ayant l'avantage du terrain (donc ayant eu le meilleur classement). Detroit jouera contre Indiana et Connecticut contre New-York. Au cours de la saison, Detroit a gagné ses trois matchs contre Indiana alors que Connecticut mène 2 à 1 face à New York. Si la première série ne devait pas créer trop de surprise, le deuxième série semble plus équilibrée et il n'est pas facile de faire un pronostic. |
 |
Conférence Ouest : San Antonio est resté en tête de la conférence et avec le meilleur résultat de tout le championnat (avec 24 victoires pour 10 défaites) gardera l'avantage du terrain jusqu'à la finale (si l'équipe va jusque là). San Antonio a eu une fin de saison difficile en ne rencontrant que des équipes allant en play-offs. Dans un sens, cela lui a permis d'aiguiser son jeu et de voir que son banc est productif. La machine à marquer Hammon-Young-Wauters est plus efficace que jamais. A. Wauters a remporté le dernier titre de "player of the week" pour l'ouest. S. Young et B. Hammon sont dans la course pour le titre de MVP. Pour beaucoup d'analystes, San Antonio est envisagé comme étant l'adversaire de Detroit en finale. Seattle, après avoir flirté avec la première place, est finalement derrière San Antonio. S. Bird a pu relever ses talents de scoreuse pour faire face à l'absence de L. Jackson (blessée pendant les JO), mais dans cette équipe de stars, plusieurs autres sont blessées et cela présage mal de l'avenir. Los Angeles qui était la grande favorite avant le début du championnat a décroché la 3ème place. Il y a trop d'inégalité dans le jeu de l'équipe et si ses trois médaillées olympiques remplissent globalement leur contrat, c'est plus inégal ailleurs et l'équipe n'a pas une véritable meneuse sur le terrain. Sacramento a réussi à arracher la 4ème place en ayant une bonne fin de saison, mais l'équipe qui était réputée pour sa défense et avait ainsi gagné le championnat en 2005 doit retrouver plus d'équilibre entre attaque et défense. San Antonio rencontrera Sacramento (SA mène 2 victoires à 1) et Seattle, Los Angeles (Seattle a l'avantage 2 à 1 également) |
 |
Une semaine après, nous connaissons les équipes qui seront présentes en finales de conférences.
Les demi-finales ont été très disputées : toutes ont utilisé les trois rencontres et il y eut des surprises.
A l'Est, Detroit a remporté sa série face à Indiana, mais a perdu la deuxième rencontre qui lui a coûté également la présence de P. Pierson (leur 6ème joueuse, la première à venir du banc), blessée, pour le reste des play-offs. Cette blessure peut permettre à Detroit de serrer les rangs comme cela a été constaté dans le troisième match. Mais son absence pourrait être douloureusement ressentie plus tard.
La première surprise est venue de l'autre demi-finale où New-York, classé 3ème a finalement battu Connecticut (2ème) sur le terrain des Suns. J'ai vu plusieurs des matchs en entier ou par morceaux de ces trois matchs et il fait dire que New York a été exemplaire. Le 2e match a été perdu de justesse alors que les Liberty avaient fait une solide remontée. Lors du 3e match, toute l'équipe a été solide de bout en bout et a montré ce qui fait sa force tout au long du championnat.
La finale de conférence New York – Detroit sera très intéressante et même si tout le monde donne Detroit gagnant, rien n'est joué.
A l'Ouest, San Antonio s'est qualifié à domicile, mais a quand même perdu le deuxième match. Le bénéfice d'avoir plusieurs marqueuses, c'est que la défense ne peut se concentrer sur une seule joueuse. Ou si c'est le cas, le reste de l'équipe s'organise et les points viendront d'une autre direction.
La seconde surprise vient de la victoire finale de Los Angeles (3ème) face à Seattle (2ème). Pour cette série, je n'ai vue que quelques extraits. Los Angeles était la grande favorite avant le début du championnat. Même si elle n'a pas rempli tous ses engagements au cours de la saison, elle est en finale.
Los Angeles et San Antonio se sont rencontrés 4 fois cette année et sont à égalité 2 victoires partout (à chaque fois à domicile).
Leur premier match est ce soir. San Antonio est donné favori.
 |
 |
Finales de conférences :
Ces finales de conférences ont été palpitantes. J'ai pu voir plusieurs matchs et j'étais vraiment assise au bord de mon siège tant le suspens était quasi insoutenable.
Conférence Est : New-York contre Detroit.
New-York a battu de fort belle façon Detroit dans le premier match joué à domicile. C'était vraiment du beau jeu, athlétique, collectif, inventif : la justification de la présence de New-York à ce stade de la compétition.
Lors du deuxième match qui se jouait à Detroit, New-York a encore démarré le match très fort et a mené au score presque jusqu'à la fin du 3ème quart-temps. Mais Detroit est double champion WNBA et ce n'est pas pour rien alors que les joueurs cadres qui ont remporté ces titres, sont toujours dans l'équipe. Et Detroit a progressivement grignoté son retard avant d'écraser New-York dans la dernière période.
Pour le dernier match, Detroit a attaqué très vite et menait largement à la mi-temps, mais New York s'est ressaisi et a refait tout son retard sur la seconde mi-temps. Hélas, ce ne fut pas suffisant et NY a perdu le dernier match de 2 petits points.
Detroit était le vainqueur logique de cette finale de conférence, mais cette équipe de New York ira loin : au premier tour des play-offs l'année dernière alors qu'on ne les attendait pas, en finale de conférence cette année alors qu'on ne les attendait pas. Avec de l'expérience, et par chance moins de blessures, les filles du Liberty devraient faire de grandes choses en 2009.
Conférence Ouest : San Antonio contre Los Angeles
Le premier match se jouait à LA. Les Silver Stras ont attaqué fort le premier quart temps mais ont vu leurs efforts défaits lors du deuxième quart-temps. Les Texanes n'ont ensuite pas réussi à remonter et se sont ramassées un 70-85.
J'ai vu le deuxième match, tendu à l'extrême puisque si San Antonio, enfin à domicile, ne gagnait pas celui-ci, elles pouvaient rentrer chez elles. Il fut très disputé et à chaque fois qu'une équipe prenait l'avantage, l'autre revenait. Tout s'est joué dans la dernière seconde et 4 centièmes. 1,4 secondes fut le temps qui restait à San Antonio pour remettre le ballon en jeu et marqué le panier de la victoire, ce que fit S. Young permettant à l'équipe de rester dans la course après cette victoire à un point près. (pour voir la vidéo, allez sur la page des play-offs : http://www.wnba.com/playoffs2008/ cherchez l'onglet "2008 WNBA Conference Finals" et sélectionnez la vidéo pour le deuxième match…)
Le dernier match a été un peu une répétition du deuxième avec une équipe incapable de garder l'avantage longtemps. La fin fut tout de même moins disputée et San Antonio a remporté sa première finale de conférence, portée par B. Hammon qui marqua 35 points lors de la 3e rencontre. A noter cependant que les deux derniers matchs ont été joués avec un banc décimé par les blessures et donc réduit à deux personnes !
La Finale
La finale comme beaucoup l'avaient pronostiqué a donc opposé Detroit à San Antonio. Là, je n'ai vu aucun match. J'ai juste vu le résultat. Detroit a gagné son troisième titre et n'a eu besoin que de 3 rencontres sur les cinq prévues pour arriver à ce résultat. San Antonio a manqué d'expérience et je pense que le banc ultra-réduit a été capital.
Cela n'enlève rien à Detroit qui a su s'imposer en montrant que ses précédents titres n'étaient pas là juste pour faire jolis. Et je suis contente pour Taj McWilliams Franklin, recrutée de dernière minute pour remplacer C. Ford qui gagne son premier titre. C'est une joueuse de la première heure de la WNBA, l'une des "mamies" à 36 ou 37 ans. Elle avait vu le titre lui échapper quand elle était chez les Sun du Connecticut, puis avait eu deux saisons dans deux autres équipes pas en forme à la suite de transfert. Elle méritait la coupe et sa présence a été très importante dans le résultat de Detroit. Un point positif, Detroit a ressigné son contrat pour l'année prochaine.
Dernière info, C. Parker, la "jeune prodige" a fait le doublé en remportant les deux titres de meilleure rookie de l'année et MVP de l'année. C'est la première fois que ça arrive chez les femmes et ça n'a pas été si fréquent que ça chez les hommes.
En espérant que la saison d'hiver en Europe se passe bien et sans blessure, la prochaine saison promet beaucoup.
Alors on se revoit en Mai 2009 !
