Former College Stars Plan Women’s League For Pro Basketball

Hoping to capitalize on the growing popularity of women’s basketball on the college level, a group of prominent players announced plans Tuesday for a national professional league.

Backed by former college stars Jennifer Azzi, Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards, the American Basketball League hopes to begin play in 1996 with 12 teams.

“I think all of us have had this dream of having a league in our own country for quite some time,” said Azzi, the 1990 player of the year at Stanford.

Wearing an ABL T-shirt with the words, “It’s a Whole New Ballgame,” Azzi was joined by seven of her fellow players from the U.S. Women’s National Team, who have signed on as founding players in the league.

Steve Hams, the principal founder and chief operating officer of the league, said the ABL has secured about $4 million in capital from investors. The next step is attracting owners from cities where women’s basketball has a proven following.

Some 18 cities have been targeted, including San Jose; Atlanta; Denver; Indianapolis; Seattle; Minneapolis; Hartford, Conn.; Austin, Texas; and Knoxville, Tenn. The league plans a territorial draft so that players will be on teams where they are most popular, Hams said.

The players will be paid by the league an average salary of $70,000, with top players earning up to $125,000. Players also will own 10 percent of the league under a player’s trust.