Lieberman to Griner Go for it

Women's basketball pioneer Nancy Lieberman went to two NBA summer leagues in the early 1980s in her bid to prove she could play the pro game with and against the foremost athletes in the sport.

Impressive Resume

Brittney Griner finished her spectatcular career second all time in scoring and her 748 blocks are the most in men's or women's hoops. And by the way her 18 dunks were three more than all other women combined.

Some three decades later Lieberman is encouraging Baylor star Brittney Griner to seize the opportunity to do the same with the Dallas Mavericks no matter how overwhelmingly remote Griner's chances of sticking actually are.

There's nothing but unbelievable historical upside Lieberman said by phone Wednesday in the wake of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's proclamation that he is open to drafting Griner if she proved worthy in a pre draft workout.

I would do it in a minute Lieberman said. There is no downside to her trying.

When reached Wednesday to expound on his comments in Los Angeles Cuban said Griner has an open invitation to work out for us before the June 27 NBA Draft.

The most realistic path to the NBA if Griner is serious about pursuing it is actually trying out for a spot on the Mavericks' summer league team after the draft and then playing in the NBA's annual summer tournament in Las Vegas if she can as Griner tweeted Tuesday night indeed hold my own.

Wednesday's highly skeptical reaction to the story filled with naysayers scoffing at the idea that Griner could ever compete physically on an NBA floor in spite of her dominance as a 6 foor 8 center in the women's game didn't dissuade Cuban at all.

Asked how likely it is the Mavericks will indeed bring her in for a workout Cuban said We will find out.

Lieberman 54 serves as assistant general manager for the Mavericks' D League affiliate (Texas Legends). She still hopes to coach in the NBA as an assistant after serving as head coach of the Legends in their inaugural season in 2010 11 which established Lieberman as the first female to coach men under the NBA's umbrella.

As a player Lieberman got a summer league shot from both the Los Angeles Lakers (then coached by Pat Riley) and the Utah Jazz (under Frank Layden) in the early 1980s and went on to play two seasons with men in the United States Basketball League.

Yet she acknowledges that Griner as an interior player would have it even tougher than Lieberman did in terms of trying to compete with the size strength and athleticism all of Griner's advantages in the women's game of NBA players.

I was extraordinarily average on my best days Lieberman said. And I was a point guard so I could stay away from the physicality of the game and still do some of my job which was IQ passing running the team. I always had somebody chasing me who was quick but I wasn't getting knocked over or elbowed everywhere.

More on the Mavericks

News notes and analysis of the Mavericks from ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon Richard Durrett and our team.Blog ESPN Dallas

But Lieberman even as she soaks in all the reasons that Griner would presumably struggle to cope still believes that Griner should take Cuban up on the offer.

I can tell you from experience ... you cannot compensate for the physical difference Lieberman said. But (playing with men) made me see the game better think the game better understand the game better be more efficient with the game. There's not one day that I ever thought 'I shouldn't do this.'

Griner is widely expected to be selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft on April 15 so another potential issue is the fact that she'd have to leave her WNBA team in the middle of the season just to try to earn a spot on Dallas' summer league squad. How willing would the Mercury be in a four month season to let Griner leave for a month to pursue a long shot NBA fantasy

Lieberman used to coach the Detroit Shock in the WNBA and was asked to project the Mercury's reaction to such a request.

I wouldn't be happy but if it was something so unusually amazing of this magnitude I'd have to think about the bigger picture of women's athletics and what this could mean to women Lieberman said.

There will be women as jealous as hell and they'll gripe and complain. There's going to be people who say Brittney turned her back on women's basketball. But there will be people who see a bigger picture and say 'You know what This is extraordinary.'

If she has a once in a lifetime opportunity with a once in a lifetime guy (Cuban) she owes to herself to at least consider the suggestion. I would say do it. You can always go back to the WNBA. At worst it makes her a better player and it highlights the history of the game.

Before the Mavericks' loss Tuesday night in Los Angeles to the Lakers Cuban said If she is the best on the board (in the second round of the NBA draft) I will take her. I've thought about it. I've thought about it already. Would I do it Right now I'd lean toward yes just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance. And it's not like the likelihood of any late 50s draft pick has a good chance of making it.

Recommend0 Tweet0 Comments0Email Print Subscribe Marc Stein emailSenior Writer ESPN.comFollowArchive

Articles Source here