Well I suppose it was bound to happen - ladies first.

Sheila Johnson now owns the Washington Mystics of the WNBA.

Bad news is, her sons are too young for me. :mad:

I was very glad to see Mrs Johnson do this. A few years ago when I worked in Palm Beach I had the opportunity to meet her, recently after her divorce. She is a very nice and caring woman, and very smartand known for her generosity. She is very involved in her many communities (with homes up and down the East Coast) and her personal interest. I would expect her to be rather involved in the WNBA.

Did she buy the team b4 or after the trading of S.Holdsclaw?

Many ppl I've discussed this trade with believes the Mystics got robbed. It all looks like the WNBA had a hand in this trade maybe trying to establish/keep the LA Sparks as the team to beat, a dynasty of sorts like the Lakers, Yankees, Cowboys, etc.

Btw, congrats to Sheila Johnson. I've always thought Ophra was the 1st billionaire?

I'm pretty sure it was before.
Now it looks like the Mystics got robbed, but remember Holdsclaw essentially did not play last year, had health issues and had never been happy there. Sometimes a team tries to make a fresh start. And sometimes a player needs a fresh start to show what she (he) can do. I don't think any conspiracy was involved. Just Holdsclaw getting better and with Lisa Leslie she no longer has to be first, second and third option on every play.

According to the article I linked I know there have been wealthy black Johnson families for many years. I think Ebony and Jet early owners were wealthy Johnsons.

[ June 07, 2005, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Different families...no relation....

What she married to Rob Johnson? Not sure if that is his name but I believe I am thinking of the guy who is the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats??

The relationship could be distant, or non-familial. I remember reading during my genealogy research that many free blacks named Johnson came from the Bahaman Islands where I think the surname is still very common. Slavery was abolished earlier by Britain and there was considerable emigration of free blacks to the US from the Bahamas. By the way there is an interesting ongoing study of the genetic history of US citizens of Bahaman ancestry.

This article I found through Google says that she was indeed married to Robert Johnson. They divorced in 2002.