Geethu all set for the big league

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Little would Geethu Anna Jose have imagined that the lucrative WNBA would knock at her door once again when she first missed the golden opportunity same time last year.

The dream of any woman basketball player would be the WNBA, which is a premier league in the US. “It’s a godsend gift, I am not going to let it slip this time,” said India’s best hoopster.

The 25-year-old Kerala girl has received invites to participate in the trials for Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks. The selection will be held at the end of this month. Sparks, who are two-time WNBA champions, had American star Lisa Leslie in their line-up until her retirement in 2009. Lisa has been a role model for Geethu.
“Just to have a chance to work out with Lisa’s team is a dream come true for me. I can’t believe that it’s finally here. I have been training hard and looking forward to put my best foot forward in the selection,” said the lanky Kottayam girl.
From a humble background to one of Asia’s leading basketball players, Geethu has come a long way. She was the top scorer of the Asian Championships in the last two editions.

After a decade-long gap, India regained their top-tier status in Asia, courtesy Geethu’s stupendous show in the 2007 championship in Incheon (South Korea). Geethu has been an integral part of Southern Railway by helping them win their last seven consecutive national titles.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Geethu said, was the turning point in her career. “At the end of the tournament, I got a contract from Ringwood Hawks to play in the highly competitive Australian Big V League. A two-year stint really made a sea change in my approach to basketball,” said Geethu, who was named the MVP of the league in 2008.

Geethu’s role is Centre in the national squad and Southern Railway (her employers). But she may not fit the Centre’s bill by WNBA standards with a frame of 6 foot 2.

“I will have to play as Small Forward as there are a lot of tall girls in the US. It will take some time to adjust to the new role and I am willing to learn new techniques. If I play as forward, my job will be more of assisting my team-mates and setting up points for them. I have to improve my speed,” she said.

Generally, WNBA teams pick players through the draft system, which is based on an invite from the league organisers. However, the other route to the league is open trials by franchisees should the teams have to fill vacancies after the draft.

Former Indian player Jayashankar Menon, who helped Geethu in finding sponsors for the US trip, says she could earn a base salary of $36,570 (around `17 lakhs) for the first season. “Apart from that she gets a bonus for her individual performances and team’s progress,” he said.