Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Friday, April 15, 2005

Countdown: The 2005 WNBA Draft is tomorrow!


Women's Hoops Blog Mock Draft
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1. Charlotte Sting. Janel McCarville, center, Minnesota.

'You can’t have enough players who can score in the paint. Offensive output is always a concern for us, and I like players with a variety of offensive skills. I’d hone in on that." -Sting head coach Trudi Lacey


2. Indiana Fever. Mississipi State guard Tan White.

The Fever go for the best overall athlete on the board, adding another versatile scorer to complement superstar Tamika Catchings.


3. Phoenix Mercury. Sandora Irvin, forward, Texas Christian.

"You know who I really like? Sandora Irvin down at TCU. She is a very good post player." - Diana Taurasi


4. San Antonio Stars. Kansas State forward Kendra Wecker.

Coach Dan Hughes says, “I think we need perimeter shooting and depth in the post. But I think if you look on the board and there's a player you like that for some reason slipped by the first three, you take her. We don't have the depth. We better take the best player we can get.”


5. Houston Comets. LSU guard Temeka Johnson.

"If they drafted a point guard, that would be a great, great way to start rebuilding and I think she'd fit perfectly." -Nancy Lieberman


6. Washington Mystics. Dionnah Jackson, guard, Oklahoma.

'With good size for a point guard at 5-9, Jackson isn't afraid to play in the paint, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game as a senior. That ranked her seventh in the Big 12 and would be a fine total for a forward, let alone a point guard. Jackson averaged at least five assists per game all three seasons as a starter and has more than enough playmaking ability to play the point, while she's a highly-regarded defender who averaged more than two steals per game.'


7. Detroit Shock. Sancho Lyttle, center, Houston.

'Just four years ago, Sancho Lyttle had never played a game of organized basketball. Growing up in St. Vincent, British West Indies, she just was not into the game. "One of my coaches at home tried to open a women's tournament. He had a friend up here and needed some tall players, so I came. I had no skills then," she said. Four years later, she led the country in rebounding.' Sancho's new tutor will be Detroit's newly hired assistant coach, Rick Mahorn.


8. Connecticut Sun. Kara Braxton, center, Georgia.

'You can't ignore a 6-6 post with good hands and agility who put up 16 points and seven boards in her first taste of SEC competition. Would be a perfect fit in Connecticut's up-tempo attack'. Its been reported that Connecticut might be drafting from this slot for San Antonio. If so, look for SA coach Dan Hughes to be smiling all next week after bagging the rights to both Wecker and Braxton.


9. Sacramento Monarchs. Katie Feenstra, center, Liberty.

With the strength of this draft's 1st round in its post players and with every day a different trade rumor involving Monarch's center Yolanda Griffith, the Ms will be tempted to go big. Feenstra reportedly showed well at the WNBA's pre-draft camp last weekend.


10. New York Liberty. Tanisha Wright, guard, Penn State.

'Probably the least talked about lock for the first round, just as she was the least talked about star in the Big Ten. Wright earned first-team all-conference honors by doing the little things in Kelly Mazzante's shadow as a junior and then repeated that honor as Penn State's focal point as a senior.'


11. Minnesota Lynx. Kristen Haynie, guard, Michigan State.

'Haynie might have solidified a place in the first round with her play in leading Michigan State to a second-place finish in the NCAA Tournament. She was just the fourth leading scorer on the Spartans this season but showed an ability to get to the basket and finish, as well as hit from outside, in the crucible of tourney play. All of which suggests she's the ultimate point guard, in the mold of Jason Kidd, willing to defer to teammates unless absolutely necessary.'


12. Seattle Storm. Shyra Ely, forward, Tennessee.

'At 6-2, Ely will have to play on the perimeter in the WNBA, though she will have the opportunity to use her post skills against some smaller opponents. Given time, Ely should be able to adapt and thrive as a professional.' -Kevin Pelton.


13. Washington Mystics. Jacqueline Batteast, forward, Notre Dame.

'The totality of her résumé, not to mention her ideal size and quickness, are imposing. Batteast simply looks like a basketball player, with her deceptively long reach fueling both steals and blocks in a defensive game that could blossom under the right coach.'