The ABL -- Real Basketball
The American Basketball League (ABL) was created to establish the world's
premier women's basketball league and give America's best players the
opportunity to play professionally in their own country. The league
showcases the greatest players in the world, gives female athletes an
opportunity to pursue their dreams, and provides exciting and affordable
family entertainment for basketball fans throughout this country.
Women's basketball is booming, as evidenced by the fact that basketball is
now the No. 1 youth participation sport in the country for girls, and women's
college basketball attendance has quadrupled in the last 14 years. Further,
the quality of the women's game has increased to the point that coaching
legend John Wooden recently said, "To me, the best pure basketball I see
today is among the better women's teams."
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The ABL's inaugural season began on October 18, 1996, just a few months after
the conclusion of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The regular season,
which consisted of a 40-game schedule, ran from mid-October through late
February and concluded with a five-game championship series in early March.
The Columbus Quest was crowned the league's first-ever champion, defeating
the Richmond Rage, 3-2 in a thrilling final series. The league drew an
average of 3,536 fans per game during the regular season and nearly 4,200 per
game in February.
The World's Best Players
Thirteen former Olympians. Seven of the last 11 college Players of the Year
(Naismith Award). Seven of the last 12 NCAA Final Four MVPs. Thirty-six
former Kodak All-Americans. Ten of the top 13 '97 college players.
Illustrated by these numbers, the ABL has invested in the world's most
talented players. In its first season, the league featured seven members of
the 1996 U.S. gold medal Olympic Team--Jennifer Azzi, Teresa Edwards, Venus
Lacy, Nikki McCray, Carla McGhee, Dawn Staley and Katy Steding. During the
off-season (May 17, 1997), the signing of Katrina McClain brought that total
to eight.
Also during the off-season, last season's top two players--Naismith Award
winner Kate Starbird and AP Player of the Year Kara Wolters--joined the
league, as did overseas veteran Yolanda Griffith and Wade Trophy winner
DeLisha Milton.
Dozens of other great players who previously had to put their careers on hold
or go overseas are in the ABL, such as 1997 ABL Defensive Player of Year
Debbie Black, Championship Series MVP Valerie Still, 1997 ABL Scoring
Champion Carolyn Jones, All-American Natalie Williams, 1996 Olympic
alternates Edna Campbell and Sylvia Crawley, '94 Final Four MVP Charlotte
Smith of North Carolina, '92 Final Four MVP Molly Goodenbour of Stanford,
Colorado All-American Shelley Sheetz, Tennessee All-American Lisa Harrison;
Two-time Alabama All-American Niesa Johnson, and many others.
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