The time is here. Becky Hammon will leave the San Antonio Silver Stars following Sunday’s game against the Detroit Shock to join Team Russia as they begin their quest for Olympic supremacy with its newest, most-visible citizen in the Stars’ point guard.
David King of the San Antonio Express-News takes a good, long, in-depth look at the diminuative point guard and her struggled to make a name for herself, including her struggles as she decided to join Team Russia for its’ playoff run. One of my favorite parts of the article doesn’t detail Becky’s stateside troubles, but those within her own …read more

It seems like it was only nine months ago we talked about Tree Rollins becoming the official coach of the Washington Mystics.
Well, that’s because it was — and since we’re talking about it, it’s because he was fired Saturday. From the Washington Post:
General Manager Linda Hargrove said the completely demoralizing nature of the back-to-back losses to New York (77-56) and Detroit (99-62) was the tipping point. The embarrassing losses put the playoffs farther out of reach for the Mystics (8-14), who’ve qualified for postseason play four times in their 11-year history.
“It probably wouldn’t have happened had we lost those …read more

From the Women’s Hoops Blog, we get news that Chicago Sky rookie Sylvia Fowles is practicing again and should return by the Olympic break. Good to hear, they could use her help.

We’re less than a month away from the Olympic games and thus begins the departure of the world’s best basketballers as they return to their home countries to begin practicing for the Beijing Games. In Seattle, Lauren Jackson left Tuesday. From the Seattle Times:
Jackson and Bird have nearly been inseparable since last fall when they linked in Russia to win EuroLeague and Russian Superleague titles for Spartak Moscow. But Jackson will leave Seattle today for a two-day vacation then return to her native Australia to train with her national team for the Olympics.
For a list of all the players competing …read more

By youth, faith and some superstition, according to the New York Times.
On July 5, the Dream was losing, 19-6, to visiting Chicago, the W.N.B.A.’s second-sorriest team, but Atlanta’s loyal fans were shrieking and pounding ThunderStix. A crew hired for the third straight game to blast streamers out of air cannons at the final horn to toast a win was close to packing up and heading home.
But an upbeat vibe prevailed during a Dream timeout — a consequence of youth (only two players are beyond their third W.N.B.A. season) and inner calm (spirituality permeates this roster like perhaps few others …read more

So I wake up to this story from the Baltimore Sun:
 Representatives of the WNBA have met with Mayor Sheila Dixon to discuss the possibility of moving a franchise to Baltimore once a new downtown arena is built, Dixon said today.
The mayor also said she’d like to see the new facility built on the same downtown site where the 14,000-seat 1st Mariner Arena stands.
Dixon mentioned the possibility of attracting a women’s basketball franchise after being asked if a new arena should be large enough for an NBA team.
“I think we need a larger arena,” she said. “But I don’t think we …read more

The Phoenix Mercury were honored for their 2007 championship season by President George W. Bush at the White House Monday, but the president also went out of his way to point out the community work the Mercury participate in as well.
The thing I love about this team and a lot of champions that I get to recognize here at the White House is the fact that they understand you’re a champ on the courts, and you’re a champ off the courts. The — this team spent weekends on a Habitat for Humanity program called, “Women Build.” They …read more

The WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury were honored Monday morning by President George W. Bush at the White House.
President Bush singled out Mercury stars and Olympians Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter for their efforts in the WNBA and the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.
Now, this is not the first time that Diana has been here to the White House. She came with the mighty UConn Huskies. And she told me she was going to amount to something in life when I saw her. (Laughter.) She said, “I will be back,” and she is, as the champion. …read more

Some more shameless self-promotion between the two gigs.
San Antonio Silver Stars guard Shanna Crossley was at our studio this afternoon and sat down for a brief segment. Here’s the video. Crossley at KSAT 12.

Atlanta Dream point guard Ivory Latta is the face of the WNBA’s newest franchise, and it seems to be a role that’s fitting her just fine. Courtesy of the Winston-Salem Chronicle.
Anthony (Hill): No doubt. What about you? How much have you improved since last year?
Ivory: A lot. At Detroit, I didn’t get to play as much. I’m getting the opportunity to do what I love here. I’m trying to get better every day. I have a great guard to look up to in Betty Lennox. You can’t go wrong with that.
Anthony: I hate to dwell on …read more