The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Cleveland, 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 October 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.
| Cleveland Rockers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Leagues | WNBA |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Dissolved | 2003 |
| History | Cleveland Rockers 1997–2003 |
| Arena | Gund Arena |
| Location | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Team colors | Black, blue, silver, orange, white |
| Ownership | Gordon Gund |
| Championships | 0 |
| Conference titles | 1 (1998) |
History
editThe city of Cleveland was granted one of the original 8 franchises of the WNBA in October 1996.[1] The Cleveland Rockers got their nickname from Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2] 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.[3]
The Rockers finished 15–13 in the first WNBA season ever, missing the playoffs in 1997.[4] In 1998, the Rockers went 20–10 and won the Eastern Conference title.[5] However, the Rockers lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA semifinals (before the WNBA split the playoffs by conference).[6]
The Rockers had their best regular season in 2001, going 22–10 and winning the Eastern Conference, getting the No. 1 seed.[7] Their relentless defense allowed just 55.9 points per game that year, a record that still stands. But the Rockers would be upended by the Charlotte Sting in the 1st round, losing 2 games to 1.[8] The 2002 Rockers fell by 12 games over the previous year's mark, posting a 10–22 record.[9] In 2003, the Rockers would go 17–17, good enough for the No. 4 seed in the East; however, they would fall in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Detroit Shock, 2–1.[10] 2003 was the Rockers' last playoff appearance, and is the only team in the WNBA to qualify for the playoffs in their last season of play.
Folding
editAfter 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,[11] citing a lack of revenue and lackluster attendance.[12] No local ownership was found for the team, forcing the Rockers to fold in December 2003, and the players went to the other teams in the league via a dispersal draft in January 2004.[13] The Rockers ceased operation after seven seasons, posting an all-time record of 108–112. A WNBA franchise would next fold in 2008 when the Houston Comets ceased operations because of lack of ownership.
Season-by-season records
edit| Season | Team | Conference | Regular season | Playoff results | Head coach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | ||||||
| 1997 | 1997 | East | 4th | 15 | 13 | .536 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | |
| 1998 | 1998 | East | 1st | 20 | 10 | .667 | Lost WNBA Semifinals (Phoenix, 1–2) | Linda Hill-MacDonald |
| 1999 | 1999 | East | 6th | 7 | 25 | .219 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | |
| 2000 | 2000 | East | 2nd | 17 | 15 | .531 | Won Conference Semifinals (Orlando, 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (New York, 1–2) |
Dan Hughes |
| 2001 | 2001 | East | 1st | 22 | 10 | .688 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Charlotte, 1–2) | Dan Hughes |
| 2002 | 2002 | East | 7th | 10 | 22 | .313 | Dan Hughes | |
| 2003 | 2003 | East | 4th | 17 | 17 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Detroit, 1–2) | Dan Hughes |
| Regular Season | 108 | 112 | .491 | 0 Conference Championships | ||||
| Playoffs | 6 | 9 | .400 | 0 WNBA Championships | ||||
Hall of famers
editNaismith Basketball Hall of Fame
edit| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Lynette Woodard | G | 1997 | 2004 |
FIBA Hall of Famers
edit| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Isabelle Fijalkowski | PF | 1997–1998 | 2020 |
Coaches and others
editHead coaches:
- Linda Hill-MacDonald (1997–1999)
- Dan Hughes (2000–2003)
General Managers:
- Wayne Embry (1997–99)
- Jim Paxson
Assistant coaches
- Mike Wilhelm (1997–99)
- Lisa Boyer (1998-2002)
- Cheryl Reeve (2003)
References
edit- ^ "Cleveland among 8 original franchises". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Associated Press. October 31, 1996. p. D4. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cleveland WNBA team named". News-Journal. Associated Press. February 13, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WNBA team rosters". The Shreveport Times. Associated Press. June 21, 1997. p. 6C. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ James, Michael (August 25, 1997). "Liberty rock OT, roll into playoffs". Daily News. p. 23C. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Rockers hope to defy trend against Mercury". The Tampa Tribune. Wire Reports. August 22, 1998. p. 3. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mercury finishes Rockers; Comets next in WNBA finals". Arizona Daily Star. Associated Press. August 26, 1998. p. D1. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Detroit victory shocks Cleveland". Democrat and Chronicle. Associated Press. August 15, 2001. p. 7D. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sting advances in WNBA playoffs". Rocky Mount Telegram. Associated Press. August 21, 2001. p. 3B. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Schumacher's got playoff Fever". The Daily Spectrum. Associated Press. August 14, 2002. p. B2. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Krista, Latham (September 3, 2003). "Shock wave; Nolan, Ford overwhelm Rockers". Detroit Free Press. p. D1. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cavs owner dumps WNBA's Rockers". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. September 20, 2003. p. 2B. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Guerrieri, Vince (2023-11-24). "Why Did the WNBA's Cleveland Rockers Leave 20 Years Ago? Largely, LeBron James". Cleveland Magazine. ISSN 0160-8533. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
- ^ "Cleveland Rockers are out of business". The Charlotte Observer. Bloomberg. December 27, 2003. p. 7C. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.