Leslie begs off Team USA; Ford, Parker, Snow added

DURHAM, North Carolina - On a day when Cheryl Ford, Michelle Snow and Candace Parker were named to the 2006 Women's World Championship team, the main focus was on who is not going to Brazil.

WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie announced Wednesday she has withdrawn for personal reasons and will not play in the tournament later this month.

Leslie, 34, is a three-time Olympic and two-time World Championship gold medalist. In collecting her third MVP award, the star center of the Los Angeles Sparks averaged 20.0 points and 9.5 rebounds this season, leading the WNBA in double-doubles (17) and defensive rebounds (240).

The Los Angeles Daily News reported last week that Leslie wants to remain near the side of her uncle, Craig Simpson, who is recovering from a recent car accident.

"I really wish I could be there to help my teammates win gold at the World Championship," Leslie said. "I've been playing for USA Basketball since 1989 and I will really miss it this year. However, with everything going on right now with two close members of my family, I have to put my family first."

"Obviously it's a big disappointment that Lisa won't be with us," said Team USA coach Anne Donovan of the Seattle Storm. "Our hearts go out to Lisa and her family and we hope that her uncle recovers fully and that Lisa, emotionally, gets better and stronger every day. She will definitely be missed on this World Championship team."

Ford will be called on to pick up the slack in the paint in Leslie's absence. A three-time WNBA All-Star and the daughter of former NBA star Karl Malone, she averaged 13.8 points and 11.3 rebounds for the Detroit Shock and helped them advance to the WNBA Finals.

Snow, a 6-5 center who averaged 13.0 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Houston Comets, will help Ford in the middle. Parker, a 6-4 forward at Tennessee, is the lone college player on the roster.

"Michelle Snow and Candace Parker have both done a great job for us here in camp and both trained with us in the spring," Donovan said. "They've been working hard to fill the void that we have in the post and both will be good additions to this team in our quest to win another gold medal.

"Cheryl Ford has proved all season long what a great player she is. It is unfortunate that we were unable to have her in our spring training period, but we feel real confident that she'll be able to help us when we get to Sao Paulo."

In addition to Ford, Parker and Snow, previously named to the 2006 USA World Championship Team were Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx, Alana Beard and DeLisha Milton-Jones of the Washington Mystics, Sue Bird of Seattle, Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever), Katie Smith of Detroit, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson of the Houston Comets and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury.

The Americans will play an exhibition game here against Australia on Thursday before heading to Brazil. The tournament begins Tuesday and runs through September 23.

Team USA captured its record seventh gold medal and second straight gold at the 2002 World Championships in China.

Bob O'Connor Dead At 61

PITTSBURGH -- Mayor Bob O'Connor died today at UPMC Shadyside hospital, where he had been battling a rare form of cancer for nearly two months. He was 61.

According to the city charter, City Council President Luke Ravenstahl becomes mayor in the event of death. There has been no word on when a swearing-in ceremony will be held, but at 26, Ravenstahl would be the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh history.

O'Connor was diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma on July 10. Doctors found four small tumors on his brain and began chemotherapy.

The chemo failed to shrink the tumors, so doctors changed their approach and quickly began whole-brain radiation, followed by intensity-modulated radiation therapy that directly targeted the affected part of O'Connor's brain.

O'Connor's medical team said brain scans on Sunday night and Monday indicated seizure activity, and tests showed that infection may have involved his drain and spinal fluid.

He underwent a 30-minute surgical procedure Monday evening in which a drain to remove fluid buildup from his brain was replaced with a new antibiotics-coated drain, the hospital said.

Listed in serious condition after the surgery, O'Connor's condition apparently worsened quickly.

After 3 p.m. Tuesday, the hospital and a mayoral spokesman stopped providing the twice-daily media updates that had been common earlier in O'Connor's illness.

During the mayor's hospitalization, many Pittsburghers showed their support by signing a large "Get Well" sign outside the City-County Building downtown.

More than 10,000 black-and-gold rubber bracelets with the saying "Everybody's Mayor ... Bob O'Connor" were sold throughout the city. Proceeds from the $2 wristbands benefited the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.