A Pregnant Pause Expected Child Will Force Swoopes To Miss Women’s Nba Debut

Pregnancy has accomplished something opposing defenses haven’t the past decade: It’s temporarily sidelined Air Swoopes.

Olympic gold medalist Sheryl Swoopes, who led Texas Tech to the 1993 NCAA championship, has announced that she is expecting a baby in June and will miss the new Women’s NBA season opener.

Swoopes said in a news release issued Wednesday that she and husband Eric Jackson, her high school sweetheart whom she married in 1995, are looking forward to their new arrival.

“We have always wanted a family, and I view this completely in a positive way, as one of the wonderful miracles that can happen in life,” said Swoopes, a native of Brownfield, near Lubbock.

“I think that’s awesome,” said Marsha Sharp, Swoopes’ coach at Texas Tech. “I told her if it’s a girl, I want to sign her to a letter of intent the day she’s born.”

Swoopes’ announcement came on the same day Jackie Joyner-Kersee said she is taking a break from the rival American Basketball League to concentrate on track and field. The Olympic champion is to compete in the Millrose Games on Feb. 7 and might return to the Richmond Rage after the meet.

Swoopes, 25, faces at least a six-week wait after delivery and hopes to play a few games at the end of the WNBA season, which runs June 21 through Aug. 30.