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May 26, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


Countdown to Opening Day Opening day for the WNBA's 13th season is rapidly approaching. To open the season, the Detroit Shock will visit the Los Angeles Sparks in 12 days for a nationally-televised game on ABC at 2:30 p.m. ET. Tina Thompson, the league's all-time second-leading scorer, will make her debut for the Sparks while the Shock return most of its core from last season's championship team. To prepare for the season, WNBA.com has been rolling out team previews since the beginning of training camp. WNBA Expect Great Television Spots Debut During NBA Playoffs The WNBA debuted its 2009 Expect Great ad campaign on May 17 during the NBA Playoffs on ABC. The campaign will air during the NBA Playoffs and Finals and will continue through the WNBA season. Fans and media can view the spots online here and here.

WNBA Teams Gear Up for 2009 Season in Training Camps WNBA Teams opened training camps last week with media day. The annual event gives the press its first chance to interact with this year's WNBA players. In between having their photos taken, players chatted with media, got reacquainted with old friends and sat down for live webcasts from practice.

In Indiana, the Fever returns its core group from last year. In their second year together, the players hope they can can make the jump to the WNBA Finals. The Sky, meanwhile, hope that a stable offseason translates to success on the court.

Minnesota Head Coach Don Zierden expects that the young Quanitra Hollingsworth will helpCharde Houston and Nicky Anosike in the front court. The star-studded Los Angeles Sparks, one of the favorites in the West, are making one more push for Lisa Leslie's third WNBA Championship.

Fans Get First Look at Teams in Preseason Games Preseason games also tipped off last week as the New York Liberty squeezed by the Washington Mystics in the preseason opener. Later in the day, rookie Ashley Walker scored 10 points in aSeattle Storm win over the Sacramento Monarchs. On Friday, the youngsters on theConnecticut Sun impressed in a 74-62 win over the Liberty. In the Midwest, Chicago Sky centerSylvia Fowles was too much for a banged-up Detroit Shock squad to handle. In the lone game over the weekend, Katie Douglas propelled the Indiana Fever to a win on the road over theMinnesota Lynx.

Rookies Pull Back Curtain in adidas WNBA Rookie Report Renee Montgomery and DeWanna Bonner, the fourth and fifth picks of the 2009 WNBA Draft presented by adidas, blogged about their first week in training camps on WNBA.com. Montgomery is optimistic about her fresh start in Minnesota while Bonner excitedly chronicled her first impressions of her new teammates in Phoenix.

The blogs are part of the adidas WNBA Rookie Report, which was announced last week. In its second season, the adidas Rookie Report connects some of the newest WNBA players with their fans by providing a behind-the-scenes look at life as a WNBA newcomer. In addition to Montgomery and Bonner, Angel McCoughtry and Marissa Coleman, the first and second picks of the draft, will blog on WNBA.com.

WNBA All-Star Game Tickets on Sale The WNBA recently announced that tickets for the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game at Mohegan Sun Arena are on sale. The limited number of tickets is available to the general public onTicketmaster.com or by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX.

Follow the WNBA on Twitter Washington Mystics guard Alana Beard (@AlanaBeard20) and Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins (@CandiceWiggins) took time out of their busy schedules to conduct the third and fourth installments of the WNBA Twitterview series. Beard discussed wide-ranging topics from her focus on staying low while dribbling to her fondness for Captain Crunch and Frosted Flakes cereal. Wigginsdished about everything from her favorite Slurpee flavor to her favorite classes at Stanford.

Around the WNBA

The Atlanta Dream signed Coco Miller. The Detroit Shock signed Kristen Rasmussen and Sequoia Holmes. The Phoenix Mercury signed Murriel Page. Today's Quotes CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW, on her return to basketball with the Atlanta Dream: "I'm really excited. I don't think I've ever said that before. This is like a new beginning for me. I'm just going to go out there and have some fun. I really mean that." Associated Press, May 15, 2009 PAT COYLE on the Liberty's progression over the last few years: "We had a four-year plan. We wanted to build the chemistry, and the following year get into the playoffs, and the following year compete for the Eastern Conference, and the following year [the Finals]. We're still a year ahead of schedule. The next step is to win that second series and get into the WNBA Finals." Associated Press, May 19, 2009

TINA THOMPSON on adjusting to her first WNBA season with a new team: "It's sad about the Comets, because that was who I identified myself with for so long, but all the players I have talked to are just getting ready for something new, and I think we owe that to Comets fans and WNBA fans to keep playing and keep an interest going in womens basketball." Houston Chronicle, May 23, 2009

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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