The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Nancy Lieberman
Biography
Early Life:
Nancy Lieberman, nicknamed "Lady Magic," is a pioneer and Basketball Hall of Fame legend with a
successful career that has spanned decades. Lieberman grew up in Far Rockaway, New York, where her love
for basketball started in Harlem, playing hoops with her street friends. There she first developed her strength,
skills and competiveness. While still in high school, at 17, Lieberman was the youngest basketball player
selected in Olympic history to compete at the first Women's Olympic Basketball competition at the Montreal
Olympics in 1976. Her efforts helped the U.S. women's basketball team to win a silver medal as she forged
lifelong friendships with other Olympians with her new achievement in life.
Following the Olympics, Lieberman attended Old Dominion University with a four-year scholarship, playing
basketball. Her success streak continued with a basketball record of 72-2 her junior and senior seasons and
she went on to win two national championships. Lieberman was named two-time Player of the Year and
three-time All-American leading Old Dominion to become America's Team.
Professional Basketball Experience:
Lieberman was drafted to play for the Dallas Diamonds in the Women's Professional Basketball League in
the early 1980s. She was successful winning the WABA Championship in 1984 and received the MVP
Award. She was the first woman to ever play in a men's professional league (USBL) for the Long Island
Knights in 1987, and the Washington Generals in 1988, where she met and married Tim Cline. Lieberman
came out of retirement twice, setting the record for oldest player. In 1996, she played in the WNBA for the
Phoenix Mercury at age 38 and in July 2008, at age 50, for the Detroit Shock.
Professional Coaching Experience:
In 1998, Lieberman was the general manager and head coach of the Detroit Shock. She built this expansion
team from scratch with a first year record of 17-13 and was runner up for WNBA Coach of the Year. In year
two, Detroit Shock was the first expansion team to make the playoffs. In 2008, Donnie Nelson of the Dallas
Mavericks hired Lieberman to be the first woman head coach for the Texas Legends, which is a Dallas
Mavericks affiliate.The Legends made the playoffs in her first season coaching.
Broadcasting Experience:
Lieberman's success on the court as a player and coach has transferred to broadcasting, where she is often a
host, interviewer or sports analyst. In 1981, she was first hired by NBC to announce the Women's Final
Four. She subsequently had three Olympic Game assignments. In 1988, she was color commentator for the
NBC Seoul Olympic Games, where she called 42 games in two weeks. In 1992, Lieberman was in Barcelona
where she covered the "Dream Team." She covered the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She has spent 28
