Swin Cash of the Detroit Shock named Basketball Hall of Fame finalist

Swin Cash was drafted by the Detroit Shock at No. 2 and helped lead them to two WNBA championships in her six years with the club. She recently was named a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

One thing is quite evident about Swin Cash’s career, when the 6-foot-1 forward was on the court, her team usually won. In six seasons in Detroit, the Shock won two WNBA titles and made the finals three times.

Cash went on to win another WNBA championship in Seattle. She also had two NCAA titles from her time at Connecticut and two Olympic gold medals.

Cash’s accomplishment might soon get the ultimate recognition. At NBA All-Star Weekend, it was announced Cash was a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. It is the third time she has been named to the final list.

To make the HOF, Cash needs 18 votes out of the 24 voters on the selection committee. The Class of 2022 will be announced on April 2 at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Cash is the only Shock player to have her number retired. Before getting traded before the 2008 season, Cash owned a home in Detroit and was active in the community.

The franchise moved to Tulsa following the 2009 season, and is now based in Dallas. The Shock were owned and operated by the Pistons, and played its home games at the same place, The Palace of Auburn Hills  (although some playoff games were at Joe Louis Arena or Eastern Michigan U, due to scheduling conflicts).

Cash was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft (Seattle took Sue Bird at No. 1). After a down year as a rookie, the Shock had their famous ‘worst to first’ season, as they won their first WNBA championship.

Cash and coach Bill Laimbeer were both intense competitors and, after some disagreements during the 2007 playoffs, in which Cash played with a herniated disc, it was time to move on. Cash was traded to Seattle for a 2008 first-round pick. She played in the WNBA until 2016.

Cash has crossed over into working in the NBA. She is currently the Vice President of Basketball Operations & Team Development for the New Orleans Pelicans.

The third time is, hopefully, the charm for Cash. While the Shock have not been around for 13 years, it is nice to see their players still receiving recognition for what they accomplished.