Diana Taurasi, former UConn Husky & NCAA champion

Every great and commanding moment in the annals of the world

Is the triumph of enthusiasm.

Nothing great was ever achieved without it!

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last week, David Stern told an interviewer that he thought a woman would play in the NBA in the next 10 years. If anyone would know, it would be Stern. He is the commissioner of the NBA, and the league he runs also owns the WNBA. So let us give this thought some consideration. First the question needs to be broken down into two parts: Can a woman play in the NBA, and can a woman compete at the most elite levels of the NBA? To get at these two questions, I want to start with an analogy to the integration of baseball in the 1940’s.

Two types of black baseball players came into the major leagues in the late 1940’s, and those same two types have existed across races ever since. Some players are great, i.e. Jackie Robinson, and others are mediocre, i.e. Hank Thompson. Both players were important integrators, but they were not equally important ballplayers. Those who kept the game segregated, like Judge Landis, were concerned that no black players could enter the game at all. Why was it so important to make sure a backup catcher that played 20 games a year was white? Because any crack at all in the edifice of the lily-white major leagues would open up the possibility of Josh Gibson coming in and winning an MVP or Satchel Paige dominating white hitters. The wall of segregation had to remain whole, or it would collapse. The same analogy fits the all-male NBA. To explain how, let us start with an example.

Steve Novak is the 12th man on the roster of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have played 20 games this season, and Novak has only participated in 15. He averages 6.0 minutes per game, averaging 1.7 points per game. Those numbers are in line with his first two seasons in the NBA, though down from last year. Novak essentially is a designated three-point shooter. He comes in late in quarters to take last second three-point shots. He plays no defense, does not pass, does not rebound, and rarely even dribbles. Instead, Novak catches the ball just outside the three-point line and attempts to throw it accurately at the rim. Other players like him exist on almost all NBA rosters. Why must Novak be male? Surely a whole host of women playing in the WNBA could just as accurately take the occasional three pointer without making any other contribution to the team. NBA rosters are not full of Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. They instead pair a few superstars with a host of roleplayers. It is tough to imagine an argument grounded in anything other than pure sexism that can explain why all roleplayers must be male.

The second question is tougher. Can a woman compete at an elite level? For starters, remember that this question excludes the vast majority of male NBA players as well. Players like James and Bryant are better than anyone else, male or female. Saying a woman would not be quite as good as Lebron James is not an attack, just as saying Jackie Robinson was not as good as Ted Williams is no mark against Robinson. But can a woman compete at least at the tier slightly below the top players, with the occasional woman being the best player in the game from time to time? Here is where Stern’s 10 years begins to matter. Diana Taurasi is the reigning WNBA MVP. She is arguably the best female player in the world right now. I don’t think she could make a successful transition, and the reason has to do with conditioning. I don’t mean conditioning as in her ability not to wear out during a game; I mean the conditioning placed on her by the culture in which she has grown up. Taurasi is now 27 years old, very close to the peak of her athletic talents. She has been trained, however, to play with a smaller basketball against only female competition for her entire life. This would make it hard for her to transition to the NBA. Changing basketball size would surely effect her shot mechanics and her dribble. By the time she adjusted her frame of mind away from 20 previous years of playing, her prime would likely be past. (I speak here as someone who never played competitive basketball past 7th Grade. It is possible I am overestimating how difficult these changes might be.  If that is the case, then Taurasi could be a top player in a matter of months.) If I am correct about Taurasi, the same point probably applies to nearly everyone in the WNBA, eliminating the best players in the world from consideration.  So why does 10 years matter?

To bring women to the NBA, I think that some 15-year-old girl needs to decide today she wants to be the first woman in the NBA. She has to catch some breaks. She needs to attend a high school that lets her play on the boys’ basketball team, because most schools devote more money, and thus get better facilities, coaches, etc., for their boys’ team. From there, this talented young woman should look for a Division I college that will allow her to play on their men’s team. She would likely be scorned by the top programs, but maybe a lower tier school would be willing to take a chance. Next, she would have to find the right GM. Remember that Jackie Robinson’s immense talent would have been ignored without Branch Rickey. It would have been stifled if Landis was still commissioner. Stern is not Landis and is willing to be Happy Chandler, but who will be Rickey? As the above linked article notes, at least Kiki Vandeweghe of the Nets and Donnie Walsh of the Knicks would consider the possibility. Sadly, in this scenario Diana Taurasi is likely to become Josh Gibson. Gibson was possibly the greatest player the Negro Leagues ever produced. He was too old to be a real prospect by the time Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers. He had a heart attack and died before Robinson played his first game. Some astounding talents could be left behind because they did not catch the breaks.

Can a woman play in the NBA? I think the answer is yes. A host of women could play right now if NBA teams would look at women as possible roleplayers. Some of those women would almost certainly blossom into stars if they were ever given the chance. I think it more likely, though, that some woman will have to come in Jackie Robinson-style and blow open the door by showcasing her superior talent on the world’s largest basketball stage. Will this happen soon? I don’t know. It is tough to be as optimistic as Stern.

Over the weekend, NBA commissioner David Stern came out with a statement saying that he believes that women will be playing in the NBA within the next decade. Whether he is right or wrong, it opens the doors to a very different debate.

On Friday, when Lebron James was asked about Stern’s comments, James replied “Ten years?” That’s, like, right around the corner. [In] 10 years, I’ll be 34. I’ll still be in the NBA. I think 10 years is pushing it, honestly.”  James’ teammate, Anthony Parker, who’s sister is among to best in the WNBA said this “First of all, I don’t see why, other than to say a woman can do it,” he went on to say “But for long term? No way. My sister is a good player and has great skill, but as far as making an NBA roster? No. She’s 6-4, which is the average height of a shooting guard.”  So with players around the league skeptical, is it possible?

On this blog, we want to promote honesty, and do I watch the WNBA, honestly I don’t.  To me it is not the same game. I am not saying that WNBA players lack in skill, a large majority of them could beat me in a game of horse or 21.  But could they play against the elite men?  Candace Parker, is one of the top players in the WNBA averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds a game.  She could probably get the points, but getting the rebounds I think would be difficult.  Diana Taurasi could be another to consider, averaging over 20 points a ball game.  But at only six feet tall, could she hold her on against the point guards in the NBA?

With the WNBA playing only 34 games, would the women players be able to handle a 82 game season?  Most NBA players who were asked about this issue, said that the hardest part would be the physical play of the NBA.  I can’t picture a women driving to rim, meeting Shaq, and being fine.  If you watch him in this video, you will agree.  Most of the men in the NBA can’t guard players like Kobe, Lebron, Dwayne Wade, and Dwight Howard, so what makes Stern so certain that women can?  Last season, Dwight Howard had 202 dunks while the WNBA has had a total of five in their existence.  The NBA game is played at and above the rim, and most WNBA players cant get to that level. They would be able to shoot from outside, but would lack on opening up the floor and driving to the hoop.

Basketball is a global sport, and both genders are getting better each year.  I think it will be tough for women to find their way into the league with so many great local and international players. If they do however, most NBA players will strive to get better so they don’t get beat by a girl like on the playground in grade school.  It was a good thought though David Stern, but I wouldn’t like my players taking time off to get pregnant, and any match up against Lebron James, wouldn’t be that exciting.  If we have learned anything from Michelle Wie, it’s that we should just leave it alone.

The podcast is up and here’s some of what you’ll hear:

Starting Five: Beth Throws Five Questions at Debbie

1. Who’s your UConn All-Time Starting Five?
2. What’s with three centers on the preseason AP All-American Team?
3. What interesting tidbits did you learn a Big 10 Media Day?
4. Who’s on your short list for Shooter of the Year Award (and what’s the updated criteria)?
5. Who are we going to be talk about more as the year progresses? Brittney Griner or Elena Delle Donne?

Opening Week Preview

• Baylor v. Tennessee
• Georgia v. Oklahoma
• Duke v. Texas A&M (Upset pick!)
• Stanford v. Rutgers
• UConn v. Texas

Mid Major Attention Getters: Gonzaga, South Dakota State, San Diego State University, Middle Tennessee State

Matt the Stat-guy: Talking Triple-Doubles

Notes from the Cocktail Napkin:

• Loving the “Jump on the VanWagon” at LSU
• Coach Debbie Ryan, Virginia Approaching 700
• The loss of Eastern Illinois assistant coach Jackie Moore
• Caton Hill goes to Afghanistan
• Nov 17th Delle Donne Debut
• Coach Agnus Berenato, Pittsburgh v daughter Claire Berenato, Seton Hill
• Hail Captain Kate the new Shootaround Producer!

Poll Question: Who’s your sports team of the year?

Check out the podcast.

Comments? Questions? Send them in! shootaround@wbca.org

CONGRATULATIONS to the Phoenix Mercury.. again.  What an incredible championship series!  I wanted to wait on blogging about it until some good footage was online.

I’m ridiculously sore today, because I spent an extra hour at the gym last night.. because I didn’t want to lose my spot in front of the TV, and the WNBA Championship Game 5 was on… So I just kept lifting and doing ab work to keep my spot on the mat.  Totally worth it.

The Phoenix Mercury got done what the Suns haven’t been able to do in all these years they’ve been good: win a Championship.

For the second time.

Former Connecticut star Diana Taurasi had 26 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead Phoenix to a 94-86 game five victory and its second championship in three years.

Taurasi was named finals MVP.

The WNBA is a league of dynasties. In 13 years, only seven teams have won championships. The historic Houston Comets won the first four with the likes of Sheryl Swoopes, then L.A. won a pair, as has Phoenix, Detroit won three and Sacramento and Seattle each have one.

But right now it is Phoenix’s time. The importance of the Mercury winning a championship cannot be overstated. Taurasi is one of the faces of the league, she’s American and she went through serious trial this year.

No matter how much you want to, you cannot avoid the elephant in the room with Taurasi in 2009. After a game with the Storm and two of her close friends, Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, Taurasi got behind the wheel of a car with too much alcohol in her system. It was the first time the WNBA had really been challenged in the case of a superstar of her stature. The response was lukewarm.

But this certainly helps. Putting Taurasi back at the forefront and giving her an even bigger stage can only help. While to some it looks like “athlete treatment”, it is also an athlete coming back from hardship. So credit Taurasi.

Also credit Indiana Fever head coach Linn Dunn. She had Indiana in the finals for the first time. The former Seattle coach one decided she was done with basketball, before returning and taking the helm in Indiana. Now she is a major part of that organization’s success.

Last night, however, was the Mercury’s night. And they deserve to celebrate. But watch out, with the core of players in that organization, we might be saying the same thing next year too.

Does anyone else find it ironic that WNBA player  Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury went from DUI in July to 2009 WNBA MVP in  September and WNBA Champion in October? Perhaps more interesting is that the DUI was rarely  mentioned at all in the last few weeks of the WNBA playoffs. What are your thoughts on this? I’m mixed. I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.

With Lisa Leslie’s retirement, I have to ask: will the league survive without her? Are Augustus and Taurausi strong enough to carry the torch of the whole league and womens basketball in america as a whole? Will they have enough time to develop into stars or will the economy combined with a lack of star power kill the league? Is women’s college basketball strong enough to carry the whole torch of a dead league?
As a teacher and a coach of basketball (other sports too but basketball is the topic), I know that girls need good role models. The easy answer would be that I would prefer that they look up to college athletes, but as a coach I know players need incentive to have ability to go pro. I know numerous athletes who have full ride scholarships to universities from lower division schools. That should be good enough for an athlete but it is not. What ultimately drives competitiveness in college sports is the ability to go to the next level. Most athletes don’t want to go overseas because of language barriers and olympic programs for basketball only have 12-18 spots tops. The united states needs a woman’s basketball league and more leagues from other sports for that matter.

Sports is a category, along with politics, that this blog normally avoids. With politics it would be overkill. With sports, it’s sheer ignorance. Daddy was a devoted Giants fan, both in baseball and football. When the baseball team moved to California, he switched his allegiance to the Yankees, so I sort of pay attention. I do it mostly to annoy the Red Sox fans in the family. (There is a blog entry some time in the future about the DMZ between the sets of fans that seems to follow the I-91 corridor.) But don’t ask me about the Yankees’ record or even the names any players besides Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon.

I also feel that most professional sports are just money making operations that exploit the fans. College basketball, especially women’s college basketball, has been my one major sports passion and the star of that passion is the UConn Women Huskies, who had a perfect season last year. Not only that, but all their players graduate from college and rarely get into the trouble.

During the past few seasons, the star of the Huskies was a young woman from California by the name of Diana Taurasi, known as DT to Coach Geno, fellow players, and the news media. DT arrived with amazing credentials. She grew up playing against her brothers, and took over the job of point guard almost from her first game. Whenever the team was in trouble, DT got the ball and bailed everyone else out. Someone at another school asked Geno what made the difference in the team, and he said, “We’ve got Diana and you don’t.”

DT was always special. She was probably the only player in Huskies history who was able walk up behind Geno as he sat on the bench and ruffle his hair without getting into serious trouble.

When DT was a senior, the Huskies took the national championship for the third time during her college career. The year after she and Maria Conlon (an underrated three-point shooter) graduated, the results were so bad it’s hard to find them online. Thankfully, this year’s squad was finally out from under DT’s shadow, and the results speak for themselves.

It was inevitable that she would play professional ball and of course she was the number one draft pick. She chose the Phoenix Mercury so that she could be closer than a cross-country plane ride to her family. Before she even showed up for a practice, the media was calling her the new Lebron James, the female Jordan. She’s fulfilled her promise by being among the leading scorers in the league. She’s also the most popular player among the fans.

But now she’s in trouble. On the night of July 2, police say they saw her speeding and weaving across the yellow line. After she refused a breathalizer test, the officer administered field sobriety tests and then drew blood. She stands accused of speeding, plus three drunken driving related charges, including “extreme DUI,” based on a blood-alcohol level that was more than twice the state’s legal limit. A conviction for the latter in Arizona carries a mandatory minimum jail term of 30 days, suspended after 10 if the person completes an alcohol education program, plus fines and an ignition lock on the car. Thanks to the Connecticut Post for explaining all this stuff.

The Mercury is suspending her for two games without pay. Considering that thugs who play for the NBA get away with far more, I think that’s a fair penalty. She seems truly contrite, unlike many of her male colleagues who have no clue that they’re not supposed to beat women, shoot people, drive drunk, etc. etc.

A couple of words of advice, Diana: First when you want to get loaded (especially during the playing season), find a designated driver. And second, this is one arena where you don’t have to play like the boys.

We get emails all the time complaining that we don’t cover the WNBA enough. And it’s true, we tend to forget to cover the WNBA because we tend to forget that it exists. So sue us (don’t really, please).

Well, it seems as though Phoenix Sunnette’s guard (forward? Center?) Diana Taurasi was busy rocking the party on July 2 when she was pulled over for speeding. The officer who pulled her over was not pleased to learn that she was intoxicated. Like, 0.17 BAC intoxicated. Like, extreme DUI charges intoxicated. Like, Micah and Perry on a Tuesday night type of intoxicated. The Arizona legal limit is .08 for god’s sake.

She pleaded not guilty to a bunch of stuff but we didn’t really look all that up.

Photo Caption: Diana Taurasi drives the lane drunk.

“We’re aware of the recent reports in regards to the situation with Diana Taurasi,” the Sunnettes said in a statement. “Our organization takes these matters very seriously. We have discussed the matter internally and determined that until all the facts are known to us, it would be inappropriate to announce a particular course of action.”

It’s not known whether Taurasi will miss any games, but the good thing is that no one will notice.

Well, as I said before, the All-Star Game was same stuff, different year. Let’s get into some sites/links, I feel you should peruse:

• Grading the Yanks pitching. A for effort, but an A-minus for Pettitte is just wrong, wrong, wrong. [How to Bleed Pinstripes]
• More on the Awesomeness of the Sandman. [It's About the Money, Stupid]
• Captain Morgan is a drink for people not adult enough to handle real liquor. Ladies and Gentlemen, the official drink of Red Sox Nation. [Subway Sqwawkers]

Off topic, but still of interest:

• Diana Taurasi as Pacman Jones? I’m all for it. [No You're  a Towel]

Enough playing, time to turn it up for the second half.

By CP

In case you missed it, the WNBA released its starting lineups for the All-Star game today.  Taurasi is nowhere to be found, presumably because of the DUI charges that are shaping up to be pretty nasty.  Additionally, gotta say I’m surprised Leslie and Hammon made the team considering Leslie’s off year and Hammon’s anti American disposition.  We’ll just assume the 88 thou + that voted for her are in Moscow.  Courtesy ESPN:

All-Star Starters

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Diana Taurasi got arrested for a DUI the other day, and she is one of the key people you see on TV for the milk commercials.  I wonder what was in her milk when she got caught speeding?  Oops, shit happens and she is a great basketball player and was not caught sleeping with the coaches wife.  (LOL)

I hate to say it but it is nice to hear that a woman got a DUI. Congrats Diana Taurasi. How many male sports figures get a bad rap because of a DUI. Just yester Roddy Piper was one of them.
Don’t worry Diana, I still think you are great, I remember what you did for UCONN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/news/story?id=4304239

By Southern C

The Associated Press reported Thursday that Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi was cited for drunk driving just a few hours after the Mercury’s victory over the Seattle Storm.

Phoenix police spokesman Luis Samudio says that an officer pulled Taurasi over at approximately 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning for allegedly speeding.

A police statement indicates that the officer smelled alcohol in the vehicle and Taurasi failed several field sobriety tests.

The officer then drove her to a mobile DUI van where she gave a blood sample. Taurasi was subsequently cited and released. Authorities did not comment on her blood alcohol content.

Taurasi, the Mercury’s leading scorer, is the WNBA’s leading vote-getter for the league’s All-Star Game on July 25.

By Southern C

Firstly, I’d like to apologize for not posting over the last week. I was pretty upset about the whole WNBA issue, but since that is now over, I’d like to mention a new feature that will be brought to the Outsiders.

Last week, I wrote a post about Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi and it gave me the idea to highlight one player from each team every week.

As a result, the Outsiders will now provide a player profile to give fans an in depth perspective of the WNBA’s best talents.

So from now on there will be a “Southern Star of the Week.” This week’s selection is Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles.

In his second season in the WNBA,Fowles is already among the WNBA's elite.

Though the center is listed at 6-6 and has been a huge presence for her team down low, “Big Syl” is one of the most underrated players in the WNBA. Fowles is averaging 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season and has already posted two double-doubles. Her best performance of the year came on Jun. 14, where she grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in a victory over the Seattle Storm.

The center did not play much her rookie year due to a partial meniscus tear in her right knee. The injury kept her inactive for most of the season, but she now she has recovered and rebounded strongly in her second year in the league.

In the off-season, she played for Sparatak Moscow Region, one of the premier club teams in Russia. Even overseas, Fowles was not even close to the most coveted player on her squad as her teammates included Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.

The experience was beneficial to Fowles’ development as person on and off the court. Not only did she have the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world, but also Big Syl had the chance to focus on what she loves: basketball.

“I’m not here for [sightseeing] ” Fowles told the Times-Picayune in a phone interview from Moscow in the offseason. “But I like being by myself. I draw. I didn’t think I would enjoy being by myself this much.”

The Florida native has never been one who heralds the spotlight. As a result, her low key personality has enabled her to come in under the radar in addition to a few other factors.

Fowles was the second-overall selection in the 2008 WNBA Draft after Candace Parker, argueably the most skilled player in the league. It is easy to be overlooked when being compared to the league’s reigning MVP. The comparisons, however, do not go unwarranted.

The two stars not only were selected consecutively in the draft, but also are extraordinary athletes for bigger players and even were teammates in the 2008 Olympic games this past summer in Beijing.

Fowles (right) is often compared to reigning MVP Candace Parker (middle).

Fowles, however, does not seemed phased by the inevitable comparisons.

“I think I’ll always be compared to her because we’re too big bodies that can do many things that normal big people can’t do,” Fowles told WNBA.com. “But it is what it is. I have no problem with it. I’m just being me. I’m going to go out and play the best way that I can and do what I have to do.”

And for her two seasons in the league, Fowles has done exactly that, letting her game speak for itself.