# Corey Gaines is Exactly What the WNBA Needs



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

http://www.slamonline.com/online/ot.../corey-gaines-is-exactly-what-the-wnba-needs/

Corey Gaines understands the game of basketball more than most. After all, he’s played in every level imaginable and has been deeply immersed in the intricacies of the game for several decades. But it’s his refreshing approach to women’s basketball that could be his greatest accomplishment

Gaines doesn’t coach women any different than men; they put on a uniform just like everyone else and compete equally as hard. Thus, he believes the respect and admiration they receive should be the same as men. And while there are many people that have to consciously remind themsCorey Gaineselves of this fact, it comes naturally to Gaines.

Perhaps his high level of awareness stems from an enhanced knowledge of both the game itself and the culture of the sport. In college, Gaines played at UCLA with Reggie Miller before transferring to Loyola Marymount in 1986 to play for Paul Westhead. At Loyola, Gaines would play alongside Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers as the starting point guard, guiding the team to a 26-game win streak in 1988. Gaines was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in the third round of the 1988 NBA Draft playing 5 seasons in the NBA and 12 seasons internationally before rejoining Westhead as an assistant coach in the ABA in 2003. He would then serve as the Mercury’s top assistant coach to Westhead in 2006 and 2007 before taking over the head coaching reigns in 2008.

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