The all-decade ballots give the Comets seven nominees. Van reflects on Houston's illustrious history: "After the Comets tried to hire every coach in America and three overseas, they finally hired me in 1997. But I've said this often, that did not bother me because I was not in my mother-in-law's top 10 choices.

"But with that in mind, I got here, and I'd never seen Cynthia Cooper play. I knew a little bit (about) Sheryl, I had never heard of Janeth Arcain. And what a pleasant surprise."