Usc Star No. 1 Pick In Wnba Late Decision To Join League Earns Thompson Top Billing

Southern Cal senior Tina Thompson, who made a late-hour decision to join the new Women’s NBA when it outbid the American Basketball League, was chosen Monday by the Houston Comets as the first pick in the WNBA’s formal draft.

The Comets have yet to name a coach, but reports are indicating that Mississippi’s Van Chancellor might be announced as early as today. Clemson’s Jim Davis is another name that has been mentioned.

Meanwhile, Connecticut’s highly sought-after 6-foot-7 senior Kara Wolters held a press conference in Hartford to announce her decision to join the ABL after turning the WNBA aside. She’ll be a regional first-round pick of the New England Blizzard, who play a majority of their games in the Hartford Civic Center near UConn’s home in Storrs.

“I think that’s one of the things that made my decision so easy,” Wolters said. “How could you possibly go anywhere else to play basketball?”

Monday’s draft actually increased the rosters of teams in eight NBA cities and arenas by four. The final two spots will be filled early next month through local tryouts.

Previously, players with professional experience, including four 1996 Olympians, signed with the league. Rebecca Lobo, for example, went to the New York Liberty; Lisa Leslie went to Los Angeles; Cheryl Swoopes went to Houston; and Ruthie Bolton-Holified went to Sacramento.

Another player with Southern Cal affiliations, former All-American Pam McGee, was the second pick of the first round by Sacramento.

Stanford point guard Jamila Widman, who also made a late decision last week to join the WNBA, was picked by Los Angeles, which some felt was going to take Thompson.

Eva Nemcova of the Czech Republic was the pick of Cleveland, which also has yet to name a coach. Utah selected fifth and took former Virginia point guard Tammi Reiss. New York took former Rutgers star Sue Wicks, followed by the Charlotte Sting, which selected Tora Suber of Virginia. Former Iowa star Toni Foster went to the Phoenix Mercury, coached by Cheryl Miller, completing the first round.

Some talented players on the WNBA list were not taken in the four-round draft.

Latasha Byears, a past NCAA-leading scorer at DePaul; LSU senior Pietra Gay; Duke point guard Kira Orr; and Texas 3-point ace Danielle Viglione were among the omissions, as was Auburn’s Kara Williams and Arkansas’ Kim Wilson.

The ABL has its draft next Monday with a much larger pool of collegiate talent. Will the WNBA look at players bypassed by the ABA?

New York general manager Carol Blazejowski said, “The league says if you didn’t sign a contract to go to our combine, you can’t be picked. But that issue may be re-visited.”