Marion Jones in the WNBA - Should she? or Shouldn't she?
 

Marion Jones Returning to Basketball With WNBA's Tulsa Shock -- NBA FanHouse

Marion jones in looking to resurrect her sporting career, this time in Basketball.

she's done her time, and she's looking for a fresh start. she's been in bed (quite litrally) known with drug cheats (and dealers) and its hard to think that anyone can straighten out in such a short period of time.

on the other hand, drugs or not, she's a gifted athlete, and it'd be a shame to see those skills go to waste, especially since her first breakthrough came in basketballa nd not athletics.

does she deserve another chance? do you think she'll do well? does anyone even care?

Considering she's on a team that just moved from Detroit to Tulsa in order to, in theory, have a better shot at survival, I'm going with option three.

Why shouldn't she be able to compete? She did the crime and did the time. If they had rules in place to ban her for life and had done so, it would be a different deal, but she wasn't.

edit - Dlish, you'd know Wendell Sailor. The cases are different as he got busted for cocaine use and got handed a 2 year ban. He played some pretty good footy on his return, and the sport would've been worse off without his return.

Everyone should have the opportunity for redemption, imo.

Marion Jones is a good basketball player. She should have the chance to fail or succeed on her own merit. There is not real issue here as it isn't track and field, and she will not be going to the 2012 games in any way shape or form.

Funny thing is are talking about a league that could be in the world of hurt when some of the NBA back teams might fold if it is true that the men's side is losing $400,000,000 and the $500,000 paid for the entire WNBA's teams payroll is just "too much at this time".

In general, I believe if people commit a non-capital crime once, and pay for it, it's over and done with. Go on with your life and career.

If they tell you when you start, "Do this and you're done for life!", or "If you've ever done this, you're not acceptable!" then it's different. You know the consequences.

She's paid for her mistakes. Refusing to allow her in the WNBA is punishment twice for the same crime. Let her play.

In my opinion no

Yes, she's "done her time" - and I personally find it utterly ridiculpus she was sent to jail for cheating in sports when far bigger cheats get away with it (ie Carl Lewis and Linford Christie)

But the fact is, and its the same I feel about Dwayne Chambers, these athlete's who juice up still carry the benefit in their bodies even now of cheating. She is stronger now than she would have been if she was clean. As long as cheating will always give her an unfair advantage, I dont believe she should be allowed to take part in a professional sport.

my only reservation is that she had no interest in the WNBA before being banned from track and field. The league's in enough trouble already, without having someone "settle" to play there.

That being said, she did her time. If the league wants her, she should go for it.