The team names Galatasaray, Spartak Moscow and Energa Torun are a far cry from the familiarity of the LSU Lady Tigers’ moniker.It would take a voyage across the Atlantic to find these teams and watch former LSU stars Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles and Quianna Chaney compete in their new homes. To see an interactive map showing where the former Lady Tigers are playing overseas, click here.
Citing greater job opportunities, higher salaries and more playing time, the exportation of U.S. players abroad during the WNBA offseason is now commonplace. Turkey, Russia and Poland are just a few of the popular overseas destinations for America’s most prominent female basketball players.A personal driver escorts Fowles around the streets of Moscow, and her only expenses come when it’s time to restock the pantry shelves.”They are treating me very well here,” she said. “No worries at all.”Bob Starkey, LSU associate head coach, keeps close tabs on his former Lady Tigers who are overseas.”That’s where they make their money,” he said. “There’s not one of our players who doesn’t make more overseas than in the WNBA.”Recent WNBA roster cuts and the Houston Comets’ folding have prompted discussion that the league may be on a rocky foundation, which makes the overseas option even more enticing for some young players.”Money is good,” said Kristen Morris, LSU’s sole senior this season. “It’s even better than you would earn on a league team if you’re not Lisa Leslie or the great Candace Parker or Sylvia Fowles.”GROWING PAINSFormer LSU point guard Erica White’s collegiate career ended in heartbreak during the final seven seconds against Tennessee in the 2008 Final Four.But the future seemed quite bright just days later when the Houston Comets selected White with their second-round pick. The Comets won four league championships from 1997-2000 under current LSU coach Van Chancellor.The owners put the franchise up for sale in late 2008 after the team struggled through a 17-17 season.”I knew something was going on, but I thought we were going to make it through,” White said.But the Comets couldn’t survive, and the team officially folded in early December. The Indiana Fever selected White with the sixth pick of the dispersal draft.In addition to the 13 spots lost from the Houston Comets, the league announced in early February that all teams must cut active rosters from 13 to 11. The combination of the folding and cutting will account for about 39 fewer roster spots available this upcoming season. WNBA president Donna Orender calls it a “little bit of a step sideways” to adjust the league’s business model. Chancellor said the move was necessary, although he hurts for the players who lost their jobs.”Sometimes in these tough economic times, you have to make decisions that are good for some of the group and not all of the group,” he said. “I had been thinking that they would do this. I don’t think it will hurt the quality of play, but it will cost some kids their jobs.”LONG WAY FROM HOMEFormer LSU player DeTrina White lost her WNBA job long before the roster size restrictions took effect. She played for the New York Liberty in 2004 and 2005 and explored overseas options soon after she was cut from the WNBA.Her journey led to Poland, where she plays for the Duda Leszno for about six months of the year.”As for salaries, all I can say about that is that it is better than the WNBA,” she said. “But at the same time, not all players make the money that people think.”Fans may think the overseas job is a lifestyle of riches, fame, free travel and six-figure salaries.And it may well be for the WNBA’s top players, who can reportedly triple their WNBA salaries overseas.WNBA salaries, which average around $40,000, are pocket change compared to the $5 million average NBA player’s salary.Fowles earned about $44,000 as the No. 2 WNBA draft pick in 2008. A second-round pick, such as Erica White, earned approximately $35,000 during her WNBA rookie season. Even the league’s seasoned veterans make no more than $95,000 a season. DeTrina White said the Polish team covers her housing and transportation, leaving food and apartment upkeep as her only expenses.Just last week she played against Chaney’s team, Energa Torun, which is about a four-hour drive away.”Poland is definitely not a vacation spot,” Chaney said. “It’s nice … don’t get me wrong. But it’s just something that I am not used to.”Chaney has dealt with constant negative temperatures and an influx of snow. She brought her Nintendo Wii to Poland and stays connected to home through Facebook chats and viewing humorous YouTube.com clips.Starkey said Chaney’s comments are similar to what he hears from many of his former players. Upon arrival, they expect to get a free, luxurious ride while seeing the world.”They all say that until they get over there,” he said. “It’s not what the normal fan thinks. It’s very, very difficult.”Erica White is one player who decided the overseas lifestyle wasn’t a good fit. After a brief stint this fall with the Natanya team in Israel, she decided to return to LSU and finish her remaining three hours. Former point guard Temeka Johnson is also playing in Israel for the Raanana team.Erica White said she made a “personal decision” not to return after violence escalated in the Gaza Strip.”Erica came home for Christmas and decided not to go back,” Starkey said. “Temeka thought long and hard before going back.”    STABLE FOR NOWWNBA officials choose to keep a positive stance on the league’s direction, despite the roster cuts and Houston Comets’ collapse.Statistics from 2008 show national TV ratings improved 19 percent and merchandise sales rose 36 percent. The league, which is entering its 13th season, also recorded an all-time record 46 sellouts.The WNBA recently agreed to a six-year collective bargaining agreement, and officials are using the agreement as proof for long-term financial stability.Chaney expressed serious concerns about the Comets’ folding but said she hopes the “loyal fan base” will pull through for the league.”When you lose one of the teams that set the foundation for what a dynasty is in the WNBA, to monetary reasons, I think thats an obvious red flag that there are serious financial issues that need to be dealt with,” she said.Starkey said he thinks salary cuts in the near future may be necessary for the league to survive.”Somewhere down the road, USA basketball players are going to have to make some sacrifices,” he said.PASSPORT NEEDEDMorris, the sole senior for the Lady Tigers, isn’t sure how her professional hopes will develop. She’s worked her way into the LSU starting lineup near the end of the regular season, but she knows her WNBA chances have been hurt by limited playing time.”My opportunity to play [in the WNBA] is a bit on the edgy side, so I’ll probably look for overseas opportunities more because that job market is a lot bigger than what it is here,” she said.Despite Starkey’s cautions that the overseas lifestyle may be difficult, Morris seems unfazed by the potential hardships.”I’m hearing everything is paid for as long as you don’t have any bills or anything,” Morris said. “They give you housing. You don’t really need a vehicle.”The lure of a lavish lifestyle is only intesified when players like Fowles speak about personal drivers and glamorous perks.”I make good money,” Fowles said. “That’s about all I have to say about that.”——Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]