Why Was Marion Jones Cut From the WNBA?

By Jayson Panganiban July 25, 2024 11:00

Photo by REUTERS

Marion Jones was once celebrated as a great athlete of the turn of the century. She then clinched the status of a global superstar in 2000 when she became the first woman to win five track and field medals at a single Games, an achievement no one has since matched. But Jones' career hit the skids when she got wrapped up in a drug scandal, which ultimately sent her spiraling downward.

Allegations and Admissions of Doping

The next year, a federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) uncovered evidence that Jones had taken steroids and participated in doping. Initially, she denied that the accusations were true, but in 2007, Jones admitted to having lied to federal investigators about her use of steroids. Only this admission led the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to annul all her results since September 2000, effectively deeming her null and void Olympic triumphs. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed Jones' five Sydney Games medals.

Chasing A Basketball Comeback

Jones then attempted to re-ignite her sports career by playing professional basketball after serving a six-month prison sentence for making false statements in the federal investigation. She signed with the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 2010 so she could prove that she remained at her peak level.

WNBA - Struggles and Waiver

Jones had an on-court battle during her time with the Tulsa Shock. By the time she had played 14 games into her second season with the team, she had scored below a point per game. The Shock owned a league-worst 1-14 record heading into the All-Star break and released Jones to clear space on the roster for former Oklahoma center Abi Olajuwon.

The WNBA's Decision-making Process

The new head coach of the Tulsa Shock, Nolan Richardson, and league management have decided to release Jones. The team said the decision was based on bringing in players who could give the Shock some size, defense, and rebounding.

Lessons and the Necessity of Accountability

The Marion Jones story is a valid cautionary tale of doping and responsibility in sports. In her humbling and frequent failures at rebuilding a career in any of its permutations, she let it take shape again. She illustrated that the scandal can forever change an athlete.

The move to release Marion Jones by the Tulsa Shock was based on her limitations as a basketball player and came in response to needs with their roster. Still, any discussion of this moment in time has to be viewed through the lens of Jones' tumultuous career, which was overshadowed by a doping scandal that eventually led to her losing those Olympic medals and going to prison. Jones' decision to try and make a basketball comeback was certainly novel, but the WNBA cutting her loose suggests that she still faced an uphill battle in winning back respect if given a platform. The Marion Jones story reminds us harshly how integrity and accountability should matter in sports.