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Margo Dydek

Center
Born	(1974-04-28)28 April 1974 Warsaw, Poland
Died	27 May 2011(2011-05-27) (aged 37) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Nationality	Polish
Height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Weight	223 lb (101 kg)
Draft	1st overall, 1998 Utah Starzz
Profile	WNBA Info Page
WNBA Teams
Utah Starzz (1998–2002) San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–2004) Connecticut Sun (2005–2007) Los Angeles Sparks (2008)
Awards and Honors
2× WNBA All-Star (2003, 2006)

Małgorzata Dydek (28 April 1974 – 27 May 2011^[1]), known as Margo Dydek in the United States, was a Polish international professional basketball player. Standing 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall, she was famous for being the tallest active professional female basketball player in the world. She played center position for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA and was a coach for the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Margo Dydek was born 28 April 1974 in Warsaw, Poland to a 6'7" father and a 6'3" mother.^[3] She had two sisters, her elder sister, Katarzyna (Kaska) (6'7") used to play for the Colorado Xplosion of the now defunct ABL, and in Poland. Her younger sister, Marta Krystyna, (standing 6'6") graduated from the University of Texas-El Paso where she played basketball, and played in Spain professionally in the 2000s.

She was awarded the Polish Gold Cross of Merit (1999).^[4]

In 2008, Dydek married her boyfriend, David Twigg, in Gdynia, Poland. The couple moved to live together in Brisbane, Australia, where David established Online Marketing Consultants. The couple had 2 children: David, born in April 2008; and Alexander, born in October 2010, both born in Gdansk, Poland.

WNBA career[link]

Dydek made her first trip to the United States in May 1998 for WNBA pre-draft camp. Dydek was drafted 1st overall in the 1998 WNBA Draft by the Utah Starzz (the franchise was subsequently transferred to San Antonio).

On 16 April 2005, during the 2005 WNBA Draft, the San Antonio Silver Stars traded Dydek to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for the Sun's first-round draft pick, Katie Feenstra from Liberty University.

Records held:

• All-time leader in blocks, with 877 blocks in 323 games
• Leader in blocks nine times (1998–2003, 2005–07)
• Leader in blocks/game 8 times (1998–2003, 2006–07)
• Most defensive rebounds (214) in 2001

On 27 August 2008, Dydek signed with the Los Angeles Sparks, following time away from basketball due to her pregnancy (she gave birth to her son, David, in April).

European career[link]

Dydek played for Olimpia Poznań from 1992 to 1994, before playing for Valenciennes Orchies in France from 1994 to 1996,where she met her future husband,David. She then moved to Spain and played for Pool Getafe from 1996 to 1998, and moved back to Poland to play for Fota Porta Gdynia starting with the 1998–99 season. She continued to play with the club through several sponsorship changes; since then, the club has taken the names Polpharma and Lotos.

In 1999–2001, she averaged 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds for Gdynia in FIBA Euroleague play. She was named Most Valuable Player of the Polish League Finals of the 1999–2000 season. In 1999 she was also named the best female basketball player in Europe by the Italian sports magazine La Gazzetta dello Sport. Dydek was chosen as Poland's Sports Woman of the Year and has long been a member of the Polish National Team. She helped lead Gdynia to runner-up finishes in the FIBA Euro-league in 2002 and 2004.

Death[link]

On 19 May 2011, Dydek, at the time pregnant with her third child, suffered a severe heart attack and was placed in a medically induced coma at a Brisbane hospital. She had been working as a coach for the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League. Dydek collapsed at her home in Brisbane and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. She never regained consciousness and died eight days later on 27 May 2011.^[5] As Dydek was early in her pregnancy, the baby also died.^[6]

Vital statistics[link]

• Position: Center
• Height: 7 ft-2 in (2.18 m)
• Shoe size: men's 18 (US) / 54 (EU) (34 centimetres / 13.5 inches long)^[7]
• College: Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego (University School of Physical Education), in Wrocław.
• Team: Los Angeles Sparks
• National Team(s): (12), Olimpia Poznań (Poland), Valenciennes Ochies (France), Pool Getafe (Spain), Fota Porta / Polpharma VBW Clima / Lotos VBW Clima / Lotos Gdynia (Poland)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Margo Dydek at WNBA.com
• Interbasket.net: Margo Dydek
• TheTallestMan.com: Margo Dydek
• Obituary – The Sydney Morning Herald

Alison Bales

Center
Born	(1985-04-04) April 4, 1985 (age 27) Indianapolis, Indiana
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg)
College	Duke University '07
Draft	9th overall, 2007 Indiana Fever
WNBA Teams
Indiana Fever (2007–2008) Atlanta Dream (2008, 2010–11)

Alison Marie Bales (born on April 4, 1985) is a former American professional basketball player of the WNBA.

High school[link]

At the age of five, her family moved from Indianapolis, Indiana, where she was born, to the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek, Ohio; she played high school basketball for Beavercreek High School. Bales was named a WBCA All-American.^[1] She participated in the 2003 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored three points.^[2]

College[link]

After her senior year she committed to Duke University to play for the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team. At 6' 7" she played center for Duke, and later became the all-time shot block leader at Duke and 3rd all-time in NCAA history. In the 2006 NCAA Women's Tournament, Bales set a Women's Tournament record by blocking 30 shots in six games (Duke lost to Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland in the championship game). This would stand as a record until it was broken by Baylor's Brittney Griner in 2010. Bales graduated from Duke with a double major in cultural anthropology and biology.

WNBA career[link]

On her birthday, Bales was drafted No. 9 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2007 WNBA Draft. After a season and a half with Indiana, Bales was traded to the Atlanta Dream for Kristen Mann on July 4, 2008. She would complete the season with Atlanta, and then be traded to the Phoenix Mercury on January 21, 2009 for the 18th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft.^[3] Bales was waived by the Phoenix Mercury on June 4, 2009. After another season overseas Bales was picked back up by the Atlanta Dream where she currently plays.

Over the course of her WNBA career, Bales has averaged 3.8 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game.

On April 10, 2012, Bales announced her retirement to attend medical school.

Overseas career[link]

Bales also played for the Dynamo Moscow professional basketball club in Russia during the winter of 2007–2008. She is currently playing in the offseason for L Union Jainaut Basket Saint Amon in France.

She played for Turkey's Samsun during the 2008–09 off-season.^[4]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Alison Bales' Playerfile
• Indiana Fever Official Website
• Dream trades Mann for Bales

Shannon Denise Bobbitt^[1] is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx, New York Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem. Following a stellar college career in which 5'2" Bobbitt won two Division I national titles at University of Tennessee she decided to enter the WNBA and began her professional basketball career playing point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks.

High school[link]

Bobbitt attended Murry Bergtraum High School in New York, there she helped lead her team to two straight PSAL and State Federation titles. As a sophomore she gained attention for her basketball skills, city rankings had her listed as the second best player. During her junior season her team went undefeated posting a record of 30–0 before winning the national high school championship. She finished her High School career by helping her team post a 29–1 record which was good for third in the nation.

Junior college[link]

The guard decided Junior College was her best option out of high school, so she chose Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, because they had just won a national title. During the 2005–06 season, Bobbitt handed out 211 assists to rank third in the nation in assists broke the 22-year old school record at Trinity Valley for her career in that category. She led Trinity Valley to the NJCAA National Tournament, and the 2006 Region XIV Championship with a 30–2 record overall and 18–0 mark in conference play. Bobbitt was the 2006 Women's Basketball Coaches Association Junior College Player of the Year.^[2]

Division I[link]

Bobbitt help guide the Volunteers to the regular season SEC title in 2006–2007. Bobbitt's play was also key in ending the nine-year UT title drought, as the Volunteers defeated Rutgers for the National Championship on April 3, 2007. Bobbitt was named to the All-Tournament team.^[3]

The defending champions successfully defended their title in 2007–2008, again behind their point guard, who guided them to a title by defeating Stanford on April 8, 2008.

She graduated with Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks and Alexis Hornbuckle of the Detroit Shock and Nicky Anosike of the Minnesota Lynx

WNBA[link]

Bobbitt was the 15th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft on April 9, as the Sparks made her the first pick in the second round. Hobbitt joins teammate Candace Parker and former college teammate Sidney Spencer on the Los Angeles squad, which also features Olympian Lisa Leslie.^[1]

On July 22, 2008, Bobbitt and her teammates were involved in a skirmish with the Detroit Shock.^[4] The fight broke out at The Palace of Auburn Hills with 4.6 seconds left in the game, the game ended with the LA Sparks winning.^[5] The WNBA suspended a total of 10 players and Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn.^[6] Bobbitt received an in-game technical and was later suspended two games for leaving the bench.^[4]

She played for Botas in Turkey during the 2008–09 WNBA off-season.^[7] On May 14, 2010, The Sparks waived Shannon Bobbitt.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Shannon Bobbitt at WNBA.com
• WNBA Profile Page: Shannon Bobbitt
• Pat Summitt and The Tennessee Lady Vols
• consecutive NCAA championships usatoday.com

Kelly Schumacher (born October 14, 1977 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American born Canadian professional basketball player and professional volleyball player. She had been playing in the WNBA for the Detroit Shock, until her release 18 June 2009.^[1]

After her junior season at the University of Connecticut, she competed with USA Basketball as a member of the gold medal-winning Jones Cup Team that compiled a 4-0 record in Taipei.^[2] In her professional career she plays in Spanish League in Arranz Burgos, Perfumerías Avenida and now in UB F.C.Barcelona. She is currently playing professional beach volleyball on the AVP Tour.^[3]

Awards/achievements[link]

• She has appeared in more games (159) than any player in Fever history.
• Fever's starting power forward in first 14 games of 2005.
• Second all-time in career blocked shots for the Fever.
• Played a career-high 39 minutes during an overtime game played at Radio City Music Hall in New York, September 16, 2004.
• Pro career highs of 22 points and nine rebounds in an 81-57 win over San Antonio, July 23, 2003.
• Finished her career at Connecticut ranked third all-time in career blocked shots with 181.^[4]
• Set NCAA Women's Final Four record with nine blocked shots as Connecticut defeated Tennessee for the 2000 national championship.^[5]
• Played a career-high 39 minutes during an overtime game played at Radio City Music Hall in New York, September 16, 2004.
• She is the Indiana Fever's career leader in blocked shots
• She has appeared in more games than any other player in Indiana Fever history
• She recorded 717 points during her collegiate career at the University of Connecticut^[6]
• She has been voted MVP in basketball, volleyball and soccer
• She was a member of gold medal-winning 2000 USA Jones Cup team
• She was a member of the CCAA national championship team 1996, 1997^[7]
• She is ranked sixteenth in the WNBA, with 0.8 blocks per game
• She had won the Spanish female league and the cup of queen with "Perfumerias Avenida de Salamanca" [2005-2006]
• On February 23, 2006, she was traded to the New York Liberty
• Before the 2007 season, she was traded again to the Phoenix Mercury

Bio[link]

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio but raised in Canada She was a communications science major at the University of Connecticut. She plays the violin and lists her favorite on-court moment as winning the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Her nickname is 'Schuey' or 'schu'.

At age 23, Schumacher was selected by the Indiana Fever in the first round (14th overall) of the WNBA draft on April 20, 2001.

University of Connecticut Statistics[link]

External links[link]

• WNBA Player Profile
• Snow 'won't dunk on me'
• Canadian Schumacher joins the big leagues
• New York Liberty press release on obtaining Schumacher
• Kelly in Perfumerias Avenida de Salamanca
• Shock signs Schumacher

Notes[link]