Hurricane Floyd
06-08-2002, 09:04 PM
MIAMI (AP) -- Elena Baranova, the Miami Sol's first All-Star, will not play for the WNBA team this season because she wants to train with the Russian national team.
Baranova's agent, Bruce Levy, contacted Sol general manager and coach Ron Rothstein on Friday to inform him of Baranova's decision to stay in Russia and train for the FIBA World Championships in China in September.
``I feel very bad about letting my (Sol) teammates down,'' Baranova said in a prepared statement. ``I don't know if people can understand my first allegiance has to be to my country and not a club team.''
Baranova, 30, said she plans to return for the 2003 season. She was the Sol's leading rebounder with six per game and third leading scorer with 11.8 points per game. She made the All-Star team last season.
The 6-foot-5 forward was the MVP of the 1998 Women's World Championships and the second-leading scorer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Source: Yahoo Sports!
Baranova's agent, Bruce Levy, contacted Sol general manager and coach Ron Rothstein on Friday to inform him of Baranova's decision to stay in Russia and train for the FIBA World Championships in China in September.
``I feel very bad about letting my (Sol) teammates down,'' Baranova said in a prepared statement. ``I don't know if people can understand my first allegiance has to be to my country and not a club team.''
Baranova, 30, said she plans to return for the 2003 season. She was the Sol's leading rebounder with six per game and third leading scorer with 11.8 points per game. She made the All-Star team last season.
The 6-foot-5 forward was the MVP of the 1998 Women's World Championships and the second-leading scorer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Source: Yahoo Sports!