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Stiles hopes to make comeback in WNBA
By Cody Thorn, Joplin Globe, November 14, 2004 For much of her college career, Jackie Stiles was the toast of the town in Springfield. As the premier player for Southwest Missouri State, she gained fame not only locally and regionally, but nationally. When she finally left SMS in 2001, her popularity was such that even common fans knew her name. In her four years of playing she nearly rewrote the SMS record book, concluding things with breaking the record for most points in NCAA women's basketball history with 3,393. She was named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year three straight years (her sophomore through senior season) - the lone exception was her freshman season when she was named Freshman of the Year in the MVC. She was named to the MVC All-Conference team all four years in school. Her final year of college, the 2000-2001 season, she helped guide the Lady Bears to the NCAA Division I Final Four, before being knocked out by Purdue. That season she broke the scoring record, led the NCAA in scoring with an average of 30.3 points per game and was named an All-American. She was named to the NCAA West Regional All-Tournament team and West Regional Most Outstanding Player. She finished her career with an average of 26.3 ppg and helped the team win 101 of the 129 games she played in. That 2001 season was extended shortly after the NCAA Tournament, as she was selected fourth overall in the WNBA draft by the Portland Fire. Playing with the Fire, she averaged 14.9 ppg and was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year. From that point on, staying on the court has been a struggle for Stiles. In the past two years Stiles has under gone 12 surgeries - nine of which have been orthopedic, a number so large that it has jeopardized her playing career. She played two seasons in the WNBA, playing in only 21 games in the 2001-2002 season before being shut down by shoulder surgery. "It has really been rough," said Stiles at her basketball camp held at the Joplin Family Y-South on Saturday. "I've had 12 surgeries after I didn't miss a game in college; I guess eventually, everything came crashing down." She had her first surgery following the conclusion of her first season in the WNBA - to repair her shooting wrist. She came back the following season, but with her wrist still bothering her she relied on shooting at a different angle. That, in turn, put pressure on her shoulder and thus forced her to have her second surgery. Since then, she has had her wrist operated on again, two more shoulder surgeries and four on her ankle. The Fire folded after her second season in the WNBA and her rights were allocated to the Los Angeles Sparks. She has yet to suit up in the yellow-and-purple, instead spending most of her time in Kansas or Colorado, rehabbing her various injuries. She planned a comeback this year with a team in Australia, but her body wasn't ready to play and she had to scratch that idea. She still remains property of the Sparks and is hopeful for a comeback. "I'm going to have one final push for a comeback," said Stiles. "But I have no control over the rehab. I know with the rehab, I can't get to high on the highs and can't get to low on the lows." Since the injuries have prevented her from playing, she has been doing speaking engagements and the youth camps. The injuries, though, have limited what she can do in the camps. "The last couple of years I haven't been able to demonstrate as much as I have," said Stiles. "I've had to be a better teacher, because I have to explain everything and started to get better at coaching. It's been very rewarding for me and basketball is something I want to be around." TO THE TOP |