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Former Comets stars Sheryl\u00a0Swoopes (left) and Cynthia Cooper, pictured with former Texans lineman Chester Pitts. were honored at Tuesday’s Rockets game to celebrate the return of the WNBA to Houston in 2027.<\/p>\n
Yi-Chin Lee\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n
Tears found Cynthia Cooper-Dyke<\/a>\u2019s eyes when she went to the free-throw line and Houston Comets fans showered with their love and chants of \u201cM-V-P\u201d.<\/p>\n The memory still resonates for the former superstar guard, who fondly recalled the raucous atmosphere at Comets games. Those games were the first times Cooper-Dyke, who played for USC and professionally overseas before coming to Houston, had fans show up early to watch her and teammates warm up, take a picture or get an autograph. She, Tina Thompson<\/a> and Sheryl Swoopes<\/a> made history with the franchise, winning the first four WNBA championships<\/a>.<\/p>\n But for nearly two decades, their legacies had no official home after the Comets were disbanded in 2008. Cooper-Dyke, Thompson and Swoopes were among many in the region who watched as the WNBA expanded to other cities and worried Houston would miss out.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Those fears disappeared once Cooper-Dyke heard the Connecticut Sun<\/a> would move to Houston and begin playing as the Comets in the 2027 season<\/a>. She said she jumped out of her chair when first hearing the news and called her former teammates, who shared the glee. Cooper-Dyke, Thompson and Swoopes were honored at Tuesday\u2019s Rockets-Knicks game at Toyota Center, where the Comets used to and will once again play.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNow the city of Houston gets a chance to experience the energy that now is the W,\u201d Cooper-Dyke said before the game. \u201cThey\u2019ll get a chance to see some of the great stars come here to play: The Caitlin Clarks, the Angel Reeses, the A\u2019Ja Wilsons, the Sabrina Ionescus or Breanna Stewarts, they\u2019ll all come here.\u201d<\/p>\n A highlight video of the trio showed on the big screen, replaced by their current selves stood at halfcourt. The crowd roared as Swoops was announced as a three-time MVP and Thompson as the first WNBA draft pick. Cooper-Dykes went last, putting her hands to her ears to beckon the assembled thousands before hyping them up as she had so many times before: Raising the roof.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s some 28-year-old fans, some 25-year-old fans who never had an experience in a WNBA game here in Houston. They haven\u2019t seen the sea of red or heard 16,000 people chanting ‘M-V-P,’ \u201d Cooper-Dyke said. \u201cThey haven\u2019t seen the entire city of Houston raise the roof during our parades.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll get a chance to experience that now.\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper-Dykes thanked the Fertitta family, whose company bought the Sun for\u00a0$300 million, ESPN and the Connecticut Insider reported. The $300 million is the highest for which a team has been sold in the WNBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so glad we have a home for our trophies, for our legends,\u201d Cooper-Dyke said.<\/p>\n