ANON12
Years ago
Timms makes Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Timms a guard of honour
Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 10:48 AM
Grantley Bernard/NBL
Leaving South Dragons assistant coach Michele Timms speechless is an almost impossible task, but the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame has gone close, according to Grantley Bernard for the Herald Sun.
The three-time Olympian and former Opals captain has been elected to the Tennessee-based WBHOF and just couldn't find the words to express how she felt.
"I still won't believe it until someone from somewhere calls me," Timms told Bernard.
"This is totally out of the blue, but an unbelievable honour."
Stumbling upon the WBHOF website is ultimately how Timms heard of her induction, but was informed via email from a friend in the US about her nomination. She will be inducted at a ceremony in Knoxville, Tennessee, next year.
Timms, the first Australian basketballer to be honoured by an overseas hall of fame, has been a pioneer for the women's game in this country on several fronts.
The dynamic point guard was the first Australian to play professionally in Europe, where she won a Euroleague title, and her massive reputation continued to grow around the world with the Opals and club teams in Germany and Italy.
Timms was the first overseas player signed by the WNBA when it formed in 1997 and it was the WNBA that gave her career a huge spike in popularity and respect when she led the Phoenix Mercury through the WNBA's formative seasons. The Mercury have even gone on to retire her No. 7 shirt, which made her just the second WNBA player to be afforded such an honour.
In Australia, she won Olympic bronze and silver medals as the Opals' on-floor and emotional leader and was a member of the Nunawading Spectres team that featured Robyn Maher and Shelly Gorman.
"I've never really been an individual honours kind of person," Timms said.
"But this is great for my mum and dad and my family and my daughter Kelsey."
"It's a recognition for the teams I played for, especially the Opals and people like Robyn Maher."
"This is just a huge honour and hopefully others will be recognised as well."
"You're retired a long time and this is something special. When you're young, you tend to take everything along the way for granted."
Five other women, all Americans, were elected with Timms, most of them are former players and/or coaches, but very few foreigners have been deemed by the WBHOF to have met the criteria which includes integrity, sportsmanship, record of performance, ability, international recognition and contribution to women's basketball.
