Women's Hoops Blog
Jayda Evans covers college and pro women's basketball. While its her first year on the Washington beat, she has covered the Storm since its inception. She'll offer observations, critiques, occasional off-beat tales and answers to select e-mail inquires. Evans also has written a book on the Storm and women's hoops, called "Game On!"
Subscribe
Comments (3)
E-mail article
Print view
Share
Women's hoops loses another strong supporter
Posted by Jayda Evans
As the WNBA seeks financial footing, often fans pleaded for Russian Shabtai von Kalmanovich (pictured right with Storm G Sue Bird by AFP) to buy the league. The former spy owned Spartak Moscow, dumping tons of money in his team either for player development or pay -- signing Storm stars Lauren Jackson and Bird to long-term, six-figure contracts.
But the advocate for women's hoops was shot dead while driving in Moscow, according to reports today. News articles said Kalmanovich was shot by assailants armed with semi-automatic weapons who drove by in a passing vehicle.
Jackson, who always spoke fondly of Kalmanovich, is currently in Australia rehabilitating the stress fracture in her lower back. A request was made for comment from both Storm players.
Spartak is currently in season. Other WNBA players on the squad are MVP Diana Taurasi, a Phoenix G, New York C Janel McCarville, Chicago C Sylvia Fowles, San Antonio PG Edwige Lawson-Wade, Connecticut G Anete Jekabsone-Zogota, and Minnesota G Kelly Miller.
McCarville tweeted on the social-networking site Twitter that she was in the same seat as Kalmanovich a week ago, adding "the world is one [expletive] up place, i cannot believe how low people will sink. the world lost someone great today.. it still hasn't sunk in!!!"
Kalmanovich's death comes on the heels of the WNBA losing impactful owners Mel Simon (Indiana) and Bill Davidson (Detroit). Since Davidson's death in March, the Shock were sold to Tulsa.
UPDATE - 11:02 PM
Recently listed
Popular searches
Nov 20, 09 - 2:12 PM
WNBA loses another team: Sacramento Monarchs folded
Nov 18, 09 - 7:08 PM
Game thread: BYU at Washington
Nov 17, 09 - 3:53 PM
Washington guard Kristi Kingma returns to practice
Nov 16, 09 - 2:58 PM
Monday afternoon dribble
Nov 14, 09 - 2:02 PM
Game thread: Washington at Portland State
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Tugboat sinks on Seattle's waterfront
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Italian lead prosecutor argues Knox motive was hatred
- Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
- Man shot in chest on E. Union Street in Capitol Hill
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Mariners Blog | A Mariners-Tigers swap makes a whole lot of sense for both teams
- Senate vote clears hurdle 239
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks 128
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000 122
- Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle 120
- Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities 119
- Cutting through breast-cancer confusion 90
- Game thread 70
- New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law 56
- Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle 51
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors 51
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Nonprofits get creative using Twitter and Facebook to make donation easier
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Great places to cross-country ski for free (or almost) in the Methow
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Recipes: Sesame Pork Roast, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce and more
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- 175 foster kids in Washington get 'forever families'