Cleveland Rockers
Encyclopedia
This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association (2000) team, see Cleveland Rockers (ABA)
.
The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA) team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which started in 1997
. The owner was Gordon Gund
, who at the time also owned the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers
. In September 2003, Gund announced that his Gund Arena Company would no longer operate the Rockers. The team folded after the 2003 season as the league was not able to find new ownership for the team.
. In 1997, they started with such players like Isabelle Fijalkowski
and former Harlem Globetrotters
member Lynette Woodard, who had been the first female player in Globetrotter history.
The Rockers finished 15-13 in the first WNBA season ever, missing the playoffs in 1997. In 1998, the Rockers went 20-10 and won the Eastern Conference title. However, the Rockers lost to the Phoenix Mercury
in the WNBA semi-finals (before the WNBA split the playoffs by conference).
The Rockers had their best regular season in 2001, going 22-10 and winning the Eastern Conference, getting the #1 seed. Their relentless defense allowed just 55.9 points per game that year, a record that still stands. But the Rockers would be up-ended by the Charlotte Sting
in the 1st round, losing 2 games to 1. The 2002 Rockers fell by 12 games over the previous year's mark, posting a 10-22 record. In 2003, the Rockers would go 17-17, good enough for the #4 seed in the East, however they would fall in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Detroit Shock
, 2-1. 2003 was the Rockers' last playoff appearance. This is also the only team in the WNBA
to qualify for the playoffs in their last season of play.
ceased operations because of lack of ownership.
Cleveland Rockers (ABA)
The Cleveland Rockers are a team of the American Basketball Association which began play in the 2005-2006 season, then, after taking two seasons off, returned in 2008...
.
The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association
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...
(WNBA) team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which started in 1997
1997 in sports
1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France** Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden-American football:...
. The owner was Gordon Gund
Gordon Gund
Gordon Gund is an United States businessman and professional sports owner. He is the CEO of Gund Investment Corporation. He is the former co-owner of the San Jose Sharks and former principal owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and is currently a minority owner of the Cavaliers...
, who at the time also owned the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. In September 2003, Gund announced that his Gund Arena Company would no longer operate the Rockers. The team folded after the 2003 season as the league was not able to find new ownership for the team.
Franchise history
The city of Cleveland was granted one of the original 8 franchises of the WNBA. The Cleveland Rockers got their nickname from Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. In 1997, they started with such players like Isabelle Fijalkowski
Isabelle Fijalkowski
Isabelle Fijalkowski, now Isabelle Fijalkowski-Tournebize , is a retired French basketball player.- Career :*1988-1991: Montferrand*1991-1992: Challes-les-Eaux*1992-1994: Clermont-Ferrand...
and former Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
member Lynette Woodard, who had been the first female player in Globetrotter history.
The Rockers finished 15-13 in the first WNBA season ever, missing the playoffs in 1997. In 1998, the Rockers went 20-10 and won the Eastern Conference title. However, the Rockers lost to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the WNBA semi-finals (before the WNBA split the playoffs by conference).
The Rockers had their best regular season in 2001, going 22-10 and winning the Eastern Conference, getting the #1 seed. Their relentless defense allowed just 55.9 points per game that year, a record that still stands. But the Rockers would be up-ended by the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
in the 1st round, losing 2 games to 1. The 2002 Rockers fell by 12 games over the previous year's mark, posting a 10-22 record. In 2003, the Rockers would go 17-17, good enough for the #4 seed in the East, however they would fall in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion 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...
, 2-1. 2003 was the Rockers' last playoff appearance. This is also the only team in the WNBA
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...
to qualify for the playoffs in their last season of play.
Folding
After the 2002 season, the Gunds decided to buy the Rockers from the WNBA, seemingly ensuring the Rockers future. However, despite fielding competitive teams and having decent attendance for most games, the Gund family decided they did not wish to operate the Rockers after the 2003 season. No local ownership was found for the team, forcing the Rockers to fold. The Rockers ceased operation after 7 seasons, posting an all-time record of 108-112. This wouldn't happen again until in 2008 when the Houston CometsHouston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
ceased operations because of lack of ownership.
Season-by-season records
| Season | Team | Conference | Regular Season | Playoff WNBA Playoffs The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals.... Results |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | |||||
| Cleveland Rockers | |||||||
| 1997 1997 WNBA Season -External links:*... |
1997 1997 Cleveland Rockers season The 1997 WNBA season was the inaugural season for the Cleveland Rockers.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:*Janice Braxton ranked sixth in the WNBA in total rebounds with 189... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
4th | 15 | 13 | .536 | |
| 1998 1998 WNBA season -External links:**... |
1998 1998 Cleveland Rockers season The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers topped the Eastern Conference, but they were unable to reach the WNBA Finals, losing in the WNBA semifinals to the Phoenix Mercury.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
1st | 20 | 10 | .667 | Lost WNBA Semifinals (Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... , 1–2) |
| 1999 1999 WNBA season -External links:**... |
1999 1999 Cleveland Rockers season The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers played their worst season in franchise history, finishing dead last in the league.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:-External links:*... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
6th | 7 | 25 | .219 | |
| 2000 2000 WNBA season -External links:**... |
2000 2000 Cleveland Rockers season The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Cleveland Rockers.-Expansion Draft:The following players were selected by the Portland Fire in the draft.* Alisa Burras * Jamila Wideman -WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
2nd | 17 | 15 | .531 | Won Conference Semifinals (Orlando Orlando Miracle The Orlando Miracle was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Orlando, Florida. They began play in the 1999 WNBA season. The Miracle relocated, in 2003,to Uncasville, Connecticut where the team became the Connecticut Sun... , 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... , 1–2) |
| 2001 2001 WNBA season -External links:**... |
2001 2001 Cleveland Rockers season The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers topped the Eastern Conference with the best record in franchise history, but their season ended shortly in the playoffs, losing in the first round to eventual conference champion Charlotte Sting.-WNBA Draft:-Season... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
1st | 22 | 10 | .688 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... , 1–2) |
| 2002 2002 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2002 2002 Cleveland Rockers season The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Cleveland Rockers.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:-References:... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
7th | 10 | 22 | .313 | |
| 2003 2003 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2003 2003 Cleveland Rockers season The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th and final season for the Cleveland Rockers franchise. The season saw the team reach the playoffs for the first time in two years. To date, they are the only to qualify for the WNBA Playoffs in their final season of play... |
East Eastern Conference (WNBA) The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference... |
4th | 17 | 17 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Detroit 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... , 1–2) |
| Regular Season | 108 | 112 | .491 | 0 Conference Championships | |||
| Playoffs | 6 | 9 | .400 | 0 WNBA Championships | |||
Notable players
|
Merlakia Jones Merlakia Jones is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a guard in the Women's National Basketball Association for eight seasons during the 1990s and 2000s... Betty Lennox Betty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of... , now a member of the Tulsa Shock Suzie McConnell Serio Suzie McConnell-Serio is a women's basketball coach and former player in the United States. She is currently the Head Coach for the women's basketball team at Duquesne University.-Career:... , now coaches at Duquesne University Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of... Chasity Melvin Chasity Melvin is an American professional basketball player originally from Roseboro, North Carolina.A 6'3" forward, Melvin has played in the WNBA since 1999, competing for the Cleveland Rockers, the Washington Mystics, and the Chicago Sky. Through twelve seasons in the league, she holds career... Eva Němcová Eva Horáková, née Němcová is Czech professional basketball player. The youngest of three children of Jiřina Němcová and Zdeněk Němec, she began her basketball career at the age of 18. In 1992, she played for the Czech Republic national team in that year's Summer Olympics, which finished at sixth... 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 coaches at the University of Hartford University of Hartford The 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... University of Northern Colorado -Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado... Utah State University Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.... Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... LaToya Thomas LaToya Monique Thomas is a professional basketball player.-College years:Thomas was a standout four-year starter at Mississippi State University.... Ann Wauters Ann Hilde Willy Wauters is a Belgian professional basketball player who currently plays for Ros Casares Valencia in Euroleague Women. Wauters played in the WNBA from 2000 to 2009, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars. Her primary position is center.-Personal:Wauters began playing... |
Coaches and others
Head Coaches:- Linda Hill-MacDonaldLinda Hill-MacDonaldLinda Hill-MacDonald is a women's basketball coach. She is currently the head coach at the University at Buffalo .She had been the head coach at Temple University, , The University of Minnesota and the WNBA's Cleveland Rockers from 1997 to 1999...
(1997–1999), now coaches at the University at Buffalo - Dan HughesDan HughesDan Hughes is an American basketball head coach, most recently of the San Antonio Silver Stars of the Women's National Basketball Association .-Career:...
(2000–2003)