The Tulsa Shock were a professional basketball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in Detroit, Michigan before the 1998 WNBA season began; the team moved to Tulsa before the 2010 season. The team was owned by Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC, which is led by Bill Cameron and David Box. On July 20, 2015, Cameron announced that the franchise would move to Arlington, Texas for the 2016 WNBA season, rebranding as the Dallas Wings.
The Shock qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in their final year in Tulsa in 2015. The franchise has been home to players such as shooting guard Deanna Nolan, women's professional basketball all-time leading scorer Katie Smith, NBA Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone's daughter Cheryl Ford, and Australian center Liz Cambage. In 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008 (as Detroit in the Eastern Conference), the Shock went to the WNBA Finals; they won in 2003, 2006 and 2008, beating Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Antonio, respectively. They lost in 2007 to Phoenix.
Contents
Franchise history
1998–2009: The Detroit Shock
The Shock were one of the first WNBA expansion teams and began play in 1998. The Shock quickly brought in a blend of rookies and veterans. The team only qualified for the postseason once in its first five years of existence. The Shock went through two coaches (hall of famer Nancy Lieberman and Greg Williams) before hiring former Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer. There were rumors the Shock would fold after the team's awful 2002 season. Laimbeer convinced the owners to keep the team for another year, certain that he could turn things around.
After massive changes to the roster, Laimbeer predicted before the 2003 season that the Shock would be league champions, and his prediction would unbelievably come true. The Shock finished with a 25–9 record and winning the number one seed by seven games. In the playoffs, the Shock defeated the Cleveland Rockers and the Connecticut Sun to reach the WNBA Finals. Despite the achievements, the Shock were viewed as huge underdogs to the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks. The Shock emerged victorious in the series, winning a thrilling game three (in 2003, the Finals were a best-of-three series), which drew the largest crowd in WNBA history (22,076). Detroit became the first team in league history to go from last place one season to WNBA champions the very next season.
After coming up short in 2004 and 2005, the 2006 Shock finished 23–11 record and finished number two in the Eastern Conference. The Shock defeated the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun to advance to the Finals again, where they faced the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs. The Shock won the series 3–2, and claimed their second WNBA title.
In 2007, the Shock again advanced to the Finals but were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury in five games. The 2008 Shock posted a 22–12 regular season record, the best record in the East yet again. In the Finals, the Shock faced the San Antonio Silver Stars, who had not lost to an Eastern Conference team all season. Surprisingly, Detroit swept San Antonio, capturing their third championship in franchise history.
The Shock were named favorites for 2009, but they had a rough road getting there. Bill Laimbeer resigned as head coach early in the season, and they even found themselves in the bottom of the standings. However, interim coach Rick Mahorn and the Shock bounced back in the second half of 2009 and eventually placed themselves in the playoffs for the seventh straight year at 18–16. The Shock lost in the second round to the Indiana Fever, failing to reach the Finals for the first time since 2005.
2010–2015: The Tulsa Shock
Tulsa had been mentioned as a possible future city for WNBA expansion, but efforts did not come together until the middle of 2009. An organizing committee with Tulsa businesspeople and politicians began the effort to attract an expansion team. The group was originally given a September 1 deadline. WNBA President Donna Orender extended that deadline to sometime in October. The investment group hired former University of Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson as the potential franchise general manager and head coach. Richardson was a local favorite; before his successful 18-year stint at Arkansas, he had spent five years as head coach at the University of Tulsa, leading them to the NIT title in his first year. This move was viewed as strange by some, considering that Tulsa had not even secured a franchise before hiring a coach. The investors claimed it was to show the league they were serious about wanting a team. On October 15, 2009, the group made its official request to join the league.
On October 20, 2009, WNBA President Donna Orender, lead investors Bill Cameron and David Box, Tulsa mayor Kathy Taylor, Oklahoma governor Brad Henry, and head coach Nolan Richardson were present for a press conference announcing that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa. On January 23, 2010, the franchise announced that the team will remain as the Shock. The colors are now black, red, and gold.
The Shock team that moved to Tulsa was much different than what investors thought they were purchasing. Detroit's four best players did not make the move to Tulsa. Cheryl Ford decided to sit out due to lingering injuries and eventually left the WNBA to play overseas. Taj McWilliams-Franklin signed a free agent contract with New York. Deanna Nolan, like Ford, left the WNBA to play in Russia. Katie Smith, who was believed to be contracted with the Shock (which only turned out to be a verbal agreement), signed with Washington. Along with all the absences, new head coach and general manager Nolan Richardson had his own ideas about what he wanted the roster to look like and by the middle of the 2010 season, there were no Detroit players left on the team.
Richardson's first draft pick, Amanda Thompson, was a bust; she only played seven games (no starts) and was waived only a month into the season. Another key signing, fallen Olympic track star Marion Jones, turned out to be less than hoped for as well; she hadn't played a meaningful basketball game since her days at North Carolina 13 years earlier.
Uniforms
Detroit: White with the team's logo of the stylized Detroit Shock name, in black and blue, over a WNBA basketball at home. Blue with the word "Detroit" across the front for the road jersey.
Tulsa: Gold with team logo of stylized Tulsa Shock, in black and gold at home. Black with the word "Tulsa", in gold, diagonally in the front for the road jersey.
In 2013, The Tulsa Shock and Osage Casino entered into a multi-year marquee partnership. The Osage Casino logo appeared on the Shock home and away jerseys.
Players
Former players
Jennifer Azzi (1999)
Carla Boyd (1998–1999, 2001)
Kara Braxton (2005–2010)
Sandy Brondello (1998–1999), now the head coach of the New York Liberty
Liz Cambage
Dominique Canty (1999–2002)
Swin Cash (2002–2007), now Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Barbara Farris (2000–2005, 2009)
Cheryl Ford (2003–2008)
Alexis Hornbuckle (2008–2010)
Tasha Humphrey (2008)
Shannon Johnson (2007)
Temeka Johnson (2012)
Marion Jones (2010–2011)
Ivory Latta (2007, 2010-2012)
Taj McWilliams-Franklin (2008–2009)
Astou Ndiaye-Diatta (1999–2003)
Deanna Nolan (2001–2009)
Wendy Palmer (1999–2002)
Kayla Pedersen (2011-2013)
Elaine Powell (2002–2008)
Nicole Powell (2013)
Ruth Riley (2003–2006)
Coaches and staff
Owners
William Davidson, owner of the Detroit Pistons (1998–2009)
Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC, composed of Bill Cameron and David Box (majority owners), and Chris Christian, Pat Chernicky, Sam and Rita Combs, Pat and Don Hardin, Paula Marshall, Stuart and Linda Price, and Katie and Scott Schofield (2010–present)
Hall of Famers
Nancy Lieberman, enshrined 1996
Lynette Woodard, enshrined 2004
Media coverage
Some Shock games were broadcast on The Cox Channel (COX), which is a local television station for certain areas of the state of Oklahoma. More often than not, NBA TV picked up the feed from the local broadcast, which was shown nationally. The broadcasters for the Shock games were Mike Wolfe and Shanna Crossley.
All-time notes
Regular season attendance
A sellout for a basketball game at The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit) is 22,076.
A sellout for a basketball game at BOK Center (Tulsa) is 17,839.
Draft picks
1998 Expansion Draft: Rhonda Blades (1), Tajama Abraham (3), Tara Williams (5), Lynette Woodard (7)
1998: Korie Hlede (4), Rachael Sporn (14), Gergana Branzova (24), Sandy Brondello (34)
1999: Jennifer Azzi (5), Val Whiting (17), Dominique Canty (29), Astou Ndiaye-Diatta (41)
2000: Edwina Brown (3), Tamicha Jackson (8), Chevonne Hammond (44), Cal Bouchard (60)
2001: Deanna Nolan (6), Jae Kingi (22), Svetlana Volnaya (38), Kelly Santos (54)
2002: Swin Cash (2), Lanae Williams (18), Ayana Walker (20), Jill Chapman (21), Kathy Wambe (22), Ericka Haney (47)
2003 Miami/Portland Dispersal Draft: Ruth Riley (1)
2003: Cheryl Ford (3), Kara Lawson (5), Syreeta Bromfield (28)
2004 Cleveland Dispersal Draft: Jennifer Rizzotti (13)
2004: Iciss Tillis (11), Shereka Wright (13), Erika Valek (23), Jennifer Smith (32)
2005: Kara Braxton (7), Dionnah Jackson (13), Nikita Bell (20), Jenni Lingor (33)
2006: Ambrosia Anderson (17), Zane Teillane (35)
2007 Charlotte Dispersal Draft: selection waived
2007: Ivory Latta (11)
2008: Alexis Hornbuckle (4), Tasha Humphrey (11), Olayinka Sanni (18), Natasha Lacy (28), Valeriya Berezhynska (42)
Trades
July 29, 1999: The Shock traded Korie Hlede and Cindy Brown to the Utah Starzz in exchange for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson.
April 24, 2000: The Shock traded Jennifer Azzi and the 12th pick in the 2000 Draft to the Utah Starzz in exchange for the third and eighth picks in the 2000 Draft.
April 20, 2001: The Shock traded Val Whiting to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
April 24, 2001: The Shock traded Anna DeForge to the Houston Comets in exchange for Jennifer Rizzotti.
May 13, 2001: The Shock traded Tamicha Jackson to the Portland Fire in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 27, 2001: The Shock traded Jennifer Rizzotti to the Cleveland Rockers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 27, 2001: The Shock traded Olympia Scott-Richardson and a third-round pick in the 2002 Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 3, 2002: The Shock traded Claudia das Neves to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2003 Draft.
May 11, 2002: The Shock traded a fourth-round pick in the 2003 Draft to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Stacy Clinesmith.
July 7, 2002: The Shock traded Wendy Palmer and a second-round pick in the 2003 Draft to the Orland Miracle in exchange for Elaine Powell and a first-round pick in the 2003 Draft.
April 27, 2003: The Shock traded Dominique Canty to the Houston Comets in exchange for Allison Curtin.