Paving the way for the WNBA

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Their names were just dried black ink etched in small print in newspapers across the nation.

After a lifetime of dedication to basketball, there were one-day salutes to past stars like Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Azzi, Sonja Henning and Cynthia Cooper. Taking their places are a host of twentysomethings ranging from league MVP Lauren Jackson of the Storm to rookie sensation Diana Taurasi with Phoenix.

It feels like yesterday, however, when fans were kicked back on the sofa watching guard Dawn Staley high-step it down the court on BET with her mouth agape and eyes wide, looking for the assist in the defunct American Basketball League. Or watching forward Sheri Sam stroke the nylon from three-point range in an early WNBA game, or center Sylvia Crawley delight an All-Star crowd with a blindfolded dunk.

On the eve of the WNBA's eighth season, the longest any professional women's league has existed in the United States, longtime followers can see the 13-team union slowly taking shape. And deeply involved in the blueprint, like dimples on the orange and oatmeal colored ball, are players like Cooper, Henning and Azzi, all of whom retired this offseason.

"Before the ABL or WNBA I was playing overseas and came back to Stanford for this exhibition game," said Azzi, who won an NCAA title in 1990. "And I'd say nine out of 10 people came up to me afterwards saying, 'Oh, my gosh! You haven't lost a step!'

"I was 22! At 22 you have not even begun to touch what you're potentially going to do. It was amazing that was the mentality. But now it's great to see Sue Bird out of college be able to develop just like you'd expect a professional to do."

It was players like Azzi who stripped the "women" off any tag regarding basketball. She just played the game because that's what her instincts told her to do.

But even she wasn't the first.

"That's the hard part about women's basketball. Just because of TV exposure, kids think those are the pioneers," said Ann Meyers, a former UCLA star who was the first to receive a college scholarship. "I'm not even a pioneer. There was my sister (Patty) and Joan Crawford and all the players from AAU. That's where this all started — AAU.

"These players are like the Bob Cousys, Bill Russells and Wilt Chamberlains of the WNBA. They're this generation's pioneers. That's a good way of putting it."

Cooper, a 5-foot-10 guard, brought glitz to the league, along with Olympians Lisa Leslie and former Houston Comets teammate Sheryl Swoopes. Cooper, 41, began her WNBA career after 11 seasons overseas. She immediately took over the league's scoring title and left as the first player to reach scoring milestones — 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 2,500 points. She also was a three-time All-Star and gave the league its first sentimental story line by playing through the pain of teammate Kim Perrot's death in 1999.

Henning will likely leave the most lasting impact. A practicing labor lawyer, she served as president of the WNBA Players' Association, authoring the union's side of the collective-bargaining agreement.

"That stuff is not in English," said San Antonio guard Adrienne Goodson, who was among nine people on the union's board. "There are so many words that can trip you up, it was great to have her there with her background to translate."

After a draining process that began in the fall, but didn't end until moments before a self-imposed deadline, the players were able to negotiate true free agency and a pay scale based on merit and other benefits to go with the league's $647,000 salary cap.

Goodson said the deal helped her earn $20,000 more.

"It was one of those things at the time that was very sobering, the whole negotiation process," said Henning, who works for Tonkon Torp Inc. in Portland. "It didn't play out ideally the way we wanted. We wanted (free agency) to have less strings than are attached, but it was a horrible situation before where teams could basically say, 'OK, we'll keep her and you (the league) pay her whatever you want.' I think it's the only profession where you earned less as you gained more experience."

With the start to this season hours away, Azzi said she could still play. She just doesn't want to.

"I've never felt better," said the 35-year-old. "It's just simply that I didn't feel it anymore. I could have gone out there and collected a check, but I didn't want to improve and I have to have a challenge. They say when you feel like that, you should stop."

Azzi will remain visible. She signed with the league to develop and execute six "Russell Athletic for Women Fitness Workshops" to be held this summer. Azzi said they will focus on health, nutrition and motivation, but she will surely be asked about her fitness routine. Even Olympian Katie Smith, who is almost as well-defined as Azzi, has asked for tips.

Known for her Pert Shampoo commercial, Azzi's brown-haired ponytail and bulky calves are legendary in the league. As the league formed its image, Azzi was one who spoke up to make sure the athletic side was played as strong as the female aspect.

"Jen has the ability to see both sides," said Henning, a fellow Stanford teammate. "I become very much an advocate, where Jen can keep an even keel, whether it's marketing or image. She fits it all, but keeps it real (to) where at the end of the day we are athletes. She will say, 'I'm not wearing this because I'm not comfortable.' "

Azzi will work her camps, book motivational speaking engagements and run, while Henning, a Storm original, said Seattle will be her home team for games. She'll visit often and hopes to have a family soon.

"They have definitely done a great deal for this league," WNBA president Val Ackerman said. "We've had lots of pioneering players in this league."