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On April 24, 1996, women’s basketball announced “We Got Next” as the NBA Board of Governors approved the concept of a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to begin play in June 1997.
The players and teams
Since that day in 1996 there have been many firsts for the WNBA:
Val Ackerman — the first president of the WNBA
Sheryl Swoopes — the first player signed to the WNBA
Cynthia Cooper — the league’s first Most Valuable Player
Houston Comets — the first WNBA Champions
Lisa Leslie — the first WNBA player to dunk (7/30/2002 vs. Miami)
Lauren Jackson — the first international player to win MVP (2007)
Candace Parker — the first rookie to earn the league’s MVP honor (2008)
Sylvia Fowles — the first goaltending call (vs. Los Angeles 6/3/2008)
The inaugural WNBA season tipped off on June 21, 1997, with the New York Liberty taking on the Los Angeles Sparks at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. A crowd of 14,284 watched as Sparks guard Penny Toler scored the first basket in WNBA history. The Liberty defeated the Sparks, 67-57.
Eight teams were announced for the league’s inaugural season. The Eastern Conference consisted of the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets and New York Liberty, while the Western Conference comprised the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs and Utah Starzz. On Jan. 16, 1997, the first 16 players were assigned to teams, and on Feb. 27 an Elite Draft added two more players to each team, increasing team rosters to four. The Comets selected Tina Thompson, the Pac-10 Conference’s leading scorer, as the first pick of the inaugural WNBA draft.
A growing game
The influence of the WNBA can be seen in the explosive growth of organized women’s basketball over the past 12 seasons. An estimated 100 million women play basketball worldwide, and the league reflects this trend, featuring 23 international players from 16 countries and territories at the end of the 2008 season. Female AAU youth basketball participation has increased +277 percent since 1990 (from 28,840 to 108,758 players). Female high school basketball participation has increased 18 percent since 1990 (from 387,802 to 456,967 players). And female NCAA basketball participation has increased 43 percent since 1990 (from 10,551 to 15,096 players).
A championship tradition comes to Tulsa
On Oct. 20, 2009, it was officially announced that the Detroit Shock would be moving to Tulsa for the 2010 WNBA season, and with the team came a historic winning tradition. Three WNBA championships, four conference championships and seven consecutive playoff appearances accompany the team for its inaugural season in Tulsa.
With much of the roster overturned and only a few players making the move from Detroit to Tulsa this season, a new team will take the floor, but the championship aspirations will remain as the team embarks on a new journey with a new identity but with the same expectation — winning.
Tulsa Shock timeline
Sept. 29, 2009: Nolan Richardson is named head coach of Tulsa’s WNBA franchise.
Oct. 20, 2009: WNBA President Donna Orender announces that the Detroit Shock will relocate to Tulsa, Okla. WNBA Tulsa will be owned by a group of investors led by Oklahoma businessmen Bill Cameron and David Box.
Nov. 5, 2009: During the WNBA draft lottery, it is announced Tulsa will pick eighth.
Dec. 14, 2009: In the WNBA dispersal draft of the Sacramento Monarchs, the WNBA Tulsa selected Scholanda Robinson.
Jan. 11, 2010: WNBA Tulsa hires experienced sports management veteran Steve Swetoha as team president.
Jan. 23, 2010: It’s official: The WNBA Tulsa franchise will be known as the Tulsa Shock. The team colors will be black, red and gold.
March 10, 2010: Former Olympian Marion Jones signs with the Shock. Jones attended The University of North Carolina on a basketball scholarship and helped lead the team to a 1994 NCAA Championship.
March 31, 2010: The Shock officially unveils its new jerseys. Players Alexis Hornbuckle, Marion Jones and Plenette Pierson wore the new uniforms at the official press conference. The Shock also announced that Warren Clinic Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine (Warren Clinic) will be the team’s official health care partner and provide physicians and an athletic trainer.
May 15, 2010: The Shock plays its first game in Tulsa.
