Swoopes Finally More Than Poster Girl One Of Wnba’s Marquee Names Plays First Game

Sheryl Swoopes has been touted as a role model and marquee figure for the WNBA. Now she’s playing.

Swoopes, an Olympic gold medalist whose pro debut this year was delayed by the birth of her son, played for the Houston Comets for the first time Thursday night in a 74-70 victory over the Phoenix Mercury.

She’s been one of the new league’s most visible representatives with a full slate of advertising and public appearances. Until Thursday, though, she hadn’t been on a roster.

Swoopes and her coach, Van Chancellor, didn’t expect her to be in Olympic form.

She wasn’t.

Swoopes received a standing ovation when she reported into the game with 9:20 to go in the first half but she played tentatively for 5:18 and almost committed a turnover the one time she touched the ball.

“I give myself an A-plus,” Swoopes said. “I didn’t have any turnovers or mistakes.”

She also didn’t have any shots or points.

“A lot of people asked why I didn’t shoot, but I was just trying to fit in with the team and get in the flow,” she said. “It didn’t matter to me if I shot 20 times our not at all.”

“Sheryl has been one of the premier players, but she’s not one of them right now,” Chancellor said. “You let anyone lay out a year … Michael Jordan couldn’t lay out a year, much less have a baby, and come back and be the same.”

Swoopes returned after giving birth on June 25 to Jordan Eric Jackson. She started practicing with the team July 30, and worked out hard at home during the team’s recent road trip.

Her last competition was with the U.S. women’s basketball team at the Atlanta Olympics.

“The only reason I’m back is I want to be here,” she said. “I have that fever and fire in me that I want to be out there playing.”