Detroit get ready. Is Pitt alum Shavonte Zellous the next Nolan? "We call her mini-Deanna," says Cheryl Ford.

In Atlanta, Holdsclaw. says she's "excited" about her return to the league. "I don't think I've ever said that before," she adds.

In Sacramento, Courtney Paris adjusts to her role-player role. "We're not in a situation where we need her to be a savior," coach Boucek says.

In Seattle, Jayda's blog is back as Storm camp opens. "Every team is going to be better this year," says Phoenix GM Ann Meyers Drysdale. "They'll all be deeper."

No, they won't. On the other hand (as Brian Martin at the dot-com points out) the later start to regular season play means fewer conflicts with overseas seasons, and more time for new lineups to gel: maybe the first two weeks of regular-season play won't look as ragged as in years past.