[L to R: Reggie Love, Ted Leonsis, President Obama, daugther Sasha & guest, Sheila Johnson.]

With the exception of a Josh Howard, Kirk Hinrich or a Kevin Seraphin signing here or there, from this blogger’s perspective, the Washington Wizards are basically closed for business until training camp.  Unfortunately for me, my basketball jones does not die that easily, so I decided to take my talents to the Washington Mystics of the WNBA.

When I initially looked at the Mystics schedule, there were certain games I had ear-marked as “must-sees”.  I wanted to see Chamique Holdsclaw and the San Antonio Silver Stars, I wanted to see Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm, and I definitely wanted to see former University of Maryland star, Kristi Tolliver and the Los Angeles Sparks. But above and beyond those match-ups, the team that intrigued me the most was the Tulsa Shock.

The Shock are led by former Arkansas Razorback head coach Nolan Richardson, who is the winningest coach in Arkansas history and is famous for the “40 Minutes of Hell” full-court press.  He also gave us such college and NBA players like Corliss Williamson, Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, Scotty Thurman, Oliver Miller and Joe Johnson.  Richardson is trying to bring that same frenetic style of play to the WNBA, and so far his team has struggled with a 4-22 record.

Also on the Shock roster is former world-class track athlete and gold medal winner Marion Jones.  Her past has been marred by legal issues ranging from check fraud to performance-enhancing drugs.  So recently, she found solace in basketball — a sport she hadn’t played since she was on North Carolina’s national championship team in 1997.  Jones only plays eight minutes a game for the Shock, and she averages just 2.7 points and a rebound a game.  On her transition to basketball, Coach Richardson said: Read more »