 | | Orlando Miracle  Coach: Carolyn Peck
Arena: Orlando Arena
Team colors: Blue, black and white
Top Players: Taj McWilliams, forward; Nykesha Sales, guard; Shannon Johnson, guard
1998 Record: None (expansion team)
Outlook
Carolyn Peck, who begins her third season as a head coach at any level, takes the helm of one of two WNBA expansion teams after leading Purdue to the NCAA championship last season. For her efforts, she was named Division I coach of the year by the Associated Press and Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Peck chose to build her team with established veterans rather than youthful talent, taking her full allotment of ABL players. The projected back court includes a pair of former ABL all-stars, Shannon Johnson and Sheri Sam. Johnson led the Columbus Quest to back-to-back championships and is well-suited to run Peck's favored up-tempo, transition style. Sam was a two-time ABL all-star with the San Jose Lasers. Peck also brought in Tari Phillips, the 1997 ABL All-Star Game MVP and local favorite from the University of Central Florida, and Carla McGhee, who played last season with the ABL's Quest and was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic gold medal team. Former Connecticut star Nykesha Sales, a 6-foot guard-forward, also joins the Miracle. Sales, an All-America in 1997-1998, suffered an achilles tendon injury that sidelined her for what would have been her rookie professional season. She set U-Conn.'s all-time career mark in steals (447) and total points (2,178). She averaged 15.9 ppg during her four years at U-Conn. Sales played with the WNBA post-season touring squad in Brazil this past year.
Schedule June 10Houston 8 12at Utah 9 15Los Angeles7:30 17at Detroit7:30 19Washington7:30 21Phoenix 7:30 22at Cleveland7 25at New York7:30 28at Houston8:30 July 3Charlotte7:30 7Minnesota7:30 9at Charlotte7:30 10Utah 7:30 12Detroit 12:30 16Charlotte7:30 17Sacramento7:30 19at Washington7 23at Phoenix10 24at Sacramento10:30 27at Los Angeles10:30 29New York7:30 August 1at New York4 4Cleveland7:30 5at Washington7 7at Charlotte7:30 9New York8 12Cleveland7:30 14at Cleveland7 15Washington7:30 18Detroit 7:30 20at Minnesota8 21at Detroit7:30 © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company
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