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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Abl Boss Outlines Plans For Upcoming Draft Cavalli Is Expecting Pool Of Players To Be Much Smaller This Time Around

Mel Greenberg Philadelphia Inquirer

With its initial season about to conclude, the women’s professional American Basketball League is making plans for its draft of players to become part of the second season next fall.

“It won’t be an open tryout for a draft pool like we did with 500 persons last spring,” ABL chief executive officer and co-founder Gary Cavalli said. “We’ll probably invite 80-100 persons in a combine setting in late April composed of foreign players, seniors and others who have expressed an interest in playing. The size will depend whether we expand or not.”

Cavalli mentioned that the four cities in primary contention for two spots, if the ABL decides to add to its existing eight teams, are Long Beach, Long Island (at the Nassau Coliseum), St. Louis and Philadelphia.

“All players at the combine will be eligible for the draft, which could go eight rounds deep,” he said, while indicating May 5 as the date for selections.

“There also would be a special expansion draft off the current rosters,” Cavalli said.

“Each coach and general manager would submit a list of seven players to be protected with salary recommendations. Then the rest would go into a pool,” Cavalli said.

In reviewing the near completion of the first year of the women’s professional league, Cavalli said, “It looks like we made good decisions where to place teams. The territorial draft was a good idea as such players as New England’s Jennifer Rizzotti, Columbus’ Katie Smith and the Stanford players on San Jose have been good local draws.

“The quality of play has been outstanding and the fan support appears to be based not on wins and losses but on the overall concept of a cause in having a pro team in the U.S.

“The game was faster, more intense and more aggressive than any of us realized, but we adjusted in the second half of the season and the injuries dropped off,” Cavalli added.

“Locally, sponsorship has been good, but now we need to do more on a national level in terms of promotion, sponsorship and licensing, and we are looking to bring in a person to head up that area real soon.”

Tracey Williams, the recently hired director of player personnel from USA Basketball, said she has been busy contacting coaches and sending them information about the ABL to give to their seniors “at the appropriate time.”

“I know it’s a very critical time for these players but we don’t want to do anything to interfere with their focus on winning conference playoffs and moving on to the NCAA tournament,” said Williams.

“What I’m doing is sending information kits to college coaches and telling them that when they feel the time is right, to pass them on to the seniors. In some cases that might be several weeks from now. On the other hand, some coaches will have no problems giving the information to some of their players now.”

Williams said she’ll be making visits to the key conference tournaments next week in the Big East, Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Atlantic 10, among others. Along the way, she’ll probably run into Renee Brown, an assistant coach on the U.S. National Team last year, who is now player personnel for the WNBA.