When it comes to legends in the WNBA, you don’t have to look much further than Sheryl Swoopes.
A crafty wing who played for three different franchises over a storybook 12-year career, Swoopes was one of the pioneers of the WNBA. She was recruited by the Houston Comets during the league’s inaugural season in 1997. When she finally hung up her laces she was a six-time All-Star, four-time WNBA champion and three-time MVP. There’s not much she hasn’t accomplished on a basketball floor.
On Friday, Swoopes found out that she was among the 14 finalists for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. To truly understand all that she has accomplished here are five iconic moments from one of the best female ballers of all-time:
1.) April 1993: Swoopes Makes NCAA Tournament History
After leading her Texas Tech Lady Raiders to a national championship showdown with Ohio State, Swoopes put on the performance of a lifetime. She finished the championship game with 47 points, a mark that bested the previous record for the most points scored in a Final Four game set by Bill Walton while he was at UCLA.
The Lady Raiders were a No. 2 seed going into the tournament but rode the hot hand of Swoopes to their first ever NCAA title. In addition to Swoopes setting the single-game scoring record, she also set the record for most field goals in a Final Four game (16), tallied the most points in tournament history (177) and attempted the most free throws (57). It was one of the first times that Swoopes showcased her dominance on a national level and it set the table for her career to come.
2.) January 1996: The “Female Michael Jordan” Inks Nike Shoe Deal
Swoopes had become a household name because of her stellar performances at Texas Tech. Nike took notice of the 24-year-old and believed she would be the perfect athlete to help them break into the world of women’s basketball.
Led by Marni Gerber, a senior design director at Nike Headquarters, the Air Swoopes came to fruition. It was a seminal moment for female athletes around the world but especially for basketball players. Swoopes would go on to debut the namesake footwear during the summer Olympics later on that year.
3.) July 1996: Swoopes Gets Her First Taste of Olympic Gold
After starring at Texas Tech and helping Team USA capture bronze at the FIBA World Championships two years before, Swoopes was selected as a member of the 1996 United States women’s basketball team set to compete at the Summer Olympics that were being held in Atlanta. Despite being one of the youngest members of the team, Swoopes played an integral role in the squad capturing their third straight gold medal at the time.
She would make a habit of representing the United States at global competitions while also making it a habit of leaving with a gold medal around her neck. Swoopes donned the gold in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games as well as in the 2002 FIBA World Championships.
4.) August 1997: The Comets Win the First-Ever WNBA Championship
After being recruited to be a member of the Houston Comets during the WNBA’s first season, Swoopes led the squad to the top seed going into the playoffs. They cruised through their semifinal match up against the Charlotte Sting, setting up a Finals face-off against the second-seeded New York Liberty. The Liberty were no match for Houston as the game finished 65-51 in the Comet’s favor.
Although the league wasn’t even a year old, over 16,000 fans showed up to witness the proceedings. It would be the first of four championships for Swoopes during her career.
5.) August 2011: Swoopes Does Her Best MJ Impersonation Again
It’s always hard to see the great ones say goodbye, and in many instances they return to the game even after calling it quits. Like Michael Jordan and other transcendent athletes, Swoopes came out of retirement for one last go at it in 2011 as a member of the Tulsa Shock. Although she had been out of the basketball since 2009 she was still able to contribute to the Shock even after her 40th birthday.
A lasting memory of her return would come in a late August contest against the Los Angeles Sparks. The Shock were riding a WNBA-record 20-game losing streak and were tied with the Sparks with 2.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The inbounds pass found an open Swoopes, who without hesitation, knocked down the game-winner as time expired. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable career.
No comments:
Post a Comment