With sprinting firmly behind Marion Jones and her reputation in tatters, many didn't think a comeback was possible for her. After all, she wasn't allowed to compete in the sport she loved the most, and any hopes of an Olympic comeback were fully dashed. However, Jones had something else working in her favor. She wasn't just a sprinter but an avid athlete with plenty of experience under her belt. While she was banned from one sport, she wasn't banned from them all. After completing her jail term, Jones joined the Women's National Basketball Association's Tulsa Shock team in 2010. Jones, pictured above playing basketball in her college days, wasn't a complete novice to the sport.
At the time, the president of the team, Steve Swetoha, and Jones' coach, Nolan Richardson, supported her at a press conference, according to The Guardian. She detailed her desire to get back out there, explaining, "The word redemption is not in my vocabulary. I'm a competitor, I want to play against the best in the world, and I know I will be doing that."
That any sports team would willingly affiliate itself with Jones may have surprised some given her less than stellar history, but the team thought taking a chance on her would be worth it. It seemed as though the LA native was getting another shot at an industry that she loved, but would it last?
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