The
American Basketball League, often abbreviated to the
ABL of 1996 was an independent professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
league for women in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the
National Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) was creating the
Women's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). Both organizations came into existence during a surge in popularity for women's basketball in the United States that followed the undefeated, gold medal-winning performance of the
United States Women's basketball teamBasketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
at the
1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.
The ABL got off the ground first, and early on was generally considered to feature a higher quality of play than the rival WNBA. This was partly due to the league's signing of a majority of players from the 1996 USA women's team. Star players were drawn to the league partly due to the higher salaries offered by the ABL. Ultimately, the league was unable to compete financially against the WNBA, which was backed by the NBA. The NBA has operated the WNBA at a loss every year since its inception.
The ABL lasted two full seasons: 1996–97 and 1997–98. The
Atlanta GloryThe Atlanta Glory was a women's professional basketball team in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a member of the American Basketball League. The Glory played its home games in Forbes Arena.The team folded before the start of the abortive third ABL season in 1998....
and
Long Beach StingraysThe Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League....
folded prior to the start of the 1998–99 season. The ABL disbanded on December 22, 1998 with teams having played between 12 to 15 games of the 1998–99 season.
Of the locations of the ABL's teams, only Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta have been given WNBA teams.
1996–98 clubs
- Atlanta Glory
The Atlanta Glory was a women's professional basketball team in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a member of the American Basketball League. The Glory played its home games in Forbes Arena.The team folded before the start of the abortive third ABL season in 1998....
(1996–97 and 1997–98)
- Chicago Condors
The Chicago Condors was a very short-lived member of the American Basketball League . Its hometown was much larger than usual for the ABL, which mainly targeted mid-market cities, and initial team merchandising was successful....
(1998)
- Colorado Xplosion
The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...
- Columbus Quest
The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
- Long Beach Stingrays
The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League....
(expansion team in 1997–98)
- Nashville Noise
The Nashville Noise was a short-lived member of the American Basketball League . The site was a sound one, capitalizing on the long-time success and well established fan support of the University of Tennessee's women's basketball program, and the team was anchored by former Tennessee All-American...
1998
- New England Blizzard
The New England Blizzard was a women's professional basketball franchise based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Blizzard was a charter member of the American Basketball League...
- Portland Power
The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League based in Portland, Oregon. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.-1996-97 season:...
- Richmond Rage 1996–97/Philadelphia Rage
The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
1997–98
- San Jose Lasers
The San Jose Lasers were a women's professional basketball team in San Jose, California. It was a member of the American Basketball League.The team folded along with the rest of the league during the third ABL season in 1998....
- Seattle Reign
The Seattle Reign was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Seattle, Washington. The Reign was a charter member of the American Basketball League . The team played from 1996 through 1998...
1996–97
Eastern Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
|
31 |
9 |
.775 |
| Richmond Rage The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
|
21 |
19 |
.525 |
| Atlanta Glory The Atlanta Glory was a women's professional basketball team in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a member of the American Basketball League. The Glory played its home games in Forbes Arena.The team folded before the start of the abortive third ABL season in 1998....
|
18 |
22 |
.450 |
| New England Blizzard The New England Blizzard was a women's professional basketball franchise based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Blizzard was a charter member of the American Basketball League...
|
16 |
24 |
.400 |
Western Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Colorado Xplosion The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...
|
25 |
15 |
.625 |
| San Jose Lasers The San Jose Lasers were a women's professional basketball team in San Jose, California. It was a member of the American Basketball League.The team folded along with the rest of the league during the third ABL season in 1998....
|
18 |
22 |
.450 |
| Seattle Reign The Seattle Reign was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Seattle, Washington. The Reign was a charter member of the American Basketball League . The team played from 1996 through 1998...
|
17 |
23 |
.425 |
| Portland Power The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League based in Portland, Oregon. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.-1996-97 season:...
|
14 |
26 |
.350 |
- Semifinals
- Richmond 2–0 Colorado
- Columbus 2–0 San Jose
1997–98
Eastern Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
|
36 |
8 |
.818 |
| New England Blizzard The New England Blizzard was a women's professional basketball franchise based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Blizzard was a charter member of the American Basketball League...
|
24 |
20 |
.545 |
| Atlanta Glory The Atlanta Glory was a women's professional basketball team in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a member of the American Basketball League. The Glory played its home games in Forbes Arena.The team folded before the start of the abortive third ABL season in 1998....
|
15 |
29 |
.341 |
| Philadelphia Rage The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
|
13 |
31 |
.295 |
Western Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Portland Power The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League based in Portland, Oregon. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.-1996-97 season:...
|
27 |
17 |
.614 |
| Long Beach Stingrays The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League....
|
26 |
18 |
.591 |
| Colorado Xplosion The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...
|
21 |
23 |
.477 |
| San Jose Lasers The San Jose Lasers were a women's professional basketball team in San Jose, California. It was a member of the American Basketball League.The team folded along with the rest of the league during the third ABL season in 1998....
|
21 |
23 |
.477 |
| Seattle Reign The Seattle Reign was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Seattle, Washington. The Reign was a charter member of the American Basketball League . The team played from 1996 through 1998...
|
15 |
29 |
.341 |
- First Round
- San Jose 2–0 New England
- Long Beach 2–1 Colorado
- Semifinals
- Columbus 2–0 San Jose
- Long Beach 2–0 Portland
1998–99
Eastern Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
|
11 |
3 |
.786 |
| Philadelphia Rage The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
|
9 |
5 |
.643 |
| Chicago Condors The Chicago Condors was a very short-lived member of the American Basketball League . Its hometown was much larger than usual for the ABL, which mainly targeted mid-market cities, and initial team merchandising was successful....
|
4 |
8 |
.333 |
| Nashville Noise The Nashville Noise was a short-lived member of the American Basketball League . The site was a sound one, capitalizing on the long-time success and well established fan support of the University of Tennessee's women's basketball program, and the team was anchored by former Tennessee All-American...
|
4 |
11 |
.267 |
| New England Blizzard The New England Blizzard was a women's professional basketball franchise based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Blizzard was a charter member of the American Basketball League...
|
3 |
10 |
.231 |
Western Conference
| Team | W | L | PCT. |
| Portland Power The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League based in Portland, Oregon. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.-1996-97 season:...
|
9 |
4 |
.692 |
| San Jose Lasers The San Jose Lasers were a women's professional basketball team in San Jose, California. It was a member of the American Basketball League.The team folded along with the rest of the league during the third ABL season in 1998....
|
9 |
6 |
.600 |
| Seattle Reign The Seattle Reign was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Seattle, Washington. The Reign was a charter member of the American Basketball League . The team played from 1996 through 1998...
|
8 |
7 |
.533 |
| Colorado Xplosion The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League team based in Denver. Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in...
|
5 |
8 |
.387 |
All-Star Games
The 1996–97 ABL All-Star Game was played on December 15, 1996 at the
Hartford Civic CenterThe XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
. Eastern Conference 81-65 Western Conference. The game's MVP was
Tari PhillipsTari L. Phillips is a professional basketball player. She currently plays with Acer ERG Priolo, an Italian A1 team based in Priolo Gargallo, Sicily...
.
The 1997–98 ABL All-Star Game was played on January 18, 1998 at
Disney's Wide World of Sports ComplexESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a athletic complex located in the Walt Disney World Resort. The complex includes 9 venues and hosts numerous amateur and professional sporting events throughout the year....
in
Lake Buena Vista, FloridaLake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
. Eastern Conference 102-73 Western Conference.
The 1998–99 ABL All-Star Game was scheduled to be played on January 24, 1999 in
San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, but was canceled when the league ceased operations in December 1998.
ABL Championship Series
ABL Championship Best of Five GamesSeries
| Year | Champions | Result | Opponent |
| 1996–97 |
Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
|
3–2 |
Richmond Rage The Richmond Rage, which after one year relocated to become the Philadelphia Rage, were one of the eight original franchises of the American Basketball League , a women's professional basketball league...
|
| 1997–98 |
Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
|
3–2 |
Long Beach Stingrays The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League....
|
| 1998–99 |
Columbus Quest The Columbus Quest was a professional women's basketball franchise located in Columbus, Ohio in the now-defunct American Basketball League . They were one of the league's original eight teams that started play in 1996...
declared champions. |
Notable players
- Jennifer Azzi
Jennifer Lynn Azzi is the head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of San Francisco. Azzi is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.-College years:...
- Cass Bauer-Bilodeau
Cass Bauer-Bilodeau is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player.- Basketball career :...
- Debbie Black
Debbie Black is an assistant coach for the Ohio State University's women's basketball team and a former professional basketball player. During her professional career, Black played for the Women's National Basketball League in Australia, the American Basketball League and the Women's National...
- Cindy Brown
- Edna Campbell
Edna Campbell is a retired women's basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association . The 5' 8" guard was a star player for the Sacramento Monarchs and has also played for three other teams, but is well known for continuing to play despite suffering breast cancer...
- Sylvia Crawley
Sylvia Crawley is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker...
, now the head coach at Boston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
- Anna DeForge
Anna Louise DeForge is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA. She is the first player from the University of Nebraska to ever play in the WNBA. After finding little success and playing time for several WNBA teams, she finally earned...
- Teresa Edwards
-External links:******...
- Tonya Edwards
Tonya Edwards is a former professional basketball player and is currently a college coach.- Professional career :...
, now Head Coach at Alcorn State UniversityAlcorn State University is an historically black university comprehensive land-grant institution in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871-History:...
- Shalonda Enis
- Barbara Farris
Barbara Farris, born September 10, 1976, was a basketball player for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA.On May 29, 2009 Farris signed with the Detroit Shock....
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those four different events...
, the Olympic-champion long jumper and heptathlete
- Molly Goodenbour
Molly Goodenbour is a former college and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach for the UC Irvine Anteaters women's basketball team.-College career:...
- Yolanda Griffith
Yolanda Evette Griffith is a former American professional basketball who played in both the ABL, and WNBA. A Former WNBA MVP she is considered one of the greatest rebounders and defensive players in the history of Women's Basketball. She last played in the WNBA as a member of the Indiana Fever...
- Sonja Henning
Sonja L. Henning is an attorney and former collegiate and professional basketball player. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where she attended Horlick High School.-Stanford University:...
- Kedra Holland-Corn
Kedra Holland-Corn is a WNBA basketball player. After attending the University of Georgia, she played for the Sacramento Monarchs and Houston Comets, and now plays for the Detroit Shock....
- Shannon Johnson
Shannon Regina Johnson is an American basketball player who last played for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA.-Career:...
- Carolyn Jones-Young
Carolyn Jones-Young is a former American professional basketball player. A 5'9" guard, she played for the New England Blizzard of the American Basketball League , and also played for the Portland Fire of the Women's National Basketball Association...
- Venus Lacy
Venus Lacy , born on February 9, 1967 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a former star basketball player, at the high school, college, Olympic and professional levels. A wide-bodied, muscular 6'-4" center, at her best Lacy was an intimidating force inside the paint, both scoring and rebounding...
- Andrea Lloyd-Curry
Andrea Lloyd is a former professional basketball player, a 2007 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and previous television analyst for the Minnesota Lynx. Currently she is working as a television analyst for the MTN sports network with the Mountain West Conference.Lloyd-Curry...
- Michelle Marciniak
Michelle Marciniak is a former All American collegiate and professional basketball player, who played point guard in the Women's National Basketball Association . As a floor general, Marciniak competed for two National Championships during her three year career at the University of Tennessee...
- Nikki McCray
Nikki McCray is a former American professional basketball player. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association for eight seasons....
- Delisha Milton
- Taj McWilliams-Franklin
- Kate Paye
Kate Paye is a former collegiate and professional basketball player. She is currently an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at Stanford University.- Early life and college career :...
, now an assistant coach at Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
- Tari Phillips
Tari L. Phillips is a professional basketball player. She currently plays with Acer ERG Priolo, an Italian A1 team based in Priolo Gargallo, Sicily...
- Angie Potthoff, now an assistant coach at University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
- Elaine Powell
Elaine Powell is a professional basketball player. A point guard, she played in the WNBA from 1999 to 2008.-College career:In two years at LSU, Powell averaged 19.1 points per game...
- Katrina Price
Katrina Price was an American basketball player. A star guard in her college career at Stephen F. Austin State University, Price's professional career was cut short when she died by suicide in her rookie season....
- Jennifer Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player, and current Division I coach. She is the daughter of Tom Rizzotti and Carol Rizzotti.-College:...
, now the head coach at the University of HartfordThe University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
- Saudia Roundtree
Saudia Roundtree is a basketball coach, and also a former star player. Roundtree attended Westside high School in Anderson, South Carolina, where she was named a High School All-American by the WBCA...
- Sheri Sam
Sheri Lynette Sam is an American professional basketball player currently playing in the WNBA. She was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana on May 5, 1974 as the youngest of eight siblings, and where she was a standout at Acadiana High School. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1996...
- Katie Smith
Katherine May "Katie" Smith is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, although she sometimes plays small forward or point guard. She is the all time leading scorer in women's professional basketball, having notched over 7000 points in both...
- Charlotte Smith, now an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
- Dawn Staley
Dawn Michelle Staley is an American basketball player and coach. Staley is a three-time Olympian and was elected to carry the United States flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics. She was named the University of South Carolina women's head basketball coach on May 7, 2008...
, now the head coach at the University of South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
- Katy Steding
Katy Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:...
- Kate Starbird
Kate Starbird is a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association and the American Basketball League ....
- Shanele Stires
Shanele Marie Stires is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball player. She is currently a junior assistant coach with the San Diego State Aztecs....
- Sonja Tate
- Vonda Ward
Vonda Ward is an American female boxer who was also a well known NCAA basketball player.-Before boxing:Ward grew up in a sports-oriented family, as her father, Larry Ward, is a famous harness racer....
, now a professional boxerWomen's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1902. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing...
- Natalie Williams
Natalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
See also
- National Women's Basketball League
The National Women's Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NWBL, was an organization governing professional basketball leagues for women in the United States. The league was founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. The league used to have its own season during the off-season...
- Women's American Basketball Association
The Women's American Basketball Association played one season in 2002. The 2002 champions were the York City Noise. There was also an earlier, separate league of the same name, in 1984.-Clubs:* Allentown Crunch* Reading Rage* Schuylkill Syrens...
- Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
- Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
External links