The WNBA's third season tipped off last night with four
games, including a sellout crowd of 20,674 at the MCI Center
for Mystics F Chamique Holdsclaw's pro debut against the
Sting. In DC, Michael Wilbon writes, "Given all the hype,
it was quite a feat that the debut of Chamique Holdsclaw
didn't disappoint anybody." But Wilbon notes that the "best
player on the MCI Center court last night" was former ABLer
Dawn Staley, who now plays for the Sting (WASHINGTON POST,
6/11). In Philadelphia, Dana Pennett: "Staley, too, turned
heads and showed this league is no one-trick pony." Pennett
adds the demise of the ABL "likely will be the best thing
for women's pro basketball" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/11).
In Baltimore, Milton Kent, on Holdsclaw: "When is the result
of a basketball game superfluous? When it comes in the
middle of a coronation, that's when." More Kent:
"[Holdsclaw] handled all the questions of a large media
throng with grace and a little bit of cockiness" (Baltimore
SUN, 6/11). The BOSTON GLOBE, N.Y. DAILY NEWS and CHICAGO
TRIBUNE all covered Holdsclaw's debut (THE DAILY).
OTHER OPENERS: The Miracle drew 15,422 in its inaugural
game against the Comets and Joanne Korth writes, "Fans
cheered for game action, sponsor promotions, jumbo-screen
segments, the mascot, the Miracle Dance Team, and anything
else that struck their fancy" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/11).
In Orlando, Brian Schmitz: "They may be getting paid, but
the women's pro game is more remindful of the benign,
wholesome and vertically challenged college-basketball
experience. It's also a family fun center" (ORLANDO
SENTINEL, 6/11)....In L.A., Bill Plaschke, on the Sparks
opener, which drew 8,262: "In their third year, the Sparks
are still derided in many circles as little more than a
lounge act. Except by those who have actually seen them. It
is a fun night even when they don't play well. It is a
deafening night when they do" (L.A. TIMES, 6/11).
PAINFUL START: The Liberty drew a "noisy crowd" of
12,411 at MSG, but Liberty F Rebecca Lobo's season "may have
ended," as she "was helped off the court with what appeared"
to be an injured ligament in her knee (N.Y. TIMES, 6/11).
THE PREZ SPEAKS OUT: Lifetime's Maura Driscoll
interviewed WNBA President Val Ackerman after last night's
broadcast of the WNBA Comets-Miracle season-opener. Asked
if the league was expanding too fast by adding Indianapolis,
Miami, Portland and Seattle for the 2000 season, Ackerman
said, "A couple of years ago we didn't envision expanding
quite this quickly, but to tell you the truth, with the
success that the league has had over the past two seasons,
coupled with this strong interest from NBA owners that I've
referred to, we felt very confident the time was now to add
teams" ("WNBA on Lifetime," Lifetime, 6/10).
