WNBA.com: Photographic Memory: Houston's Cynthia Cooper

Photographic Memory: Houston's Cynthia Cooper

WNBA.com's "Photographic Memory" asks players to look at a photo of themselves and talk about what it captures -- what was going through their mind at that moment of the game and what the photo reveals about their style. Here, Houston's Cynthia Cooper talks about what it was like to watch from the sidelines with an injured shoulder and how her kids affected her decision for surgery.

Houston's Cynthia Cooper watches from the sidelines with her shoulder in a sling as the Comets face the Sparks on June 24, 2003.
Michael E. Davis/WNBAE/Getty Images

I'm Bummed
This is an L.A. game, and I'm bummed out that I can't play in the L.A. game. It's one of the games that I was looking forward to playing in when I came back. And I'm here with my shoulder in a sling and I'm just a little disappointed that I can't be out on the court fighting with my team.

The "I Wish I Was Out There" Look
Yeah, like, that wouldn't have happened if I was out there. Or, I would have fouled somebody. That's kind of what I was thinking.

You Live With Your Kids Forever
When the doctor was explaining some of the pros and cons of me just playing with the injury, one thing he said is that I could tear my arm up so bad that I wouldn't be able to raise it up above my shoulders, I might not be able to even pick up my babies. And that struck a chord.

Because basketball is for a season or for a certain amount of time, but you live with your babies and your kids forever. And that really struck a chord with me, so I went on and had the corrective surgery.

* The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Houston Comets 71-62 on June 24, 2003.