ESPN Analyst Lieberman “Shocks” The WNBA
July 24, 2008 by Lyndsey D'Arcangelo
Filed under Sports Rumors
Most professional athletes retire in their mid to late 30’s. The brave and resilient ones continue to play into their early 40’s. But I don’t think there’s ever been a player in professional sports history who has played in his or her 50’s.
***UPDATE*** ESPN just made a list of professional athletes 50 and over. Here it is.
Until now …
Shock signs 50-year-old Lieberman to seven-day contract
ESPN.com ~ Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is leaving the broadcast booth for the floor one more time — and to set one more record.
The Detroit Shock has signed Lieberman, the team’s former coach and a current ESPN basketball analyst, to a seven-day contract, meaning she will become the oldest player to ever suit up for a WNBA game. She turned 50 on July 1.
“It is an amazing opportunity to continue to play the game I love,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman set the mark as the oldest player in WNBA history with the Phoenix Mercury, at 39 years, 54 days in 1997, the league’s inaugural season. READ MORE
All of this came on the heels of the WNBA “brawl” that happened on Tuesday night between the Detroit Shock and the LA Sparks. Cheryl Ford went down with a torn ACL while trying to restrain a teammate from jumping back into the melee.
While it’s only a seven-day contract, you have to admire Lieberman for giving it a go. I watched her analyze the scuffle and I think it bothered her to the point that she feels as though returning to the game would not only bring the WNBA some positive publicity, but that she can also still play at a high level and contribute. Rather than have people tune in to watch just to see if another fight breaks out, they might be tune in to see if Lieberman can keep up with the younger players instead.
I know I’ll be watching.
Lieberman’s career is stocked with accolades and achievements. She won two college national championships at Old Dominion and was a member of two U.S. Olympic teams, winning gold at Montreal in 1976. She was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Here’s a brief highlight courtesy of YouTube:
