Cindy Brown (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Cynthia Louise "Cindy" Brown (born March 16, 1965, in Portland
, Oregon
) is a retired American star basketball
player, at the college, Olympic and professional levels. Brown was a member of the USA Basketball
team which went on to win a gold medal at the Pan American
Games in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1987, and the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Seoul.
She was selected by the Seattle Reign
in the second round of the ABL Draft on June 19, 1996. A 6'-1" center/power forward, a tenacious rebounder and a strong inside scoring presence, Brown earned Second Team All-ABL honors following the 1996-97 season. She was assigned to the site of her college success, the expansion Long Beach StingRays
on April 26, 1997. Before she ever reported to Long Beach, however, Brown signed with the rival WNBA.
The WNBA allocated Brown to the Detroit Shock
prior to the 1998 season. In her first season with the Shock, she finished second in the WNBA in rebounding, and was named to the 1998 All-WNBA Second Team. Brown broke the Shock franchise record at Utah on August 10 by grabbing 21 rebounds in a game against Utah
(a record which Cheryl Ford
tied on June 22, 2003 at Connecticut
, and which Ford broke on May 22, 2004 when she snagged 22 boards at San Antonio
).
On July 29, 1999, midway through her second WNBA season, Brown was traded, along with Korie Hlede, to the Utah Starzz
, for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson. Brown played only 9 games for Utah, and retired from the WNBA following the 1999 season.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) is a retired American star basketball
Basketball
Basketball 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...
player, at the college, Olympic and professional levels. Brown was a member of the USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
team which went on to win a gold medal at the Pan American
USA Women's Pan American Team
The Pan American Team is one of the teams under the auspices of the USA Basketball organization. The Pan American Games are held every four years in the year before the Olympics. The first Pan American Games were held in 1951, but those games were men only. The Second Pan American games in 1955...
Games in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1987, and the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Seoul.
College career
Brown played basketball for Long Beach State University between 1983 and 1987. As a senior, she set two NCAA scoring records—the most points in a single season (974) and the most points in a single game (60). The 60 point game was against San Jose State, a game Long Beach would win 149–69. Brown was a member of the Final Four All-Tournament team in 1987, and earned first team All-America honors in 1986 and 1987.Professional career
Because the U.S. lacked a women's pro league, Brown played professionally in Europe and Japan for almost a decade. She played for:- Sidis Ancona (Italy) 1987–1988
- Toshiba Yana Gi Cho (Japan) 1988–1992
- Faenza Errieti Club (Italy) 1992–1994
- Elizur Holon (Israel) 1994–1996
She was selected by the Seattle Reign
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...
in the second round of the ABL Draft on June 19, 1996. A 6'-1" center/power forward, a tenacious rebounder and a strong inside scoring presence, Brown earned Second Team All-ABL honors following the 1996-97 season. She was assigned to the site of her college success, the expansion Long Beach StingRays
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....
on April 26, 1997. Before she ever reported to Long Beach, however, Brown signed with the rival WNBA.
The WNBA allocated Brown to the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
prior to the 1998 season. In her first season with the Shock, she finished second in the WNBA in rebounding, and was named to the 1998 All-WNBA Second Team. Brown broke the Shock franchise record at Utah on August 10 by grabbing 21 rebounds in a game against Utah
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(a record which Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford is a professional basketball player in the WNBA.-Personal information:Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player Karl Malone.-High school:...
tied on June 22, 2003 at Connecticut
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
, and which Ford broke on May 22, 2004 when she snagged 22 boards at San Antonio
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
).
On July 29, 1999, midway through her second WNBA season, Brown was traded, along with Korie Hlede, to the Utah Starzz
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
, for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson. Brown played only 9 games for Utah, and retired from the WNBA following the 1999 season.