NEWEST SUPERSTAR MABIKA HAS BEST SEASON YET.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

When Mwadi Mabika learned basketball in the Congo, she was barely able to use a dusty court across from her home. She'd go to the court just to rebound, grab the ball and spend time around others playing.

Mabika's development astounded those around her. She had such athleticism as a teen-ager that she turned into a cult figure in the Congo and later was brought to the United States by NBA star Dikembe Mutombo to take a crack at the WNBA.

Although Mabika has had a steady development every season, this year she took the biggest step of her six-year career. She transformed from a star to a superstar. In the WNBA Finals, which start Thursday at Madison Square Garden, the All-Star Mabika will be a key component for the Sparks.

``I would consider (her) a superstar,'' Sparks coach Michael Cooper said. ``She's put herself among the best in this league. She's one of the best small forwards in the game today.''

The improvement Mabika has made isn't common. She had already established herself as a top player. But after five years in the league on the team with the most talent, it appeared as if she might not get any better.

In 2000, she was an All-Star. But last season, she wasn't as she was nagged by knee tendinitis throughout the season. That hurt her jump shot, but she had a solid year, averaging 11.2 points.

This season, Mabika averaged 16.2 points, sixth in the league. As opposed to shooting 38.7 percent in 2001, she improved to 42.3 percent and took 188 more shots this year. The 26-year-old contributes her improvement more to her mentality than anything else.

``I think it's been my confidence, that I can score any time I want to,'' Mabika said. ``And I have that passion of wanting to score.''

Mabika has come a long way since she tried out for the Sparks in 1997. She came to an open tryout and impressed the team so much that she won a roster spot.

Back then, her biggest adjustment wasn't necessarily on the basketball court but with adjusting to Los Angeles. The food, culture and people were much different than the Congo, and while she spoke fluent French, she had to learn English.

``It was hard with the language, being comfortable to talk,'' Mabika said. ``So many things - they weren't difficult. I just had to get used to them.''

Plus, she was the new woman in town and it took time to develop friendships.

``She's grown so much that she has friends, she has parties,'' Sparks center Lisa Leslie said. ``Now she asks me, 'Do you have any friends here?' And I say, 'Yeah, Mwadi, I'm from here, but I don't have as many friends because I have so much family.' ''

She's adjusted to L.A. so much that her mother now lives here and she hasn't been back to the Congo since coming here. But she plans to visit later this year.

Aside from Mabika's newfound confidence, another reason she improved is that she stayed in L.A. this summer and got 100 percent healthy. In past offseasons, she played in Israel or Greece and was part of a rigorous schedule. When she would return to the U.S., she had a week or two of rest and then start the WNBA season.

Another thing that helped her was that she and Leslie played pickup games against Magic Johnson and other NBA hopefuls who play on the Johnson's traveling team.

``She gained a lot of respect from those men we played against every day,'' Leslie said. ``I mean, these guys are trying to be professional players in the NBA, and Mwadi's able to drive on them and shoot a jumper. She's taking it to the hole. Even if they're blocking her shot, she's putting the defense in a very tough position.''

When Mabika is in WNBA games, her shot is not normally blocked. She has a handful of offensive weapons - passing, driving, shooting - that makes her among the toughest players to guard.

The Houston Comets' Sheryl Swoopes won the league's MVP and the league's Defensive Player of the Year awards this year. Like Mabika, Swoopes plays small forward, but there might be a few things Mabika does better.

``Mwadi's a better defender, position-wise,'' Cooper said, ``where Swoopes plays the passing lane and blocks shots better.''

Against the New York Liberty, Mabika could lead the Sparks to their second consecutive championship. When the Sparks play their most important game and it's the most critical time, it often has been a given that Leslie was getting the ball.

But now, there's a good chance Mabika will be called upon if the Sparks find themselves in a nerve-racking, do-or-die moment.

``I've been there before,'' Mabika said. ``When I play overseas, I've been the go-to player. It's something that I'm used to. I'm that here, too, and I'm always willing to do that.''

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The Sparks' Mwadi Mabika, right, will be playing a key role in her team's attempt to win a second consecutive WNBA title when L.A. plays the New York Liberty in the Finals.

Steve Yeater/Associated Press