Below The Rim Wnba Remains Dunkless In Inaugural Season

A third of the way into the 10-week WNBA season, there have been no slam dunks or hanging on the rim.

A few players in the eight-team women’s basketball league can dunk, but so far, only Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks has made an attempt. And missed.

Leslie’s dunk attempt hit the front of the rim in the WNBA opener against New York on June 21. The Sparks will try to avenge the loss when they face the Liberty tonight at Madison Square Garden in a nationally televised game.

Leslie can’t predict if she’ll try another dunk in the Garden.

“It just depends on the course of the game,” said Leslie, who’s been slowed by sore knees. “I just think it’s going to be an exciting game. I haven’t really focused on the dunk.”

“If the opportunity presents itself, I’m sure Lisa will try it,” said Carol Blazejowski, the New York Liberty’s general manager. “That’s OK as long as we win the game.”

The Liberty (11-2) lead the Eastern Conference and the Sparks (5-7) are three games behind Phoenix in the Western Conference. On Wednesday, Los Angeles fired coach Linda Sharp and assistant Julie Rousseau was promoted to interim head coach.

Leslie, 6-foot-5, led the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal in Atlanta, and dunked occasionally against collegiate teams during its pre-Olympic tour. But Olympic coach Tara VanDerveer, fearing Leslie would get undercut by an opponent and injured, asked her to stop.

Orlando Woolridge, a 13-year NBA veteran and now a Sparks assistant coach, looks forward to any dunk by Leslie.

“I know I’d be the first one off my feet,” said Woolridge, who works with the post players.

“It’s fun to see people dunk, but the reason why people enjoy our game is because of the execution, teamwork and work ethic,” Nancy Lieberman-Cline of the Phoenix Mercury said. “In the game, unless there’s a breakaway, it’s not going to be a major factor.”