Shock are moving to Tulsa

David Goricki / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills --The Shock, winners of three WNBA championships in a dozen years, are on their way to Tulsa, Okla.

"(Shock president) Tom Wilson and (chief operating officer) Craig Turnbull told us today that the franchise is moving to Tulsa," Shock center Kara Braxton said. "I had heard rumors so I had prepared myself (for the news). They are having a press conference (today) in Tulsa and I plan to watch it on TV.

"I look forward to the new beginning in Tulsa, and I cherish the five years I had with the Shock. It was special."

The new ownership has already named former Arkansas men's basketball coach Nolan Richardson as its new coach and general manager. The status of Rick Mahorn, who concluded the season as the Shock's coach, is uncertain.

The Shock will play in the 18,000-seat BOK Center.

The Shock would become the second former champion in as many years to either fold or move. The Houston Comets, who won the WNBA title the first four years of the league (1997-2000), folded after the 2008 season.

"It's very, very disappointing if they're moving. Of course, I have emotional ties because of my affiliation with them," said ESPN broadcaster Nancy Lieberman, who was the Shock's first head coach and general manager from 1998-2000 and played in a game for them last season at age 50. "Their guys are all champions. They have such a history, just like the Houston Comets did, and you don't want to lose champions, you want to build on them."

The Shock had become the face of the league this decade as former Pistons' Bad Boy Bill Laimbeer took over as head coach after an 0-10 start in 2002, then led them to a worst-to-first scenario in 2003 to win the league championship.

The Shock were rumored to be headed to San Antonio durng the 2002 season, but Laimbeer persuaded ownership to keep them in Metro Detroit.

Laimbeer then rewarded owner Bill Davidson and Wilson by building the Shock into a dynasty. They advanced to the WNBA Finals three straight years (2006-08), winning championships in 2006 and 2008.

While the Shock had tremendous success on the court, the same can't be said for the turnstiles, where they were lucky to attract several thousand fans for games.

The Shock defeated the Los Angeles Sparks for the 2003 title before a record crowd of 22,076 at The Palace, but they wouldn't even celebrate their other titles on their home floor because of scheduling conflicts, Mariah Carey (2006) and Disney on Ice (2008).

The Shock won the 2006 title at Joe Louis Arena and had to play at Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center in 2008.

Laimbeer resigned three games into the 2009 season to pursue a job in the NBA. He's now an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mahorn took over and guided them to an 18-16 record. They advanced to the conference finals, losing to Indiana in three games.

Detroit Country Day coach Frank Orlando said the Shock's departure would hurt women's basketball in the state.

"I feel bad for young women basketball players in the state who all look up to the Shock players," Orlando said. "They've been one of the better teams for years and showed kids how to compete. They've represented Detroit so well and had a great reputation and it seems like a real loss to me. I just think losing them is another negative for Detroit."

So where does that leave the WNBA? The league is without star power head coaches with Laimbeer gone and Michael Cooper leaving the Sparks to become head women's basketball coach at Southern California.

Phoenix won the Finals earlier this month in a high-scoring, entertaining series with Indiana which went five games. Fans showed up for the Finals with 18,165 in attendance for Game 4 in Indianapolis and 17,313 for the deciding game in Phoenix.

But, where were the fans during the regular season? League attendance, which peaked in 1998, its second year, at an average of 10,869, slipped to 8,038 this past season. Only five of the 10 teams remain from the Shock's first year -- Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento, New York and Washington.

"I think it's a sad day if it's true," Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said. "You certainly have to be disappointed because they've had such a successful franchise, winning championships, and you have kids here in the state of Michigan hoping to one day play in the WNBA. The state of the economy obviously is a major factor."

david.goricki@detnews.com