Back in December Marion Jones announced that since her track and field career was over, thanks in part to admitting to using steroids and serving time for lying about it, she would give basketball a shot. And she was serious. On Wednesday the WNBA's Tulsa Shock announced they signed Marion Jones to a one-year contract.

"The word redemption is not in my vocabulary," Jones said at a news conference, according to the Associated Press. "I'm a competitor, I want to play against the best in the world, and I know that I will be doing that."

For those questioning Jones' basketball skills, she was the starting point guard for North Carolina's 1994 national championship women's team, but maintains that she'll be able to keep up with the girls in the league today.

"I think when I even started to think about this 10 months ago, I know how much the game has grown from the time that I played," Jones said. "And that became even more of a challenge for me, because I know that although I know certain things and played a certain way, that it's 10 times faster, that the athletes are 10 times more skilled."

Terms of the one-year contract weren't disclosed but Shock coach Nolan Richardson believes that she will make a difference on the team, even after losing star players Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith after the move from Detroit to Tulsa.

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

The addition of Marion Jones to the WNBA should help the league get a few more eyes watching the games. After the novelty of Candace Parker wore off, the league is looking for all the help it can get.