While the search for a successor goes on, his assistants' contracts are up June 30. Tomorrow is the first day 2005 recruits can be called. In-person evaluations begin July 8, but with the program in limbo, no plans can be made for one of the sport's most critical months.

Roper is comfortable with the confusion. She has seen the world from several new sides the past year. After making it on to a WNBA roster, she was cut in the preseason by the Sacramento Monarchs. Roper signed another professional contract in Germany and played until her Marburg team's sponsors cut out. On Jan. 26, she signed with a Greek team in Serres and played until May 1, but never got paid.

The travel experience was "insanely" good, the basketball dramatically different — often in a negative way — and the business side of the sport "sucked."

Roper figures she broke even financially, thanks to her free housing, $1,500 monthly salary in Germany, and a great deal with a Greek restaurant that fed her for nothing while team owners refused to honor her contract.

Roper would return in a heartbeat, even with only a hope of playing for a professional team that is actually run professionally. Her time away from basketball was a blast.

Her second week overseas, she and a newfound Canadian friend spent three days exploring Berlin. Roper celebrated Christmas in Hamburg, where the city devotes itself to decorations. She ate a traditional Easter dinner on one of several Greek islands she visited, and spent tons of time in Athens.

"They've got so much history it's insane," Roper said. "You'll just be driving down a narrow road and see a little brown (historical marker) sign. We saw one at a fork in the road, drove to the top of the hill, and there was a huge castle. You could look out on the coast, the water was beautiful, you could see Turkey. It's just insane."

But if she goes back to Greece, it will be without a basketball.

"They don't pay you, don't treat you like a person," Roper said. "The team I played for was the same one Nani Cockett played for and she had the same story. ... They get away with everything in Greece."

Olympic preparations are as far behind as advertised, according to Roper. The Greek women's basketball team is also lagging. One of Roper's new friends plays on the team and called it "terrible." It is also terribly short.

"If I was Greek, I would play on the team," Roper said. "They don't have anyone close to my height. But, the most European blood I got is Swedish."

Roper averaged more than 12 rebounds a game for both teams. She scored nearly that many points in Germany "because they passed me the ball." The WAC career block leader also had about four rejections a game, but admits her basketball didn't get much better overseas.

Her German coach leaned more to "the awful side of coaching." Her Greek coach was better, but since the team refused to pay him for petrol, he stopped commuting to practice.

Exploring the world made up for all of it.

"It was one hell of an experience," Roper said. "I'm ready to go back after I graduate in December. ... Wherever I can go."

Her preference would be Spain. Traditionally, the professional league there and those in Italy and France are much more stable. Besides, there is much more to explore.

So why is she here on her own dime to help at a youth camp?

"Because (assistant coach) Da (Houl) asked," Roper said.

NOTES: Vince Goo had his contract for last season OK'd by the Board of Regents last week. His new contract is retroactive to last August and lasts two more months. Goo received the raise he asked for from his last contract, which paid him $90,000. He declined to say how much of a raise.