Related story: Shock ready for WNBA restart. The 6-foot-8 center is expected to rejoin the Shock for its Aug. 30 home game with the Los Angeles Sparks, team president Steve Swetoha said Thursday.
"We're excited about having Liz back and we're looking forward to having her as part of the team," Swetoha said. "She had a great Olympics and I'm sure our fans will be excited. I think she'll make us a better team."
Cambage missed the first half of the 2012 WNBA season to focus on playing in the London Summer Olympics. She will miss an additional six games due to commitments in her native country since leading Australia to a bronze medal.
That means she will be around for less than a third of the Shock's 34-game schedule. But as far as Swetoha is concerned, late is better than never.
He said 10 games is plenty of time for Cambage to get acquainted with a coaching staff that wasn't around when the Shock went to a league-low 3-31 during her rookie season in 2011; and plenty of time to lay a foundation for 2013.
"She played for us last year, but that was a different coaching staff and a completely different culture," Swetoha said.
Nolan Richardson resigned 11 games into the 2011 season and Teresa Edwards took over on an interim basis after starting as the team's director of player personnel.
"I'm looking forward to seeing when she starts working with (first-year Shock head coach Gary Kloppenburg) and his assistants (Jason Glover and Kathy McConnell-Miller) and seeing how they can help with her development," Swetoha said.
Under the terms of her rookie contract, Cambage's WNBA rights belong to the Shock through 2014, Swetoha said. He said he doesn't see that changing.
"We're trying to build a team here that will be good for a long, long time, and she's an important piece of that puzzle," he said.
Up next
Vs. San Antonio7 p.m. Friday
Original Print Headline: Cambage will return to the Shock
Mike Brown 918-581-8390
mike.brown@tulsaworld.com
No comments:
Post a Comment