Basketball's Wild, 'Eastern' West

Kelly Schumacher was happily hooping it up in Spain like she always does in the winter months, when, for the second year in a row, she learned she'd be relocating come WNBA season.

The 6'5" power forward and center discovered her new stateside home would be way out west, as was the case with many of her Eastern Conference comrades. Schumacher is headed to the Phoenix Mercury after one year with the New York Liberty, and five in Indiana (2001-05).

"I was actually happy," recalls Schumacher, a Cincinnati native who moved to Quebec at age 11 and went to UCONN (class of '01). "I'll miss the east...being in that area is kind of like being at home for me. But career-wise I think this is better."

Many would agree. Phoenix brought home an 18-16 record in 2006 after starting the season 0-4, and ending it 7-0. They only missed the playoffs by virtue of slim tiebreakers with Houston and Seattle, who were also 18-16.

But Schumacher and Phoenix aren't the only ones in the west excited about 2007. Jaws dropped on WNBA Draft Day in early April when the world learned her Liberty teammate, all-star point guard Becky Hammon was traded to San Antonio...where she is reunited with old friends and teammates.

Hammon was not just the face of the Liberty, the Eastern Conference, and to some extent the league, but a leader in many categories for the team. She's second all time in both free throws made (408) and three-point field goals made (294), and in the top ten in many other rankings.

"The deal we made, in the long run, had to be made," says Liberty head coach Pat Coyle. "I don't think you ever really replace someone like Becky. We're still in the process of rebuilding."

In going to San Antonio, Hammon is again teammates with WNBA and Liberty original, guard Vickie Johnson. Also, for the first time ever, Hammon finds herself on the same WNBA roster as longtime friend and center Ruth Riley. The two were both starters on the NWBL's Colorado Chill (2004-06).

Riley, a past Olympian and the 2003 WNBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Shock, is another easterner going west.

"“Ruth was a big part of our two championship teams and a big part of our community," hails Detroit Shock coach Bill Laimbeer. "Her performance against Lisa Leslie in Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals is one of the signature moments for our franchise.”

In exchange for Riley, Detroit acquired San Antonio standout Katie Feenstra.

Heading to the coast, the L.A. Sparks accumulated one of last year's All-Star Game successes for the east, forward/center Taj McWilliams-Franklin. The 8-year WNBA veteran moved on as forward Erika DeSouza and a Spark first round draft pick were sent to the Connecticut Sun.

"It's just really exciting that I get to start over this far in my career," McWilliams-Franklin says. "It's going to get my competitive juices flowing."

Elsewhere, the Charlotte Sting ceased operations. The 2007 WNBA Dispersal Draft followed, and sent swathes of players elsewhere, including 9-year veteran forward Tangela Smith, who, after another draft day transaction, is, like Schumacher, also with Phoenix.

Will this plethora of eastern talent that has found its way west make the conference that has won 8 of the 10 WNBA Finals contests and 6 of the league's 7 All-Star games even more competitive?

"No, not really," Kelly Schumacher chuckles. "Statistically, I think there's a lot of strong players in the west, but I think the whole league's very competitive."

The WNBA starts its 11th season Saturday, May 19, 2007.

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds