Ford, Nolan, Smith Named To WNBA's Eastern Conference All-Star Team
July 8, 2006 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Detroit Shock News Release
Auburn Hills, MI - The WNBA announced today that the head coaches in the Eastern Conference have selected Detroit's Cheryl Ford, Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith to play in the 2006 WNBA All-Star Game Presented by Vonage being held Wednesday, July 12 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
It is the sixth selection to the WNBA's midsummer classic for Smith and the third for Ford and Nolan. Smith also becomes the fifth player in league history to appear in the all-star game for both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Also joining the Shock trio as reserves for the East are Alana Beard (Washington), Katie Douglas (Connecticut) and Tamika Whitmore (Indiana).
For the Western Conference, three rookies will make their All-Star debuts - Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix), Seimone Augustus (Minnesota) and Sophia Young (San Antonio) - alongside All-Star regulars Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix) and Tina Thompson (Houston). Complete rosters for both All-Star teams follow.
By virtue of their teams' respective conference championships in 2005, Connecticut's Mike Thibault will coach the East All-Stars and Sacramento's John Whisenant will guide the West All-Stars.
The 2006 WNBA All-Star Game Presented by Vonage will be televised nationally on ESPN at 7:20 p.m. EDT. ESPN's pregame show, WNBA Shootaround, begins at 7:00 p.m.
In addition, the game will be seen in a record 198 countries around the globe with commentary in 33 languages via 57 telecasters. This year's record global television distribution breaks last year's reach of 193 countries through 52 telecasters in 31 languages. The following telecasters will televise the game for the first time: Bahamas (NBA TV-Cable Bahamas, China (Nusports.cn), Iceland (NBA TV- Digital Island, Italy (Sportitalia), Mexico (TVC and NBA TV-PCTV, Middle East (NBA TV-Orbit), Serbia (Sport Klub), and Venezuela (NBA TV-Intercable).
The Detroit Shock begin the second half of the WNBA season with four home games - San Antonio on Sunday, July 16 at 5 p.m.; Charlotte on Wednesday, July 19 at noon; Los Angeles on Friday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena; and Chicago on Saturday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (248) 377-0100 or by logging on to www.detroitshock.com
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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 8, 2006
- Ford, Nolan, Smith Named To WNBA's Eastern Conference All-Star Team - Detroit Shock
- Pair of Mercury guards named to All-Star team - Phoenix Mercury
- Thompson out 4-6 weeks - Houston Comets
- WNBA Announces Tuesday's Competitions - WNBA
- Lynx Guard Seimone Augustus Named to 2006 Western Conference All-Star Team - Minnesota Lynx
- WNBA All-Star Final Rosters Announced - WNBA
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