The American Basketball League , often abbreviated to the ABL of 1996 was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was creating the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The ABL began league competition in the Fall of 1996, while the WNBA launched its first game in June 1997. Both organizations came into existence during a surge in popularity for women's basketball in the United States that followed the perfect 35–0 national championship season for the Connecticut Huskies in 1995 and the undefeated, gold medal-winning performance of the United States Women's basketball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics .
7-581: The Colorado Xplosion was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Colorado, an American Basketball League (ABL) team based in Denver . Playing from 1996 through 1998, the team produced many memorable moments for Colorado sports fans and followers of women's professional basketball in general. Team highlights include winning the Western Conference title in 1997, Edna Campbell being voted on to
14-602: The 1997 All-Star Team, Crystal Robinson being the inaugural ABL Rookie of the Year, Debbie Black being the league's first Defensive Player of the Year, and Sylvia Crawley winning the 1998 Slam Dunk Contest at the ABL All-Star Game with a blindfolded dunk. Black made pro basketball history on December 8, 1996 when she became the first woman and only the second player ever to record a Quadruple Double, with 10 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 steals against Atlanta. Players for
21-550: The 1998–99 season. The ABL got off the ground before the WNBA, and at least early on its quality of play was higher than the rival league. This was partly due to the league's signing of a majority of players from the 1996 USA women's national team. Although the WNBA was bankrolled by the NBA, the ABL offered higher salaries. The two leagues did not compete directly; the ABL played during the winter while
28-417: The WNBA played during the summer. However, this arrangement put the ABL in competition with the established men's NBA for an audience. Ultimately, the ABL found the WNBA's stronger financial resources—augmented by the NBA's marketing machine—to be too much to overcome. The league operated as a single-entity structure, which was intended to control costs until it found its feet. However, it also meant that even
35-583: The Xplosion included Edna Campbell , Crystal Robinson , Debbie Black , Sylvia Crawley , Nekeshia Henderson , Tari Phillips , and Vonda Ward . After the franchise ceased operations with the abrupt demise of the ABL in the 1998–99 season, Xplosion players went on to continue their careers in the WNBA . All-Star Edna Campbell (1997) Rookie of the Year Crystal Robinson (1997) Defensive Player of
42-605: The Year Debbie Black (1997) American Basketball League (1996%E2%80%931998) The ABL lasted two full seasons: 1996–97 and 1997–98. The Atlanta Glory and Long Beach Stingrays folded prior to the start of the 1998–99 season, and were replaced by two expansion teams, the Chicago Condors and Nashville Noise . On December 22, 1998, with almost no warning, the ABL declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and suspended operations. Each team had played between 12 and 15 games of
49-578: The most basic decisions related to team operations had to go through the league office in Palo Alto, California . The ABL was also under-financed. Of all the ABL cities, Chicago , Seattle , and Atlanta now have WNBA teams. The 1996–97 ABL All-Star Game was played on December 15, 1996, at the Hartford Civic Center . The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 81–65, and
#676323