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SPORTS Tuesday 4 april 2023
After March Madness, women’s pro basketball options are slim

By DOUG FEINBERG tion in Dallas is an opportu-
AP Basketball Writer nity for players to stay in the
DALLAS (AP) — March U.S. during the offseason
Madness may have been and make up to $50,000
the last time for fans to see during the five-week sea-
many of the talented col- son.
lege women players com- Staying in the U.S. is be-
pete. coming more important
Players’ options for profes- with the WNBA now requir-
sional basketball careers ing players to be present at
are limited, whether in the the start of training camp.
U.S. or overseas the jobs just The requirement can im-
aren’t there. pact playing opportunities
“You can be a great col- outside of the league for
lege player and not make WNBA players. Their over-
a WNBA roster,” ESPN WNBA seas contract have to in-
analyst LaChina Robinson clude provisions that allow
said. “You’re not only com- players to return to the U.S.
peting with players that are in the middle of a postsea-
currently on roster, but also son run overseas.
a ton of women’s basket- It all makes the path to
ball players overseas that a professional basketball
have been honing their career for women harder
skills and waiting for op- than ever. Players had to
portunity to break into the declare by March 26 if they
WNBA.” The numbers paint Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier competes in the skills challenge during the WNBA All-Star planned to enter the WNBA
a challenging picture. festivities Friday, July 26, 2019, in Las Vegas. Associated Press draft unless they were still
There are only 12 WNBA playing in the NCAA Tour-
teams and 144 roster spots reason why five of the first- which she was detained players few years ago be- nament.
with most of those being round picks in 2021 are no when customs officials said cause of the coronavirus. Those players had 48 hours
filled by returning players. longer in the league. they found vape canisters Neither has started again. after their last game to de-
Over the past six seasons, There has been talk of with cannabis oil in her lug- That’s roughly another clare. South Carolina’s Zia
64% of players drafted WNBA expansion, but noth- gage, then later arrested three dozen jobs gone. Cooke and Dorka Juhasz
made WNBA rosters ac- ing has come to fruition yet. before being released in “In Korea, everyone used from UConn are among
cording to basketball Players often turn to play- a high-level prisoner ex- to get $25,000 a month,” players headed to the
website ‘Beyond Women’s ing professionally overseas, change between the U.S. Dyke said. “It’s a huge loss draft.
Sports’. The high mark was working on their games and Russia. not having those jobs as Others like 6-foot-6 Eliza-
28 of the 36 draftees in and looking for another The lost jobs in Russia has a those are two of the big- beth Kitley from Virginia
2019. The low was only 20 shot to play at home. trickle down on openings in gest markets.” Tech are staying in college,
the year before. Now those jobs are also at other countries as top play- Dyke also said he wouldn’t where they enjoy various
Even if a player does get a premium. Brittney Griner’s ers who once played there send some of his clients to amenities due to Title IX,
into the league, it’s a battle nine-month incarceration are looking elsewhere for play in other countries be- including taking charter
for playing time. in Moscow along with the work. cause of the political cli- flights vs flying commercial.
Only 60% of players draft- war with Ukraine has led to Longtime agent Brian Dyke mate. Kitley, a senior, despite be-
ed got on the court to the elimination of dozens of said that there a fewer Athletes Unlimited just com- ing a possible first-round
play minutes their first year potential jobs in Russia. countries now that he can pleted its second season. pick is one of many college
since 2017 according to Griner is back in the WNBA send players to. Besides Over a dozen WNBA play- players who have an extra
the basketball website ‘Her after her nine-month le- Russia, China and Korea ers competed last month in year of eligibility because
Hoop Stats.” It’s part of the gal fight in Russia, during stopped signing foreign it. The four-team competi- of COVID. q

Former Hoosiers coach Knight battling undisclosed illness

By MICHAEL MAROT an update on Knight’s con- Texas Tech hired Knight in
AP Sports Writer dition on Monday. 2001, and he stayed there
Former Indiana Hoosiers The 82-year-old Knight won until retiring in 2008 with a
coach Bob Knight was hos- three national champion- then-Division I record 902
pitalized over the weekend ships, 11 Big Ten titles and career wins.
with an undisclosed illness 662 games at Indiana be- Knight was succeeded by
but was not listed as a pa- fore being fired in Septem- his son, Pat, at Texas Tech
tient on Monday at two ber 2000 after he allegedly and moved back to Bloom-
hospitals in Bloomington, In- grabbed a student by the ington in 2019. Then, after
diana, where he lives. arm in a hallway. The inci- vowing never to return to
An email from the univer- dent violated a zero-toler- an Indiana University event,
sity about Knight’s health ance policy instituted by he relented on that prom-
was sent to former Indiana the university following an ise by attending the Hoo-
basketball players on Fri- investigation into accusa- siers’ game against Purdue
day asking for prayers and tions of physical and ver- in February 2020, joined by Former Indiana basketball head coach Bobby Knight makes an
saying the former coach bal abuse made by former dozens of his former players appearance at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 8,
hoped to return home soon. player Neil Reed, who died and former Purdue coach 2020.
The university did not have of a heart attack in 2012. Gene Keady.q Associated Press