Coach: Van Chancellor
Arena: Compaq Center
Team colors: Red, blue and silver
Top players: Cynthia Cooper, guard (22.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.4 apg); Sheryl Swoopes, forward (15.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg); Tina Thompson, forward (12.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.9 apg); Kara Wolters, center (11.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, (ABL) New England Blizzard)
1998 Record: 27-3, first-place Western Conference, defeated Phoenix, 2-1, in WNBA Finals

Outlook
The two-time defending WNBA champions have had an emotional offseason. Starting point guard Kim Perrot continues to recover from lung and brain cancer. With Perrot out indefinitely, the Comets may struggle early while they adjust to a new offensive leader. Sonja Henning, who played for the ABL's San Jose Lasers, appears to have a slight edge over Jennifer Rizzoti for the starting point guard spot. This is a talented team with lots of depth, which could cause some team chemistry problems when there aren't enough minutes to go around. Cynthia Cooper, the league's two-time MVP, led the WNBA in scoring (22.7 points per game) and three-pointers (64) last season. Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson joined Cooper on the WNBA first team last season. The Comets bulked up in the low post by drafting 6-3, 206-pound Natalia Zasulskaya and 6-7, 227-pound Kara Wolters. Wolters broke her toe loading luggage on her way to Houston and has been slowed by the injury. Zasulskaya is playing on the Russian Olympic qualifying team and was expected to join the Comets this week.

Schedule

June
10	at Orlando	    8 
12	Washington	    4 
17	Utah	        8:30 
19	at Minnesota	8 
22	Los Angeles	    8 
24	at Detroit	    7:30 
25	at Washington	7 
28	Orlando	        8:30 
30	at Utah	        10

 
July
1	Cleveland	    8:30 
3	New York    	2 
6	Minnesota   	8:30 
8	at Sacramento	10 
9	at Phoenix	    8 
11	Sacramento	    8 
16	at Utah     	9 
18	at Los Angeles	8:30 
19	at Phoenix	    8 
23	at Charlotte	7:30 
25	at Minnesota	6 
27	Detroit	        8:30 
29	at Cleveland	12 
31	Phoenix	        4

August
2	Sacramento	    8:30 
6	Charlotte    	8:30 
8	at New York	    4 
12	Los Angeles  	8:30 
14	Minnesota	    4 
16	Utah        	8 
18	Phoenix	        8:30 
20	at Los Angeles	10:30 
21	at Sacramento	10