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1999 WNBA Preview
The '99 season will see more teams, fresh talent, a new superstar -- and the same old champs
Posted: Friday July 23, 1999 06:25 PM
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Swoopes and the Comets
will take another title. John W. McDonough |
By Trisha Lucey
Now that the WNBA and
the players' union have settled their differences and -- because of the demise of
the American Basketball League -- the world's most talented female hoopsters
have come together in one league, the stage is set for the best basketball
you've ever seen. The season tips off on June 10, so if you want to follow the
action, listen
up.
1. Chamique Holdsclaw will play in New York this season.
At the July 14
All-Star Game in Madison Square Garden, that is. Holdsclaw will play for the
Washington Mystics, who drafted her with the No. 1 pick in hopes of making her
the cornerstone of the franchise alongside fellow Tennessee standout Nikki
McCray. New York Liberty general manager Carol Blazejowski was foiled in her
attempts to negotiate a trade for Holdsclaw because the Liberty simply didn't
have enough stars to make a deal. (League rules stipulate that players must be
traded one-for-one and teams cannot trade future draft picks.) Holdsclaw, who
gained valuable experience playing against top pros at the world championships
last summer, will help the Mystics right away. Her offensive skills will be
apparent immediately, and her defense won't be far behind. Holdsclaw will win
Rookie of the Year honors going away and help the Mystics escape the Eastern
Conference
basement.
2. Yolanda Griffith will be the league's Newcomer of the Year.
In 1997-98 the
6'4" forward-center was an All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year
for the ABL's Long Beach StingRays. With WNBA assist leader Ticha Penicheiro
feeding her the ball, Griffith will be dangerous in the open court and has
promised to dunk if the time is right. Her tremendous scoring and rebounding
abilities will propel Sacramento into the playoffs for the first
time.
3. Houston will three-peat as champion.
The rich got richer in the draft as
coach Van Chancellor added Russian forward Natalia Zassoulskaia and ex-ABL guard
Sonja Henning to plug the few holes in the Comets' roster. Sheryl Swoopes, Tina
Thompson and the rest of this cast look unstoppable. Cynthia Cooper will again
be the league MVP as Houston defeats Charlotte in the
Finals.
4. The Los Angeles Sparks will be the league's biggest disappointment.
Again.
Los Angeles has stars in Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler, but the Sparks lack
chemistry. Sparks president Johnny Buss (son of Lakers and Sparks owner Jerry)
has been quick with the hook (he fired two coaches in the WNBA's first two
years), and after L.A. suffers through its third consecutive nonwinning season,
Buss himself may be ousted, by his
father.
5. Trades will be more common.
Only six players changed teams in three trades in
1998, but that number will increase this year. Several teams drafted the best
athlete available rather than address a need, creating gluts of talent at
certain positions. Utah, for example, has five solid frontcourt players but no
shooting guard of note; so the Starzz may try to trade forward Wendy Palmer.
Going into training camp, the Sparks had five shooting guards but no true point
guards; they may try to deal Tamecka Dixon or Jamila Wideman for a floor
leader.
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