Tulsa World: WNBA comes to Tulsa

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WNBA comes to Tulsa

Detroit Shock guard Shavonte Zellous drives to the bucket as Indiana’s Katie Douglas (left) and Tammy Sutton-Brown defend during a Sept. 26 game. TOM STRATTMAN/Associated Press

By Staff Reports
Published: 10/21/2009 6:01 AM
Last Modified: 10/21/2009 6:01 AM

Related stories: Arena dates available.

Tulsa's Major League history.

NAME GAME

Top WNBA players

Candace Parker: Los Angeles Sparks forward and former Tennessee star is averaging 16.2 points per game in her career and led the league in rebounds. In 2008, she became the second WNBA player to dunk in a game.

Diana Taurasi: Phoenix Mercury guard and former UConn standout averaged 22 points per game in the playoffs and is the league’s reigning MVP. She led the Mercury to the league title this year.

Tamika Catchings: Indiana Fever forward averaged almost three steals per game and was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. She starred in college at Tennessee.

Sue Bird: Former UConn star and current Seattle Storm point guard led the league with 5.8 assists per game. The sevenyear veteran is averaging 13 points per game in her career.

Becky Hammon: San Antonio Silver Stars guard was second in the league in scoring at 19.5 points per game. She played college ball at Colorado State. Oklahoma connections

Courtney Paris: Former OU star and three-time Big 12 Player of the Year is a center with the Sacramento Monarchs. As a rookie, she averaged 4.8 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game in 33 games.

John Whisenant: The Grove native coaches Paris for the Sacramento Monarchs. He led the Monarchs to the WNBA title in 2005 and was named the league’s coach of the year. He’s also the team’s general manager.

Candice Dupree: The Chicago Sky star was born in Oklahoma City but grew up in Florida. She averaged 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season and was a WNBA All-Star.

Betty Lennox: The former Louisiana Tech star was born in Oklahoma City, but went to high school in Independence, Mo. The nine-year pro averaged 10.2 points for the Los Angeles Sparks this season.

WNBA fast facts

League founded: 1996

First season: 1997

Teams in league: 13

Average ticket cost: $18

2009 avg. att.: 8,040.

Players per team: 11

Salary scale for 2010: Rookies/free agents (0-2 years), $35,880; players with 3-5 years experience, $52,000; players with six or more years experience (core players), $101,500.

League season: Regular season consists of 34 games (17 home dates) and begins in June and continues through mid-September followed by playoffs.

2009 champion: Phoenix Mercury

Odds and ends

45 Olympians in the league

96 percent of players have graduated college.

8 percent of league players are mothers.

Eight teams have suspended operations, folded or relocated since 2002.

In 2007 and 2008 the WNBA had attendance increases, including 46 sellouts in 2008.

In an eight-year television deal with ABC and ESPN. In 2009, the league featured 36 nationally televised games on ESPN2 and ABC; 70 televised games on NBA-TV. Games are broadcast to 194 countries, WNBA President Donna Orender said.

Team salary cap for next season is $827,000 with a minimum team salary of $796,000.

History

WNBA Champions

2009: Phoenix Mercury
2008: Detroit Shock
2007: Phoenix Mercury
2006: Detroit Shock
2005: Sacramento Monarchs
2004: Seattle Storm
2003: Detroit Shock
2002: Los Angeles Sparks
2001: Los Angeles Sparks
2000: Houston Comets
1999: Houston Comets
1998: Houston Comets
1997: Houston Comets

WNBA: 2009 Season

EASTERN CONFERENCE

x-Indiana	22	12	.647	—
y-Atlanta	18	16	.529	4
y-Detroit	18	16	.529	4
Chicago	16	18	.471	6
Connecticut	16	18	.471	6
y-Washington	16	18	.471	6
New York	13	21	.382	9
WESTERN CONFERENCE
x-Phoenix	23	11	.676	—
y-Seattle	20	14	.588	3
y-Los Angeles	18	16	.529	5
y-San Antonio	15	19	.441	8
Minnesota	14	20	.412	9
Sacramento	12	22	.353	11

x-clinched conference

y-clinched playoff spot

WNBA: 2009 Playoffs

FIRST ROUND (Best-of-3)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Indiana 2, Washington 0

Sept. 17: Indiana 88, Washington 79

Sept. 19: Indiana 81, Washington 74, OT

Detroit 2, Atlanta 0

Sept. 16: Detroit 94, Atlanta 89

Sept. 18: Detroit 94, Atlanta 79

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Phoenix 2, San Antonio 1

Sept. 17: San Antonio 92, Phoenix 91

Sept. 19: Phoenix 106, San Antonio 78

Sept. 21: Phoenix 100, San Antonio 92

Los Angeles 2, Seattle 1

Sept. 16: Los Angeles 70, Seattle 63

Sept. 18: Seattle 75, Los Angeles 74

Sept. 20: Los Angeles 75, Seattle 64

CONFERENCE FINALS (Best-of-3)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Indiana 2, Detroit 1

Sept. 23: Detroit 72, Indiana 56

Sept. 25: Indiana 79, Detroit 75

Sept. 26: Indiana 72, Detroit 67

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Phoenix 2, Los Angeles 1

Sept. 23: Phoenix 103, Los Angeles 94

Sept. 25: Los Angeles 87, Phoenix 76

Sept. 26: Phoenix 85, Los Angeles 74

FINALS (Best-of-5)

Phoenix 3, Indiana 2

Sept. 29: Phoenix 120, Indiana 116, OT

Oct. 1: Indiana 93, Phoenix 84

Oct. 4: Indiana 86, Phoenix 85

Oct. 7: Phoenix 90, Indiana 77

Oct. 9: Phoenix 94, Indiana 86

How to purchase tickets

Tickets are available for the 2010 WNBA season.

Season ticket packages begin at $425, which is $25 per game. The highest priced season tickets are court side and cost $1,785 apiece, which is $105 per game.

Individual ticket sales will be available at a later date and are expected to be approximately $10 to $15 per ticket, according to a team official. The regular season includes 17 home games. The WNBA schedule hasn’t been set yet, but the 2009 regular season lasted from early June until mid-September. To purchase tickets, call (877) 904- 6677, go online to tulsaworld.com/wnba or email tickets@wnbatulsa.com.

— By Lynn Jacobsen, World Sports Writer

Investors

The investors who formed Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC and were instrumental in bringing a franchise to Tulsa:

Bill Cameron, chairman and CEO of American Fidelity Group in Oklahoma City. Cameron is the lead investor, chairman and chief executive officer of Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC. He is part of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team’s ownership group and is also part of the Tulsa Talons arena football team’s ownership group.

David Box, president and owner of Box Talent Agency in Oklahoma City.

One of the initial investors. He also is part of the Tulsa Talons arena football team’s ownership group.

Patricia

Chernicky, CPA, Tulsa community volunteer

Sam Combs, former CEO of ONEOK Distribution companies.

Don and Pat Hardin, retired business people, community volunteers

Paula Marshall, CEO of The Bama Companies, Inc.

Stuart Price, owner of TranAlliance Development Group.

Katie and Scott Schofield. Katie is a former Bishop Kelley girls basketball player. The Schofields reside in Washington, D.C.

More Shock facts

Was one of the WNBA’s first two expansion teams with the Washington Mystics.

Began play in 1998.

WNBA champions in 2008, 2006 and 2003.

Eastern Conference champions in 2008, ’07, ’06 and ’03.

Went from league-worst 9-23 regular-season record in 2002 to league-best 25-9 regular season and WNBA title in 2003.

Former All-Stars: Sandy Brondello (1999), Wendy Parker (2000), Swin Cash (2003, 2005), Cheryl Ford (2003-2007), Deanna Nolan (2003-07) Ruth Riley (2005), Katie Smith (2006, 2009) and Kara Braxton (2007).

Coaches: Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman (1998-2000), Greg Williams (2001-02), Bill Laimbeer (2002-09) and Rick Mahorn (2009).

Lost in this year’s conference finals to Indiana.

Averaged 7,709 attendance in 2009.

Led WNBA in attendance from 2006-08.

Shock hosted three largest crowds in WNBA finals history: 22,076 for Game 3 in 2003; 19,671 for Game 5 in 2006; and 22,076 for Game 5 in 2007.

On July 21, 2008, a brawl between the Shock and the Los Angeles Sparks in the final five seconds of a game resulted in 10 players being suspended (five for the Shock, five for L.A.), along with assistant coach Rick Mahorn, who left the bench area to try to break up players and knocked L.A.’s Lisa Leslie to the floor. Cheryl Ford tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while trying to restrain teammate Plenette Pierson.

— By Lynn Jacobsen and James Royal, World Sports Writers

By Staff Reports

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