Sheryl Swoopes

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Olympic medalist

Sheryl Swoopes during her visit to the White House with her champion Houston Comets team in 2001
Medal record
Women's Basketball
Gold 1996 Atlanta United States
Gold 2000 Sydney United States
Gold 2004 Athens United States

Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Houston Comets in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She has won three Olympic Gold Medals and is a three-time WNBA MVP. Frequently referred to as the "female Michael Jordan," Swoopes is famous for both her offensive and defensive skills and being one of the most accomplished basketball players in history. In 2005, she averaged 18.6 points, 85% free throws, 4.3 assists, 2.65 steals and 37.1 minutes playing time per game.

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[edit] Early success

Born in Brownfield, Texas, Swoopes was raised by her mother Louise Swoopes, and played basketball with her two older brothers. She began competing at age seven, in a local children's league. Coached under Dickie Faught and Kathey Granger, Swoopes was a member and senior on the 1988's Texas State Championship team.

[edit] College years

In 1993 Swoopes won the NCAA women's basketball title with Texas Tech during her senior season. Her jersey was retired by the school the following year.

Swoopes still figures in the NCAA women's basketball record books (as of 2006) in many categories, among them is the list of single-game scoring records (53 points on March 13, 1993 vs. Texas, tied for tenth place), single-season scoring (955 points in the 1993 season, fourth place), highest Championship Tournament scoring average (35.4 in the 1993 tournament, second overall historically), best single-game championship scoring performance (47 points vs. Ohio State, 1993 championship), and scoring record for championship series (177 points, four games).

Swoopes was the 1993 winner of the Naismith award, was selected as that year's WBCA Player of the Year, and was chosen to the Division I All-American squad in both 1992 and 1993.

[edit] WNBA career

Sheryl Swoopes on the Houston Comets
Sheryl Swoopes on the Houston Comets

Swoopes was recruited for the Houston Comets of the WNBA during the 1997 inaugural season. She came back from giving birth to her son, to play the last third of the WNBA inaugural season and lead the Comets in the 1997 WNBA Championship. As a member of the Houston Comets, she has accumulated over 2,000 career points, 500 career rebounds, 300 career assists and 200 career steals. Her extraordinary scoring and defensive ability have made her the first three-time WNBA MVP (2000, 2002, 2005) and the first three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2000, 2002, 2003). Swoopes is a four-time WNBA champion (1997–2000).

Swoopes's contributions to women's basketball as well as her tough play through injury have made her considered to be one of the best female basketball players of all time. She would become part of the triple threat offense during the Comet dynasty with Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson.

Swoopes is the second player in WNBA history to win both the regular season MVP award and the All-Star Game MVP award in the same season. The first player to accomplish this was Lisa Leslie.

Swoopes is also the first to record a playoff triple-double in WNBA history.

[edit] International career

Sheryl Swoopes (left, wearing #7) featured on cover of Sports Illustrated (July 22, 1996).
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Sheryl Swoopes (left, wearing #7) featured on cover of Sports Illustrated (July 22, 1996).

Swoopes gained national prominence when she won the gold medal with the USA Basketball Women's National Team (WNT) at the 1996 Olympic Games and became a focal point of the fledgling Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000, 2004).

[edit] Personal

Swoopes is the first women's basketball player to have a Nike shoe named after her: the "Air Swoopes". She married her high school sweetheart in June 1995 and had a son, Jordan Eric Jackson, in 1997. Their divorce, with joint child custody, was final in 1999.

[edit] Coming Out

In October 2005, Swoopes publicly announced that she is a lesbian and became one of the most high profile athletes in a team sport to come out publicly. She and her partner, Alisa Scott (former basketball player and Houston Comets assistant coach), are raising Swoopes' son together. Swoopes told an Associated Press reporter that she would like to marry Scott one day, though it may be virtually impossible in their home state, which banned same-sex marriage the following month.

In an ESPN.com article, Swoopes said "it doesn't change who I am. I can't help who I fall in love with. No one can...Discovering I'm gay just sort of happened much later in life. Being intimate with [Alisa] or any other woman never entered my mind. At the same time, I'm a firm believer that when you fall in love with somebody, you can't control that."ESPN article

On October 26, 2005, according to the The New York Times and USA Today Swoopes became the spokeswoman for Olivia Cruises and Resorts, a cruise line dedicated to lesbian travelers.

[edit] Financial problems

Despite being one of the top players and highest-paid athletes in the WNBA, Swoopes has experienced severe financial difficulties in recent years.

In October 27, 2005, Swoopes told The New York Times that she had struggled with debt and was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2004 because she mismanaged her money. Bankruptcy records from June 2004 revealed that Swoopes owed $711,050, including $275,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

In June 29, 2006, KHOU-TV, a Houston television station, reported that a storage facility in Lubbock, Texas containing numerous Swoopes memorabilia items and personal effects was scheduled to be sold at an auction. It was also reported that payments for the unit reportedly stopped some time earlier. Television reports in Lubbock indicate that among the items available are Swoopes' Olympic medals, her 1993 Naismith Trophy and Texas Tech basketball uniforms.

[edit] Vital statistics

Sheryl Swoopes promo for Olivia Cruises
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Sheryl Swoopes promo for Olivia Cruises

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by:
Dawn Staley		 Naismith College Player of the Year (women's)
1993		 Succeeded by:
Lisa Leslie
Women's National Basketball Association | WNBA's All-Decade Team
Sue Bird | Tamika Catchings | Cynthia Cooper | Yolanda Griffith | Lauren Jackson | Lisa Leslie | Katie Smith | Dawn Staley | Sheryl Swoopes | Tina Thompson

Ruthie Bolton | Chamique Holdsclaw | Ticha Penicheiro | Diana Taurasi | Teresa Weatherspoon (Honorable mention)
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