WNBA's pain is Sky's gain

It's not every day that an athlete of the caliber and potential of Courtney Paris drops into a team's lap.

But there was Paris on Monday, all but wrapped up in a pretty bow for the Chicago Sky. The Sky didn't even have to do a thing to get her, other than make a phone call and say, "Yep, we want her."

Acquiring Paris, a second-year WNBA player who was an All-American center at Oklahoma and is the daughter of former NFL player Bubba Paris, cost the Sky nothing.

But it did cost the WNBA.

Paris was part of a dispersal draft that re-allocated eight players from the Sacramento Monarchs to various WNBA teams.

The Monarchs, WNBA champions in 2005, folded last month.

The Sky's gain, unfortunately, is a loss for the entire WNBA, which has been through its fair share of turbulence over the last 12 months.

"We'd much prefer to have no dispersal draft and have all the teams in the league be stable," said Sky president Margaret Stender, who took Paris with the fourth pick in the dispersal draft. "We're heartbroken about the loss of the Monarchs."

Within the last 12 months, the WNBA has also lost the Houston Comets, which won the first four league championships. And the Detroit Shock, a three-time WNBA champion, was forced to move to Tulsa or face liquidation.

But Stender says she's not worried about the WNBA's viability, citing that there were specific challenges in Houston, Detroit and Sacramento that made for troubled existences.

Houston had ownership issues while the cities of Detroit and Sacramento have been hit particularly hard by the distressed economy.

In Sacramento, it's reportedly an "all hands on deck" situation just to save the Kings. So the Monarchs got put way, way on the backburner for far too long.

"And Detroit is a city under siege," Stender said. "I would guess the unemployment there is probably twice the national average. It was a tough market for the Shock."

Of course, there are tough markets everywhere these days. But Stender is optimistic that the WNBA's best days are ahead.

"People have to remember that we're still a very young league. We're only 14 years in," Stender said. "If you go back and track the early years of the NHL or the NFL, I think you'd see the same thing. It just happened so long ago that none of us can really remember it.

"I think history suggests that having teams fold and move is all part of the growing pains of any league. We're saddened about what's happened with some of our teams. But we're not worried."

In fact, WNBA officials were glowing just a few months ago after television viewership for the WNBA Finals, a fantastic display between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever, soared 63 percent from the season before.

Meanwhile, the league is in ongoing discussions to expand to the Bay Area in California in 2011.

"Overall, I really think the league is in great condition," Stender said.

Good move: Stender's optimistic outlook starts at home.

She says that the Sky's move from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago to Allstate Arena in Rosemont has renewed interest in the team and has invigorated season-ticket sales, which are double what they were a year ago at this time.

"We're getting exactly what you would expect with a move to that area," Stender said of moving to the suburbs. "We're getting a lot of basketball-minded families inquiring about tickets who may not have before because of location and where we were before (UIC Pavilion)."

Stender has said in the past that in order to maintain a healthy, and even profitable financial position, the Sky needs to draw between 4,500 and 5,000 fans per game. The team's attendance last season averaged about 3,400.

"It's too early to tell right now what will happen," Stender said. "But I think it's entirely possible that we could hit that (5,000 per game) this year. We're also working on getting additional sponsors and a much bigger television package. So, there's a lot to be excited about around here."

Visit www.chicagosky.net or call (866) SKY-WNBA for season-ticket information.

Paris pick-up: A three-time, first-team All-American at Oklahoma, Courtney Paris had a fantastic college career.

At 6-feet-4 with strong post moves and a nose for rebounds, Paris should also be an impressive pro. But, like many rookies, she got off to a bit of a rough start in the big leagues.

She averaged just 4.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game last year in Sacramento.

"We love the way she rebounds and plays in the post," Stender said. "And we love her potential.

"It's not unusual that it takes awhile for centers who play the game like Courtney, way down in the post, to adjust to the WNBA. The lane is wider, it's more physical. It's just a very different game. There is an adjustment period, especially at that position."

Nevertheless, the Sky was looking for a player at that position to properly back up starter Sylvia Fowles, who has been injured for much of the last two seasons.

Three-peat? Don't forget to check out ESPN2 today at 7 p.m.

The Penn State women's volleyball will attempt to become the first team in NCAA history to win three straight national championships. The Lady Lions, who are 36-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country, take on Texas.

pbabcock@dailyherald.com