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 All in the numbers Holdsclaw to wear No. 23 for Washington
Posted: Wednesday May 19, 1999 06:49 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chamique Holdsclaw finally got her No. 23. "My baby's back," said Holdsclaw, stretching the black practice Washington Mystics jersey and patting the two white numerals as she sat down after Wednesday's practice. "I'm excited about that." Holdsclaw, the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft and hailed as the "female Michael Jordan," did not wear a number her first two days at training camp. Twenty-three was her number when she won championships in high school in New York and in college at Tennessee, but Rita Williams wore that number last year for the Mystics. The team decided to leave it in the hands of the players. Earlier this week, the two sat and talked about it. Williams finally gave in. "She has a special attachment to it, so I'd figure I'd give it to her," Williams said. At public appearances since the draft, the Mystics have given her ceremonial jerseys such as No. 99 -- for 1999 -- and No. 1 - for first overall pick - while fans yelled comments such as "Where's No. 23?" "I felt kind of strange," Holdsclaw said. And what did Holdsclaw have to give up to get the number from Williams? "I've got to buy her golf clubs," Holdsclaw said. "We're going to take lessons together, and today she told me I had to pay for her lessons, too." As for Williams, she has a new favorite number. She wore No. 13, her overall draft position last year. "Thirteen was my lucky number last year," Williams said, "So I just picked this one."
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