WBL Memories

 

 

04/08/06

I've had several e-mails wanting information on Donna Orender, President of the WNBA, who was one of only twenty women to play all three years in the WBL.  Below are Donna's stats (as Donna Geils) in the WBL, and some photos.  If I get time, I will add some official scorer's reports, and maybe, if I ever figure out how to do it, game film.  In the meantime, e-mail me if you would like more information.  Karra

 

 
# 14 Donna Orender (then Geils) with her fellow 1978-79 New York Stars teammates.  Front row, l to r:  Barbara Howard, Lynn Arturi, Darlene Bailey, Janice Thomas, Donna Geils, Maria Gross.  Back row, l to r:  Mara Melbourne, Harriet Novarr, Althea Gwyn, Kaye Young, Carmen Fletcher, Faye Young.

 

 

 

Do you think Donna was happy about this win?  (That's her with her arms up.)  The New Jersey Gems defeat the Chicago Hustle.  Behind Donna is teammate Ann Meyers, playing in her first professional basketball game.

 

 

Donna Orender (then Geils) on the dribble drive

 

 

Donna Orender (then Geils; third from left) gets a rest during a 1980-81 Chicago Hustle game

Donna Orender (then Geils) greets a young Hustle fan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

1978-79 New York Stars
 
26 games (Donna missed several games due to an ankle injury when she ran off the edge of a raised basketball court chasing a loose ball out of bounds); 137 FGA / 356 FGM (.385); 12.5 PPG; 51/78 FT (.68)  (Note:  Free throw percentages were lower back then in both the WBL and NBA.  For example, the highest team FT% was Chicago with .71); 99 rebounds (3.8 RPG); 71 assists (2.7 APG); 52 steals (2.0 SPG).
 
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1979-80 New Jersey Gems
 
This was Donna's breakout season.  Along with teammate Ann Meyers, she averaged more than 40 minutes per game--one of only 8 players in the league's 3-year history to do so--and was #2 in the league in total minutes played.  She was in the WBL's Top 10 in points, steals, and free throw percentage, and was nearly so in assists (just .2 percentage point below the tenth spot).  She was an All-Star that year in the game played in Chicago.
 
35 games; 18.8 points per game (10th in WBL); 2.8 steals per game (10th in WBL); .77 free throw percentage (8th in WBL); 4.5 assists per game; 4.5 rebounds per game.
 
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1980-81 Chicago Hustle
 
Donna was the starting point guard for the Chicago team, but her stats went down due to the coach's controversial "minutes-sharing" system.
 
32 games; 634 minutes; 72 FGA / 187 FGM (.385); 6.9 PPG; 78 FTA / 107 FTM (.729); 72 rebounds (2.3 RPG); 81 assists (2.5 APG); 52 steals (1.63 SPG).
 
 

 

 

Before she went pro . . . 1975-1976 Street & Smith's Basketball mentions promising Queens guard Donna Chait (later Orender)