Lakers Become a Women’s League Sponsor

The Lakers and seven other NBA teams jumped into the women’s basketball business Wednesday.

Los Angeles’ team--nicknames have not been announced--is hopeful of signing arguably the best player in the women’s game, Lisa Leslie.

In an announcement in New York, the Lakers were identified as one of eight NBA franchises that will sponsor women’s teams for a 28-game schedule in NBA arenas beginning June 21.

The others: New York, Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston, Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah.

Women’s National Basketball Assn. (WNBA) teams will have their own nicknames. No “Lady Lakers,� in other words.

The eight-team American Basketball League is approaching the third week of its inaugural season. League Vice President Gary Cavalli said Wednesday the ABL’s first 15 games have drawn an average paid crowd of about 4,828.

The ABL had said earlier that 3,000 paid per game was the break-even mark.

“We wish them [WNBA] well,� Cavalli said Wednesday.

“It would make sense for us at some point to get together and see if there was any kind of an association that would make sense to both of us. But right now, we’re totally focused on getting our league up and running.�

The ABL is paying players $40,000 to $125,000 per season. The WNBA is expected to have a similar salary scale.

The ABL has seven members of the U.S. women’s Olympic team, but two others, Sheryl Swoopes and Rebecca Lobo, signed recently with the WNBA. Still unsigned is Leslie, the former USC All-American who is also pursuing a modeling career.

Leslie was unavailable for comment Wednesday. But a Laker spokesman indicated the team hoped to sign her.

Leslie grew up in Inglewood and went to Morningside High.

Leslie’s agent, Bruce Binkow, said Wednesday she is “very eager� to play pro basketball.

It’s expected the WNBA, like the ABL, will assign premier players to teams, for marketing and competitive balance purposes.

NBC will carry a WNBA Saturday game of the week, and ESPN and Lifetime will each televise one weeknight game each week.

The ABL’s TV partner is SportsChannel.

A Hall of Fame player from the 1970s, Nancy Lieberman-Cline, 38, also plans to play in the WNBA. She’s already in training, playing with Athletes in Action.

The WNBA also announced it will release a schedule in February, unveil nicknames and logos in mid-February, schedule a tryout camp for mid-April, conduct a player draft April 28 and open training camps May 28.

Playoffs begin Aug. 28. A single championship game will be played Aug. 30.