Home » Sports » Women's Basketball » Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

© Colleen Bittner

Now that the former American Basketball League players and coaches have been released from their contracts by the courts, they have scattered throughout the world, in search of new jobs.

From the Seattle Reign, Kate Starbird has left Seattle for the Bay Area. Just two years ago Kate was a basketball star at nearby Stanford University, where she earned the Naismith award before moving onto the Reign in 1997. She is starting a commercial graphics company with a few of her colleagues. This spring, she hopes to be drafted by the WNBA. "I just want to play" she told reporters shortly after the ABL filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Although the Women's National Basketball Association wasn't her first choice, Kate Starbird says she will "plow my way through it."

Kate Paye, a former teammate of Starbird's at both Stanford and on the Reign, has also left for the Bay Area. She is applying to Stanford's graduate school, looking for a joint masters in business and law. Christy Hedgpeth, another Stanford Graduate, says her playing days are over. As a founder of the ABL, she has no interest in the WNBA at all. She is looking into several business schools. Val Whiting is unsure of her future, except that she wants to play for the WNBA, which she most likely will. Marking the last of the Stanford Alumni on the Seattle Reign, Naomi Mulitauaopele wants to stay in Seattle. She is not interested in going overseas. She wants to start a mentoring program for children and teenagers within the Seattle School District. Naomi attended Chief Sealth High School in the SSD. Niesa Johnson, the former point Guard for the Reign will accept assistant coach position at her high school in Clinton, Mississippi.

Katie Smith, Jennifer Azzi, and Shannon Johnson are already under contract to play for the 1999 USA national team. Maybe next year, Azzi told the WNBA.

Katy Steding is considering retirement from basketball if there is no WNBA team put in Portland or Seattle. She runs a series of camps every summer, and says she can keep busy with them. Natalie Williams, Elaine Powell, Delisha Milton, and Jennifer Rizzotti are all considering the WNBA. Limor Mizrachi is going overseas to play in Iceland, then hopes to be drafted by the WNBA in the spring. Sylvia Crawley wants to play for the WNBA as well, but is also considering going back to school or teaching. Kara Wolters has had offers from Greece and Spain, but is waiting to see if any offers come through from the WNBA first. Valerie Still and Carolyn (Jones) Young are still in Rehab from their ACL tears earlier in the American Basketball Season, and are hoping to play in the WNBA as soon as they are well.

The copyright of the article Where Are They Now? in Women's Basketball is owned by . Permission to republish Where Are They Now? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.