How was the team able to lose game 2 is still mind boggling for many!!  In the win tonight, I contributed 28 points, (9-11 2pt., 2-4 pt., 4-6 FT.) and had 7 steals, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

We meet Mizo Pecs in the semi-finals in a best of 3 series that starts on the road, on Easter Sunday.  Hopefully, this will be an exciting series and we can have redemption, since our tough OT lose to them in the semi-final of the Hungarian Cup.

We are the #3 seed in the playoffs and since Pecs is the #2 seed, they will have Game 1, and if necessary, Game 3 at home.  Game 2 will take place in Szeged on Wednesday, April 15th at 18:00.

Michelle, did you always want to become a professional player or you came up to this in the course of time?
No, I did not always want to become a professional basketball player. I actually wanted to grow up and become a Pharmacist. I started playing basketball when I was 10 and my father was my coach. It was just a hobby for many years and then, when I reached high school, I made the varsity team as a freshman. This is when I found out I could probably get a college basketball scholarship, if I continue to get better and play well. That dream became a reality when I got to play at Drexel University, a mid-size Division I school. Around this time, the WNBA was founded, so of course, a new basketball goal of mine became to play in the WNBA. However, when I did not get drafted, I still had the chance to play professionally in Europe. At first, I was not sure, because I had other job opportunities in the U.S. after finishing my master’s degree in business. On the other hand, I also wanted to at least travel for a year before stepping into the “real world”. That’s why I did not sign with an agent at first, and played in the lower level of Luxembourg through a contact of my college coach. After that season, I realized that I really enjoyed this experience of playing basketball to earn a living and traveling in Europe. This was the point where I had really decided to make a career out of it and take it seriously. Looking back after 7 years, I would never had imagined my professional career would have lasted this long and that I would have had the chance to experience so many wonderful things. The most amazing thing for me is that I still have so much love and passion for the game of basketball. I have been extremely blessed and I can honestly say that I love my job!

In your opinion, what are the main features a professional player should have?
There are a lot of important features a professional basketball player should have. Of course, a professional should be talented and strive to become an all-around player, however, having a specialty could also take a player far in this business. I really believe the most important thing is that there should be a passion and love for the game. This really shows up in the job that is done because it influences work ethic and discipline, which are two other important features. Work ethic not only includes doing what you are told to the best of your ability, but also putting in the extra work that you need to keep getting better and to help your team. Discipline involves doing the little things, even off the court, such as eating right, getting enough sleep and limiting your partying. I would also add that mental strength and positive energy are important features as well. Both of these not only help you succeed, but also influence your teammates as well.

When you played with Gdynia it was your first experience in a Euroleague team. How did you feel about this?
It was a huge sense of accomplishment to be offered to play in Gdynia because I started playing professionally at such a low level and worked my way up the ladder as they say! A few years ago, it became one of my goals to play in the Euroleague, since it is basically the WNBA of Europe. When this became a reality, of course it was an exciting time. I really felt like all my hard work payed off and I deserved to be there. For several reasons, I do not think that things turned out how they should have. However, there was something unique and special about the atmosphere of Euroleague competition and I hope to play for another team in the future. Overall, Gdynia was a professional organization and I am glad that I got to experience playing for one of the best teams in Europe.

You played in many countries: Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary. Which one was your favorite experience?
That is a hard question to answer! I have actually played in 6 countries: Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Hungary! I have been fortunate and have basically moved up a level almost every year. Also, I can say that I enjoyed all of my experience, one way or another. It has been extremely interesting to learn about the different cultures of each country. If I had to pick one overall experience, then I would have to say Italy because of the food, travel and people. The Italian culture is wonderful and that is why, of course, many tourists pass through each year.

As far as we know, your fiancé is German. Do you speak German? Maybe you already feel half American – half German?
I have been in a relationship with a guy from Germany for 4 years. I met him while I played in Wasserburg, Germany. I would not say that I already feel half American because no matter who I date or where I live, I am definitely and always will be an American girl at heart! I played in Germany for 3.5 years and in this time period, I took a class and also had a private teacher, enabling me to have speak the language fairly well at one point. However, I have been playing out of Germany for 2 years and I do not use it as much as I would like. Also, the fact that my boyfriend and I speak English all the time, results in the fact that I am not as fluent in German as I should be!

Did you have any difficulty in adjusting to the new culture every time you changed the country?
I did not have as many difficulties as one would think, perhaps because I am very open-minded and interested in experiencing and learning about different cultures. Sometimes, I yearn for the feeling of comfort resulting from staying in one place for several years. Also, I would say it is difficult to leave special friendships behind. However, staying in one place was nearly impossible for me because I started playing at such a low level and had to keep moving up when the opportunity presented itself. Hindsight, I would not have had it any other way because I have had the chance to play on all levels and I have seen so many wonderful places. When I play somewhere, I am the type of person who gets out and sees something on my day off. I actually have over 10,000 pictures saved on my computer from the last 7 years! Every once in a while, it is really an amazing thing to look through them and go down memory lane.

What are your objectives for the professional future?
After all these years, I still love playing basketball. I want to continue to play professionally as long as I enjoy it, remain healthy and continue to have good job opportunities. I just turned 30, however, I have been recently told it is amazing how I still manage to keep improving and that I am playing my best basketball of my career. Some short term goals are to help Szeged to get to the Hungarian Cup Final, as well as the Hungarian Championship Final. I do not know what the future will bring, but I am interested in going back to the north of Italy, and of course, I would love to have the opportunity to play in the Euroleague again.

You can check out his “Shooter’s Touch Academy” at: http://na4tb.com

Also, view the link “All Pro” on the left hand side of the website for pictures of the professional players that he has worked with over the years.

Probably the most shocking moment, was the fact that Rick Mahorn shoved Lisa Leslie so hard that she flew in the air and fell on the floor. It must have been pretty hard because Lisa Leslie is 6′5 and a strong woman. It is ridiculous that a coach can put his hands on a player like that and only be suspended for 2 games!!!! Unbelievable. (Check out the WNBA website for the list of suspensions.)

This story has received so much press and attention. I am sure that this story is not the national headline that President Donna Orender was hoping, but then again, as they say, whether good or bad, being in the headlines is always good exposure. Also, perhaps more people actually start tuning in. Despite the preconceived notions of women’s sports, maybe word spreads that it is actually very competitive and physical in the WNBA. This is what a lot of people love about sports. However, it will take time to see how this affects the WNBA in the long run.

If you have not seen it already, I highly suggest looking it up on youtube.com and watch this shocking brawl.

Our chances, in my opinion, are good. Unfortunately, I can not say that we will win gold, like Nancy Lieberman had recently said this past week on ESPN, however, I think that we have a decent chance. Yes, we have a lot of veterans, and some solid youth talent, but it is hard to say how that will mesh together come the Olympics. The fact of the matter, is that many of the other teams have been together for years and even more importantly have practiced together for this entire summer. Players like Penny Taylor, valued her Olympic team over playing a single game in the WNBA this past summer- talk about pride.

I hope that the fact that we were not smart enough to put Becky Hammon on the roster last year will not basically “bite us in the ***”, but that is yet to be seen. Do not worry, I will not get started on that subject again, since I have already written an entire article about Becky. Two other players that I feel deserved to be on the team would definately be Deanna Nolan and Katie Douglas. Deanna Nolen is probably the most athletic and skilled player I have seen in the WNBA- incredible. Katie has also reached a phenomenal level in the Euroleague and the WNBA over the past 2 years. However, it is like some players have “tenure” and can not be removed from the roster.

On the men’s side, there is the same pressure to get back to those winning ways. We might as well call the the 2008 Olympics “the year of redemption for U.S.A. basketball.” It will be exciting to watch these games and see who has what it takes to bring home gold.

Of course, I also would like do something again in my hometown, Williamstown, New Jersey. It would be a chance to give back to my community that has given so much to me. However, that is a little complicated right now, and I chalk it up to the idea that there is a time for everything.

Therefore, for the 2nd year in a row, I will work at the Philadelphia 76ers summer basketball camp. The camp is held up in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, which are located in Stoudsburg, Pennsylvania. I had really enjoyed doing this camp last summer and wanted to be a part of it again.

I will help coordinate the girls’ program, which lasts for 2 weeks, from June 29th – July 12th. It is the chance to work with players who come from over 40 countries and also great staff, lead by camp director, Todd Landrey. He runs a great show.

Throughout the week, appearances are made by NBA players, who give motivational speeches for the campers… and the staff too!

Go Sixers! For more information, go to sixerscamps.com

So, what is a girl to do? She has a dream to play in the Olympics, of course, preferable for the U.S.A, the country where she was born and grew up living the American dream, but unfortunately, it did not happen. In the mean time, another amazing opportunity to play comes from another country. Becky Hammon accepts. Suddenly, Hammon finds herself in a whirl-wind after her controversial decision to accept a Russian passport and play for team Russia in the upcoming Olympics.

At first, Hammon rejected the thought of playing for Russia. But, with the chance of making the U.S. team so small, she signed a four-year deal worth well more than $2 million. “There’s nothing more American than taking advantage of an opportunity,” she told ESPN, smiling. Also, even more importantly, she had said it was her dream to be an Olympic athlete, and to compete at the most important games in the world.

Of course, USA coach, Anne Donovan, was asked about what she thinks. Donovan told ESPN, “If you play in this country, live in this country, and you grow up in the heartland and you put on a Russian uniform, you are not a patriotic person in my mind.” That is probably because she now has re-occurring nightmare about the even stronger Russian team with Hammon, beating the USA in the Olympics this summer.

Actually, I am sick of reading and hearing about this. This woman was given a wonderful opportunity to not only live her dream, but to secure herself financially. What American would NOT do this? Becky had a good point, let’s face it, her decision was indeed, a VERY American decision. Besides, with the economic state of our country today, I bet that it would be hard to find someone who would honestly turn down this offer. I agree with Becky’s decision and hope that people leave her alone. USA basketball had their chance to give her the respect she deserves. Maybe some people just do not like the fact that she might have the last laugh.