What would you do if the longest tenured owner in the National Basketball Association, one of the "Big Four" professional sports leagues in the United States, called you up one day and offered you the opportunity to purchase one of the league's properties?

In the case of Dr. Sheila Johnson, the answer was simple: think about it.

Dr. Johnson is many things: a successful businesswoman, a renowned philanthropist, a mother of two. She earned a small fortune when she and her then husband and BET co-founder, Robert Johnson, sold BET to Viacom in 1997. Nowhere along the road, however, had professional sports appeared on the radar.

Oh, the difference a phone call can make.

After the initial call from Abe Pollin three months ago, Dr. Johnson decided the best thing to do was sit down with some of her advisors and dig deeper into the opportunity which, as she freely admits, "was presented on a silver platter."

"Abe Pollin said, 'We like you, we like what you do, and we'd like you to be involved [in the Mystics.]' I asked my advisors to look more fully into the opportunity and, after thoroughly researching the prospects, they asked, 'Why just the Mystics? Why not become a partner in Lincoln Holdings?'"

Lincoln Holdings, LLC, is the partnership that, at the time, owned the Washington Capitals, as well as 45 percent of the Washington Wizards and the MCI Center. Before Dr. Johnson came along with her offer to join the team, Lincoln Holdings also controlled 45 percent of the Mystics. Abe Pollin, chairman of Washington Sports and Entertainment, owned the majority share of 55 percent.

In the event, not likely any time soon, that Abe Pollin, himself an area philanthropist of some repute, should decide to sell his controlling share in the Wizards, Lincoln Holdings holds an option and the right of first refusal to buy the team.

Ted Leonsis, Majority Owner and Chairman of Lincoln Holdings, liked the idea of having Dr. Johnson Jon the team, as did the other partners. Before too long, she had added a stake in the Lincoln Holdings partnership to her portfolio, and the title of President, Managing Partner and Governor for the Mystics to her résumé.

Just like that, history had been made; Sheila Johnson is now the first female African-American to become an owner/partner in three professional sports franchises.

Sheila Johnson has been on the job for barely the blink of an eye, yet one can already hear the wheels turning as she grows into her new role.

Upon first seeing the locker room for her new team, Dr. Johnson asked to see the locker room used by the Wizards. Sufficiently impressed by the cavernous cubicles and flat screen TV's made available for the players, she asked to see the locker room for the currently absence-excused Capitals. As the grandeur of that facility registered, she was heard to ask if Abe Pollin was the person to speak to about the apparent inequity.

"Dr. Johnson," the attendant reportedly replied, "you ARE Abe Pollin."

As the smile on her face grew, you knew the wheels were only turning faster.

Sheila Johnson is spending her time getting to know the Mystics, and her fans. At the first game after her new roles were announced, she made her way from the owner's box to the locker room, forsaking the traditional private elevator, choosing instead to walk down and meet the fans. She was welcomed with a series of standing ovations and hand written signs reading "Welcome Home Sheila!"

Success has not followed Sheila Johnson by accident. She knows what she knows, but, more importantly, she knows what she doesn't know.

She is not in a hurry to dismantle the Mystics' management structure that currently exists. One senses immediately that there will be no desperate grab for a quick fix.

She knows the current roster is made up of talented, though sometimes young, players. She knows that one of the team's better players, second-year guard Alana Beard, the reliable late-game scoring option so far missing this season, is working her way back after missing all of the preseason and the first four regular season games.

She knows that the team, both coaches and players, must have an opportunity to grow together to be able to perform successfully.

She also knows how important the team is to the community. The Mystics have led the WNBA in attendance in five of their first seven seasons, and Dr. Johnson is looking to continue that tradition by increasing the team's involvement in the community.

Getting the team involved with local children, particularly the underprivileged and those without a personal understanding of proper nutrition, top her list.

Long-term community involvement is the key, she says, even as she acknowledges that the short schedule and awkward time of the year the league plays its games present formidable challenges. She is looking into the possibility of a weekly live chat with fans, either online or on-air, presenting them with a sounding board for their thoughts, concerns, and, as is often the case with modern day fans, an opportunity to air their complaints.

A simple yet profound mantra in today's "win now" pro-sports mentality summarizes her approach to her newest challenge: "We cannot look to the immediate, but rather must focus on the long term, building a team that not only succeeds on the court for our fans, but also builds a valuable and positive relationship with the larger community."

Dr. Sheila Johnson has big plans for the Mystics, and winning championships is foremost amongst them. Once she is familiar, and comfortable, with her new roles, there is little doubt she will be an active, and involved, owner.

For the time being, however, she is happy to watch, and listen, and learn.

After all, she has to have some time to think about it.