Marion Jones signs with WNBA's Tulsa Shock

TULSA, Okla., March 10 (UPI) -- Marion Jones, forced to return Olympic medals because of doping violations, signed a contract with the WNBA's Tulsa Shock, the team said Wednesday.

Jones, 34, played basketball at North Carolina and was on the Tar Heels' team that won the NCAA title in 1994. But she is best known for her accomplishments in track and field when she won five medals, including three gold, at the 2000 Olympics.

She later admitted to steroid use and returned the medals. Jones served six months in prison for lying to federal investigators looking into the steroids allegations.

"She made some ill-advised decisions in the past but everyone deserves a second chance to excel at something they love," Shock President Steve Swetoha said. "The city of Tulsa gave a struggling franchise from Detroit a second chance and I'm confident it will do the same for Marion. We couldn't be happier to have her on board."

Tulsa Coach Nola Richardson said: "Watching her go through drills, I saw a player who's perfect for our system. The one thing I do know is she can run and any player on my team who wants to be successful needs to be able to run."