For Liberty's Pondexter, Career Choices Extend Beyond the Game

WASHINGTON -- Had enough of players who master the art of passive-aggressiveness, saying in one breath that they love playing where they are, then grumbling under the next breath that they wouldn't mind being dealt, if it helps the organization?

Meet Cappie Pondexter, whose DNA is apparently devoid of the passive-aggressive gene or at least any that fudge the truth about where she wants to be and what she wants to do.

After four years with the Phoenix Mercury, Pondexter decided in the offseason that she wanted to be traded.

That, of course, doesn't make her strange in today's athletic climate. Where Pondexter is unusual is she actually told someone, namely Phoenix general manager Ann Meyers-Drysdale, that she wanted to leave, and didn't duck from her request once it became public knowledge.

"Pretty much, I demanded a trade," said Pondexter, the No.2 overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Rutgers. "I want to finish my career on the East Coast. That's where I started it. That was pretty much it."

And, as a result, it's Pondexter's image that adorns a side of Madison Square Garden, as the 5-foot-9 inch guard has come to New York as a part of a three-team trade, literally to seek fame and make a fortune, and possibly get the long suffering Liberty to the playoffs and beyond.

"I'm confident in my ability to lead this team," said Pondexter. "I was brought here for that. I wanted to be here for it and I'm taking the responsibility."

Averaging 20.3 points a game – good for fourth in the league – Pondexter hasn't shrunk from the big stage of New York, even if the Liberty (4-7) is struggling in last place in the Eastern Conference heading into Friday's game with Tulsa.

"She's played in the big lights," said New York coach Anne Donovan. "She's been successful at every level. She's coming off a great career in Russia, a couple of championships in Phoenix. But she's ready to be a superstar in the spotlight of the Garden, if you will."
In Phoenix, Pondexter was a key cog in the Mercury machine that won two WNBA titles in three years. She was the Most Valuable Player in the 2007 Finals and the second option to Olympian Diana Taurasi.

With Pondexter, the Mercury, who are second in the West with a 5-7 record, would have been a solid favorite to repeat as champions. But, during the winter, while Pondexter was playing in Russia, her agent approached Meyers-Drysdale with the bombshell that Pondexter wanted to be traded.

The Mercury had reportedly been looking to trim their payroll, but they certainly wanted to keep Pondexter, who averaged 19.1 points and a career-high 4.2 assists and 5 rebounds per game last year.

"It was hard for us; anytime you have to replace a player, it's hard," Meyers Drysdale told the Arizona Republic at the time of the deal. "She's just such a terrific player and everything, but she had advised us that she wanted to go to New York and didn't want to come back.

"And still, we wanted to keep her. But we also know, too, that if a player does not want to come back with us, we're in a position where we have to look at other options. We want to continue to try and win championships and bring in good, quality players."

" Unfortunately, the money we make professionally as women, it's not equal (to) the guys. They have a couple of years to just live life. Unfortunately, we have to plan and, for me, it's just planning ahead,being safe."
-- Cappie Pondexter So, the Mercury dealt Pondexter and guard Kelly Mazzante to the Liberty in exchange for forward Candice Dupree, who went west from the Chicago Sky, who received Shameka Christon and Cathrine Kraayeveld from New York.

For Pondexter, the desire to come east and particularly to New York, had nothing to do with on-court factors. She vehemently denies rumors that she wanted to get away from Taurasi and teammate Penny Taylor and that she needed the ball more.

"It (the trade request) had nothing to do with me not liking the Phoenix organization or me not wanting to play with Diana Taurasi or Penny Taylor," said Pondexter, before a recent game in Washington. "It had nothing to do with that. I just wanted to do something else."

That "something else" was to tend to her fledgling fashion company, 4 Season Style Management, which she co-founded last year. Pondexter, 27, is a devotee of the New York fashion shows, and sees the company as a nest egg for when her basketball-playing days are over.

"To be honest, I don't want to have to work a 9-to-5 when I'm done playing basketball," said Pondexter. "Unfortunately, the money we make professionally as women, it's not equal (to) the guys. They have a couple of years to just live life. Unfortunately, we have to plan and, for me, it's just planning ahead, being safe."

Flanked by veterans Nicole Powell and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, added to the New York roster in the offseason as complements, it's now up to Pondexter to add some postseason substance to style.

"We've put a great supporting cast around her," said Donovan. "We just have a great group. But Cappie is the one who has won a couple of rings. She knows what it takes. We're all following her lead."