Nolan Richardson‘s rebuilding project in Tulsa is not finished.
The former Razorbacks coach just went through his worst season as a head coach, finishing 6-28 in the WNBA. But Richardson, who won a national championship and took Arkansas to three Final Fours, isn’t about to leave the game behind after a last-place finish in the league.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I’m going to be back,” Richardson told the Tulsa World. “I’m in this for the long haul. I’m going to overhaul this basketball team and we’re going to play some exciting basketball for our fans in Tulsa to be excited and happy about.
“We’ve had great fan support all year when you consider our win-loss record. When we get the product on the court, these seats will be filled. I have no worries about that.”
Tulsa had the second-lowest attendance numbers in the league this season, which blossomed concern about the team’s future. Team owners said the Shock needed to average 6,000 fans a game to solidify the future of the organization, which only averaged 4,812 in 17 home games.
Bill Cameron, one of the majority owners, told the Tulsa World that the team will “absolutely” be back next season and provided hope and expectations of higher attendance numbers when the team starts to make a run to the playoffs.
To get there, Richardson must make some good moves in free agency, which he believes the Shock can do in the offseason. He’ll also have a good shot at picking up UConn’s Maya Moore with the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft thanks to having the worst record in the league.
I did some research on the WNBA attendance figures and it’s interesting to point out that, while the Shock had the lowest attendance for home games in the league, there was some drawing power for the franchise. Maybe it’s Richardson’s name and notierity or the fast-paced playing style, but the Shock drew an average of 8,595 on the road, according to WomensBasketballOnline.com. That’s the highest attendance average for a team on the road.
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The pro game is perfect for Nolan because he doesn’t have to worry about graduating them. Good luck to him but I thought that his mentality as a college coach was totally backwards
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