Holdsclaw Walks Away

When Chamique Holdsclaw entered the WNBA in 1999, expectations were high. The four-time All-American led Tennessee to an unprecedented three straight NCAA titles and was regarded by many as the "greatest woman's player ever." Slam magazine even dared to ask if she could play in the NBA, featuring her on its cover in a New York Knicks uniform.

Playing for the Mystics and Sparks, Holdsclaw enjoyed a successful career laden with All-Star appearances and a Rookie of the Year award, but personal problems, including a bout with depression, and family tragedies stunted her growth on the court. On June 11, the 29-year-old abruptly retired, leaving Los Angeles without its leading scorer.

5 Questions With Seattle All-Star Guard Sue Bird

Q: You recently became an Israeli citizen. Could you give some background on that?
A: When you play overseas, there are limits on how many Americans you can have on each team. That’s really what prompted it, but the deeper I dug into my family history and found out so much about my mother's side (and) my father's side -- on my dad's side, I still have relatives who live in Israel. So, it was about learning about my culture and my background -- it became something that wasn't only a basketball decision, but a personal one as well.

Q: How many times have you been asked if you are related to Larry Bird (she’s not)?
A: I don't think it's possible to count (laughs).

Q: You got a chance to play with (former college teammate) Diana Taurasi in Russia over the winter. How much has her game changed since you left UConn?
A: With Dee, she just keeps getting better. I don't know that anything's really changed. She so dominant, I don't know what else she can do -- she keeps getting better and better.

Q: Being a woman playing professional basketball, you get to travel all over the world. What is the best and worst part of all of that travel?
A: The best part is the countries I've seen, the people I've met and living in other cultures. It's definitely a unique experience; not many 26-year-olds can say they've gone (overseas). I miss things like my family, my friends, being home, hanging out, resting -- there's not a lot of down time. But, like I said, not many people my age get to do what I do, so I try to enjoy it.

Q: Your coach, Anne Donovan, is still the only female coach to win a WNBA title (in 2004). Do you get an extra sense of pride playing for her and bringing her a championship?
A: Anne is a great coach and I enjoy playing for her. It's definitely an extra bonus that she's female and we won a championship. As time goes on, I think there will be more and more women coaches in the WNBA -- probably more former players as the league gets older and older and players retire and want to come back to coaching. So, hopefully people will start catching up to Anne -- that would be a good thing.

Dupree for MVP?

In 2006, the expansion Chicago Sky went a league-worst 5-29. Candice Dupree was the lone bright spot in that dismal season. The rookie forward led the team in scoring and represented Chicago in the All-Star Game. This season, however, has been much more kind to the squad. Dupree has become one of the game's elite post players and the Sky are playoff contenders. If they were to reach the postseason, Dupree would be a strong contender for Most Valuable Player.

McFirst Pick

The Liberty’s Janel McCarville may go down as the LaRue Martin of the WNBA. Martin was selected No. 1 overall in the 1972 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers. He played just four years and averaged only 5.3 points per game.

McCarville, meanwhile, was the top pick in the 2005 WNBA draft by Charlotte before heading to New York in the dispersal draft when the Sting folded last winter. The former University of Minnesota star has averaged 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 68 career games.