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Saturday TIME: US | UK WEATHER: US | UK THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE Back Issues WHAT'S ON Diary Dates SPORTS Features & Blogs FEATURES Politics blog THE NEIGHBORHOOD "Life in the UK" American Groups Essential Contacts Money Education Driving Property |
SPORTS Dream Trip Olympic gold medal winner and WNBA star Dawn Staley in conversation with Josh Modaberi
"Fans will get to see two top teams playing at the peaks of their careers," Staley said. "It will be a fast paced game and these women are incredible athletes. "Some of the players will be able to play above the rim, but for the most part it will be a game of great execution and there should be some wonderful athletic moves to the basket." When the NBA has come across the pond to England, every game — pre–season and regular season — has seen sell out crowds, and the former Houston Comets Guard feels the WNBA can achieve a similar success. "I think the WNBA has done a tremendous job trying to promote the game between the Atlanta Dream and the Great British women's team," Staley continued. "You can see the affect the WNBA has had in the states and we will be hoping we can get that same fan support in the UK. "We have piggy backed on the Olympic games coming over to the UK next year and it is a win–win situation. We are capitalizing on the great timing and it will give the kids an opportunity to see basketball being played by some incredible women." The WNBA is a growing sport over in the United States and Staley, who had a successful career with Charlotte Sting and the Houston Comets, praises the work of NBA commissioner David Stern. "The NBA has been around for over 50 years compared to the 15 years that the WNBA as been in existence," said the 41–year–old. "But for a women's professional basketball league to be in existence for 15 years is an incredible feat. You have to take your hat off to David Stern, who believed in a product that each team was putting on the floor, and the fact that financially I think it is an incredible thing, so it's comparable to the NBA when it started 50 years ago." As well being successful for her WNBA teams, Staley also helped lead her country to three Olympic gold medals, the first coming on home soil at the 1996 Atlanta games. The star from Philadelphia believes it was a massive boost for the Great British men's and women's basketball teams to be allowed to participate at London 2012. "I think it was incredibly important," Staley said. "At each Games the host country's teams get to play and I think it does wonders for little girls' dreams. I think anytime you can expose young people to new things, they catch on very quickly and when they catch on quickly they tend to become very successful."
"It won't be long before we'll have a player from the UK playing in the WNBA, certainly after the Olympic games, and it will only be a win–win situation for the little girls as well as big girls who strive to become WNBA players." Staley explains what it is like to not only represent your country but to win the Olympics. "It is incredible to get the opportunity to represent your country, both in your home country and abroad in the Olympic games," Staley continued. "There is no comparison — I have played in a WNBA final and it still doesn't compare to holding your flag at the end of a gold medal game." Staley will not be heading to London 2012 with the USA team, but still feels the American women will be able to make it five consecutive medals next year. "It's gold or failure, that's the way we approach Olympic games," Staley continued. "We compete hard, we prepare hard and the bottom line is we want to win gold. "I think some other countries will beg to differ, but at the same time I do think our USA team will be ready to defend our four previous gold medals in the Olympic games." |
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