Holdsclaw `pretty chill' about starting over in L.A.
http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/208921
Holdsclaw `pretty chill' about starting over in L.A.
2005-06-05
by Beth Harris
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- Chamique Holdsclaw is starting over
with a new team, a new city and a new outlook nearly
a year after leaving the Washington Mystics because
of depression.
So far, things are going well for the three-time
WNBA All-Star.
Holdsclaw is the league's third-leading scorer,
averaging 20.4 points, behind Houston's Sheryl
Swoopes and Diana Taurasi of Phoenix. Her best
performance in the season's first five games was
27 points and 10 rebounds in a victory against
her former Washington teammates.
``I have this excitement,'' she said. ``I want
to be in a position to win a championship.''
That wasn't likely to happen any time soon in
Washington, which made Holdsclaw the league's
No. 1 pick in 1999.
Coming out of Tennessee, she didn't know anything
but winning. The Lady Vols were three-time NCAA
champions and she was a two-time national player
of the year in Knoxville.
Holdsclaw's arrival in the WNBA was heralded as
a boost to a league in search of its next superstar.
She was named rookie of the year, but the losing
persisted and Holdsclaw lacked the strong
supporting cast she'd had at Tennessee.
The Mystics' only winning season was in 2002,
when they lost to New York in the Eastern Conference
finals.
``I asked to be traded,'' said Holdsclaw, who
became depressed and left the team in July.
She won't talk about that time, which came after
the death of her grandmother -- who raised her.
A tattoo visible above Holdsclaw's right sock is
of a cross and the word `grandma.'
The native New Yorker needed a change of scenery,
so she traveled to Valencia, Spain, to play
basketball and didn't think about returning to
the WNBA.
But Sparks president Johnny Buss had Holdsclaw
on his mind. He had met her briefly at a Final
Four and was impressed.
``He was like, `Let's go get her,''' Sparks general
manager Penny Toler said.
Fan favorite DeLisha Milton had been asking to be
traded for three years, but the Sparks wouldn't
let her go for nothing. So when Holdsclaw became
available, Toler called her and said she was
making the trade, whether or not Holdsclaw planned
to play in the WNBA this season.
``She never told us she wasn't going to play,''
Toler said. ``I was never worried.''
Holdsclaw considered taking the summer off to refocus.
``I have a lot of other interests, things I can be
as good at as I am in basketball,'' she said,
declining to elaborate. ``I like to keep things
to myself.''
But Toler's persistence persuaded Holdsclaw to
try the West Coast.
``I knew Penny was going to trade for me whether
I was coming or not,'' she said. ``I was like,
`They have a lot of confidence in me.'''
Holdsclaw is thriving with the Sparks, in part
because she no longer has to carry a team. That
pressure falls on WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie, who is
happy to have Holdsclaw on her side. They previously
played together on the U.S. national team.
``I think she's happier,'' said Leslie, who issued
Holdsclaw a standing invitation to enjoy her
mother's home cooking. ``I told her, `Hey, you're
here for a reason, and you're surrounded by good
people.'''
For eight seasons, Leslie has been the Sparks'
superstar, usually leading them in scoring and
rebounding. Now, Holdsclaw occasionally tops Leslie's
numbers. Leslie doesn't mind one bit, unlike
former Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille
O'Neal, who shared a famously uncomfortable existence.
``People talk about two stars coming together.
There is enough room for one trophy,'' Leslie
said. ``I know by winning championships, you
can't win it alone. Why Kobe would want to do
it alone, I don't know.''
New Sparks coach Henry Bibby has seen Holdsclaw
take control of the team when foul trouble limited
Leslie's minutes.
``She's that good,'' he said. ``She wants to win
and she plays hard every time. She's a silent
killer. She quietly gets you tough baskets every
night, and when she gets more comfortable she's
going to be even better.''
The Sparks remind Holdsclaw of the championship
teams she was on at Tennessee.
``It's more of a team effort here. In Washington,
I would have to handle the ball more,'' she said.
``From day one, Lisa is like, `I'm glad you're
here.' We both want to win.''
On her off days, Holdsclaw likes to hang with a
couple of close friends, exploring the funky
Venice neighborhood where she lives or eating
Cajun food. She knows she can drop into Toler's
office any time or grab a bite with the former
Sparks player.
``I'm very appreciative to be here,'' Holdsclaw
said. ``The laid-back nature is conducive to my
spirit. It fits me as a person. Everything is
pretty chill.''
The biggest challenge for Holdsclaw has been
learning the city's myriad freeways and driving
her black pickup truck in heavy traffic.
Holdsclaw's shy smile doesn't reveal what Toler
says is her ``really funny'' side.
She enjoys putting things over on people. Over
dinner with a Nike representative, Holdsclaw
convinced a Dutch friend to pretend to be a pro
boxer signed to a $13 million deal with rival
Adidas. As her friend was spinning stories about
her big-shot life to the fascinated Nike rep,
Holdsclaw could hardly contain her laughter.
At the end of the night, Holdsclaw admitted the
whole thing was a joke.
``I'm laid back, so people don't expect it,'' she
said, smiling. ``I got the good deadpan face.''
Holdsclaw has yet to pull any stunts on her new
teammates, but they consider themselves warned.
``I'll get them eventually,'' she said.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed.
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