The Shock announced that they have re-signed guard Anna DeForge.
Originally signed July 10, she was waived July 23 to avoid full-season
liability on her contract.
DeForge has started all four of her games for the Shock this season,
averaging 2 points and 1.8 assists in 21.3 minutes per game. Helping out
at point guard, DeForge allows small forward Katie Smith to focus more on
scoring.
Smith, DeForge and the rest of the Shock are set to return to Detroit
following a stay at the White House. Their next game is Friday at The
Palace against the Minnesota Lynx.
In Play! magazine - Shock blog
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT HONORING THE 2008 WNBA CHAMPIONS THE DETROIT SHOCK
Photo by Brian St. Pierre/In Play! magazineREMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HONORING THE 2008 WNBA CHAMPIONS THE DETROIT SHOCK
Office of the Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
South Portico
2:50 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hey, guys. Hello, hello, hello. (Applause.) Please, everybody, be seated. Be seated. Well, welcome to the White House, everybody. And we are so pleased to have the Detroit Shock here. We want to congratulate them and all your fans for your third WNBA Championship in six years. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
We've got some special fans from Capitol Hill here who take great pride in Detroit -- Senator Carl Levin is in the house. (Applause.) Representative Sandy Levin is in the house. (Applause.) And Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick is in the house. (Applause.)
I want to thank Donna Orender, the president of the WNBA, who's here today. Donna is right back -- there she is, right there. (Applause.) Congratulations on the success of this league and the inspiration it provides to young women everywhere.
I also want to thank the owner of the Detroit Shock and the Detroit Pistons, Karen Davidson, for coming. Your husband -- go ahead, give her a round of applause. (Applause.) Your husband Bill had a great impact not just in the NBA and the WNBA, but also on countless individuals who benefit from his giving spirit.
Now, I have to say, everybody knows I'm a Chicago Bulls fan. (Laughter.) And a few years ago, when the Bulls and the Pistons were thick in the middle of their rivalry, I never imagined that I'd be saying: Congratulations, Bill Laimbeer. (Laughter.) Or, congratulations, Rick Mahorn. (Laughter.) If I knew I was President then, to think that I'd be inviting them to the White House is hard to take. (Laughter.) But let's face it, these guys are winners. They always have been. They know how to win. And I want to congratulate the Finals MVP Katie Smith -- (applause) -- team captain Cheryl Ford -- (applause) -- and all the other women that make this such an outstanding team.
I also want to salute this organization and this team for donating so much time and energy to lifting up the Detroit community. They've given free tickets to underprivileged youth, mentored abused women and children, donated backpacks filled with school supplies to foster kids, restored a rundown library into a safe, clean place for kids to play and to grow.
And I want to thank them for participating in our United We Serve summer of service. Earlier today, these players took time to host a WNBA Fit Clinic for young boys and girls at a local Boys and Girls Club, to teach fitness and nutrition and self-confidence -- and I understand they brought some of the young participants along with them to the White House. I suspect it must be these young people here today. (Applause.)
Let me also say something as a father -- I was mentioning it to the team before we came out. It's hard to believe the WNBA has already been around for 12 years. And that means that my daughters have never known a time when women couldn't play professional sports.
They look at the TV and they see me watching SportsCenter and they see young women who look like them on the screen. And that lets them and all our young women, as well as young men know that we should take for granted that women are going to thrive and excel as athletes. And it makes my daughters look at themselves differently; to see that they can be champions, too.
So, as a father, I want to say thank you. (Applause.) And thank you to all the WNBA athletes who work hard each day to set a positive example to which all our daughters can aspire.
Congratulations again on your championship season. Good luck this year. And, Coach, congratulations. (Applause.)
All right, thank you.
READ MORE ON THE DETROIT SHOCK IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF IN PLAY! MAGAZINE
Office of the Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
South Portico
2:50 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hey, guys. Hello, hello, hello. (Applause.) Please, everybody, be seated. Be seated. Well, welcome to the White House, everybody. And we are so pleased to have the Detroit Shock here. We want to congratulate them and all your fans for your third WNBA Championship in six years. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
We've got some special fans from Capitol Hill here who take great pride in Detroit -- Senator Carl Levin is in the house. (Applause.) Representative Sandy Levin is in the house. (Applause.) And Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick is in the house. (Applause.)
I want to thank Donna Orender, the president of the WNBA, who's here today. Donna is right back -- there she is, right there. (Applause.) Congratulations on the success of this league and the inspiration it provides to young women everywhere.
I also want to thank the owner of the Detroit Shock and the Detroit Pistons, Karen Davidson, for coming. Your husband -- go ahead, give her a round of applause. (Applause.) Your husband Bill had a great impact not just in the NBA and the WNBA, but also on countless individuals who benefit from his giving spirit.
Now, I have to say, everybody knows I'm a Chicago Bulls fan. (Laughter.) And a few years ago, when the Bulls and the Pistons were thick in the middle of their rivalry, I never imagined that I'd be saying: Congratulations, Bill Laimbeer. (Laughter.) Or, congratulations, Rick Mahorn. (Laughter.) If I knew I was President then, to think that I'd be inviting them to the White House is hard to take. (Laughter.) But let's face it, these guys are winners. They always have been. They know how to win. And I want to congratulate the Finals MVP Katie Smith -- (applause) -- team captain Cheryl Ford -- (applause) -- and all the other women that make this such an outstanding team.
I also want to salute this organization and this team for donating so much time and energy to lifting up the Detroit community. They've given free tickets to underprivileged youth, mentored abused women and children, donated backpacks filled with school supplies to foster kids, restored a rundown library into a safe, clean place for kids to play and to grow.
And I want to thank them for participating in our United We Serve summer of service. Earlier today, these players took time to host a WNBA Fit Clinic for young boys and girls at a local Boys and Girls Club, to teach fitness and nutrition and self-confidence -- and I understand they brought some of the young participants along with them to the White House. I suspect it must be these young people here today. (Applause.)
Let me also say something as a father -- I was mentioning it to the team before we came out. It's hard to believe the WNBA has already been around for 12 years. And that means that my daughters have never known a time when women couldn't play professional sports.
They look at the TV and they see me watching SportsCenter and they see young women who look like them on the screen. And that lets them and all our young women, as well as young men know that we should take for granted that women are going to thrive and excel as athletes. And it makes my daughters look at themselves differently; to see that they can be champions, too.
So, as a father, I want to say thank you. (Applause.) And thank you to all the WNBA athletes who work hard each day to set a positive example to which all our daughters can aspire.
Congratulations again on your championship season. Good luck this year. And, Coach, congratulations. (Applause.)
All right, thank you.
READ MORE ON THE DETROIT SHOCK IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF IN PLAY! MAGAZINE
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Pistons Hire Brian Hill As Lead Assistant
The Pistons have hired ex-Orlando Magic and Vancouver Grizzlies head coach Brian Hill as their lead assistant under head coach John Kuester. Hill, who has over 30 years experience coaching in basketball, joins fellow assistant coaches Darrell Walker and Pat Sullivan.
Dave Cowens, an assistant with the Pistons the last three seasons, has accepted a different position with the team as a special assistant to Joe Dumars, Pistons President. The other asst. coach from last season, Harold Ellis, is not expected to be back.
_________________
Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com
Dave Cowens, an assistant with the Pistons the last three seasons, has accepted a different position with the team as a special assistant to Joe Dumars, Pistons President. The other asst. coach from last season, Harold Ellis, is not expected to be back.
_________________
Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
SHOCK WAIVE DEFORGE
The Shock have waived guard Anna DeForge, who had recently signed with Detroit. She has played in the team's last five games, starting all of them but averaging only 1.6 points and 1.8 assists in 18.4 minutes per game.
The team is in dire need of a point guard, particularly with shooting guard Deanna Nolan struggling with shoulder and knee injuries. The WNBA is currently on break for the 2009 All-Star Weekend, so Shock players have over a week to rest. However, once they return to the court, they'll have to solve their dilemma at the point if they plan on turning their tough season around.
In Play! magazine
The team is in dire need of a point guard, particularly with shooting guard Deanna Nolan struggling with shoulder and knee injuries. The WNBA is currently on break for the 2009 All-Star Weekend, so Shock players have over a week to rest. However, once they return to the court, they'll have to solve their dilemma at the point if they plan on turning their tough season around.
In Play! magazine
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
PISTONS SIGN FREE AGENT FORWARD CHRIS WILCOX
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free agent forward Chris Wilcox to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
“We are excited to add a young, athletic big man in Chris Wilcox,” said Dumars. “Chris provides our team with some added depth in the front court and we look forward to watching his continued development while here with the Pistons.”
Wilcox, 26, has appeared in 448 career NBA games (2 11 starts) averaging 9.3 points (52.7% from the field), 5.3 rebounds and 21.7 minutes per game. Since joining the league as the eighth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, he has played for three franchises including Los Angeles, Seattle/Oklahoma City and New York. In 62 games with Oklahoma City and New York last season, Wilcox averaged 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 49.7% from the field in 16.9 minutes per game.
His best two seasons came in 2006-07 and 2007-08 with Seattle where he averaged 13.5 points and 13.4 points, respectively. Wilcox started 81 of 82 games during the 2006-07 season where he averaged career-highs in points (13.5) and rebounds (7.7) and ranked 16th among NBA league leaders in field goal percentage (.529).
He earned NBA Western Conference Player of the Week honors during the 2005-06 season by tallying averages of 23.0 points (.750 FG) and 15.3 rebounds during a 3-0 week for the Sonics (4/3-9). Wilcox scored 26 points and grabbed a career-high 24 rebounds vs. Houston that week, becoming the first player since Shawn Kemp to record a 20-point/20-rebound game for Seattle. The Raleigh, North Carolina native played two seasons collegiately at Maryland, helping the Terrapins win the NCAA Championship in 2002.
In Play! magazine
“We are excited to add a young, athletic big man in Chris Wilcox,” said Dumars. “Chris provides our team with some added depth in the front court and we look forward to watching his continued development while here with the Pistons.”
Wilcox, 26, has appeared in 448 career NBA games (2 11 starts) averaging 9.3 points (52.7% from the field), 5.3 rebounds and 21.7 minutes per game. Since joining the league as the eighth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, he has played for three franchises including Los Angeles, Seattle/Oklahoma City and New York. In 62 games with Oklahoma City and New York last season, Wilcox averaged 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 49.7% from the field in 16.9 minutes per game.
His best two seasons came in 2006-07 and 2007-08 with Seattle where he averaged 13.5 points and 13.4 points, respectively. Wilcox started 81 of 82 games during the 2006-07 season where he averaged career-highs in points (13.5) and rebounds (7.7) and ranked 16th among NBA league leaders in field goal percentage (.529).
He earned NBA Western Conference Player of the Week honors during the 2005-06 season by tallying averages of 23.0 points (.750 FG) and 15.3 rebounds during a 3-0 week for the Sonics (4/3-9). Wilcox scored 26 points and grabbed a career-high 24 rebounds vs. Houston that week, becoming the first player since Shawn Kemp to record a 20-point/20-rebound game for Seattle. The Raleigh, North Carolina native played two seasons collegiately at Maryland, helping the Terrapins win the NCAA Championship in 2002.
In Play! magazine
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO HONOR 2008 WNBA CHAMPION DETROIT SHOCK AT WHITE HOUSE
Photo by Brian St-Pierre--WNBA and Detroit Shock Join President in Call to Service as
Part of the United We Serve Initiative--
NEW YORK, July 22, 2009 – President Barack Obama will honor the 2008 WNBA Champion Detroit Shock for their accomplishments both on and off the court at a ceremony on South Portico of the White House on Monday, July 27, 2009. The ceremony will include a gift presentation from the Shock to the president.
Prior to the ceremony, the WNBA and the Shock will join forces with United We Serve – a national effort launched by President Obama to engage more Americans in serving in their communities this summer – to host a special WNBA FIT Clinic at the Richard England Boys & Girls Club in Washington, D.C..
The entire team, along with WNBA Legend, Community Ambassador and fitness expert, Jennifer Azzi, will promote fitness, nutrition, and self-confidence to 80 boys and girls at the club through interactive stations and positive messaging. WNBA FIT is part of the league’s social responsibility initiative, WNBA Cares, which supports educational programming, promotes hands-on community service and inspires young people and women of all ages to learn about the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
Part of the United We Serve Initiative--
NEW YORK, July 22, 2009 – President Barack Obama will honor the 2008 WNBA Champion Detroit Shock for their accomplishments both on and off the court at a ceremony on South Portico of the White House on Monday, July 27, 2009. The ceremony will include a gift presentation from the Shock to the president.
Prior to the ceremony, the WNBA and the Shock will join forces with United We Serve – a national effort launched by President Obama to engage more Americans in serving in their communities this summer – to host a special WNBA FIT Clinic at the Richard England Boys & Girls Club in Washington, D.C..
The entire team, along with WNBA Legend, Community Ambassador and fitness expert, Jennifer Azzi, will promote fitness, nutrition, and self-confidence to 80 boys and girls at the club through interactive stations and positive messaging. WNBA FIT is part of the league’s social responsibility initiative, WNBA Cares, which supports educational programming, promotes hands-on community service and inspires young people and women of all ages to learn about the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
Monday, July 20, 2009
DETROIT SHOCK GUARD KATIE SMITH NAMED TO 2009 WNBA ALL-STAR TEAM
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The WNBA announced today that Detroit Shock guard and 2008 WNBA Finals MVP Katie Smith has been named a 2009 WNBA All-Star Eastern Conference reserve. The All-Star reserves were selected by coaches in their respective conferences. Coaches could not vote for players on their own team The All-Star Game, the ninth in league history, will be held on Saturday, July 25 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. and will be televised nationally on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Smith, who is in her 11th WNBA season, earns her seventh All-Star appearance, second as a member of the Shock, and is the sole representative of the defending champion Shock this year.
Through 13 games this season, Smith is averaging 14.7 points and 2.9 assists.
In her first All-Star appearance as a member of the Shock in 2006, Smith scored 14 points to help the East defeat the West for the first time in league history, 98-82. That made Smith, previously an All-Star for Minnesota (2000-2003, 2005) in the West, the first WNBA player to win the All-Star game as a member of both conferences.
In Play! magazine
Smith, who is in her 11th WNBA season, earns her seventh All-Star appearance, second as a member of the Shock, and is the sole representative of the defending champion Shock this year.
Through 13 games this season, Smith is averaging 14.7 points and 2.9 assists.
In her first All-Star appearance as a member of the Shock in 2006, Smith scored 14 points to help the East defeat the West for the first time in league history, 98-82. That made Smith, previously an All-Star for Minnesota (2000-2003, 2005) in the West, the first WNBA player to win the All-Star game as a member of both conferences.
In Play! magazine
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