U.S. Olympian Lisa Leslie signed a two-year contract to
play in the WNBA. Leslie said that she "plans to be a ...
player in Inglewood," and "while the WNBA didn't say she
will play for the Los Angeles franchise, that seemed to be
everyone's expectation," according to Earl Gutskey of the
L.A. TIMES. Leslie: "I could play in the ABL, which had no
team in L.A., or the WNBA, which does." The WNBA begins
June 21. Former Laker Michael Cooper is the leading
candidate to be head coach of the L.A. team and Laker Exec
Rhonda Wyndham has been mentioned as a possible GM candidate
(L.A. TIMES, 12/12). In Arizona, Jeff Metcalfe reports
"don't expect" Leslie to play in Phoenix if Cheryl Miller is
the team's coach. Leslie played under Miller at USC, and
said yesterday, "I've heard Cheryl is interested in
coaching. ... I hope if she is my coach again, it would be a
little more pleasant" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/12).
ONE-ON-ONE: WNBA President Val Ackerman sees neither a
WNBA-ABL "war," nor merger. Ackerman: "The ABL is off to a
good start. ... It's important to us that they do well. But
no one is talking about a merger" (L.A. TIMES, 12/12).
