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Holdsclaw Stuns Sparks by Retiring
She asked to be traded after dealing with depression. Holdsclaw didn't talk publicly about that time, which came after the death of her grandmother who raised her.
She left the Mystics in July 2004 and played basketball in Spain before the Sparks went after her. Holdsclaw later said she was happy to be in Los Angeles, where the laid-back nature of things appealed to her.
  Los Angele Sparks' Chamique Holdsclaw drives to the basket past Minnesota Lynx's Tamika Williams during the first half of their WNBA Basketball game in Los Angeles,Friday, June 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) (Chris Carlson - AP) |
She retired without winning a WNBA championship.
"I have a lot of other interests, things I can be as good at as I am in basketball," she told The AP in July 2005, declining to elaborate. "I like to keep things to myself."
Cooper said the team would miss Holdsclaw, adding, "It won't be easy, but we will go on without her and wish her all the best."
The news was a jolt to the Sparks (3-2), who had already lost star center Lisa Leslie to pregnancy this season. Point guard Temeka Johnson has yet to play while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Cooper rejoined the team this season after coaching stints in the NBA and its Development League.
"We have a great team and our goal is still the same, to win a championship," Goodman said. "It'll be little harder."
The Sparks host Houston on Wednesday night.
