2009 WNBA Preview Sponsored by Purple Reign

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Every year, I try to jump start WNBA conversation with an un-official Annual WNBA Preview at the beginning of the season here at Kingsfans.com.

Every year I give the disclaimer that though I am a huge fan of this league, I am nowhere near the WNBA expert many of you are. I just like to have fun giving my opinion on the wonderful glouious game of basketball (The Professional Women’s Version). Help me with what you think are the facts. This Preview will be very OBJECTIVE. I will do two teams per day up till Opening Day, and I will save the Monarchs for the final preview.

 

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ATLANTA DREAM

Projected Starting Five
PF – Sancho Lyttle
SF – Chamique Holdsclaw
C – Michelle Snow
PG – Ivory Latta
SG – Izi Castro-Marques

KEYS
Bench Players – A. McCoughtry, C. Anderson, T. Young, N. Teasley
Additions – SEE BENCH PLAYERS
Subtractions – B. Lennox, K. Haynie, K. Feenstra
Positive Statistic – Michelle Snow 6.7 RPG in 2008
Negative Statistic – 796 Total Team Fouls, (League High)

Outlook – On paper it looks like the Atlanta Dream have made a significant upgrade in talent. But history proves in this league and in other sports leagues that you do not jump from expansion team to playoff team in just one season. The major addition of course is Chamique Holdsclaw after a two year absence from the league. Holdsclaw’s story and her talent has been well documented. If she is ready comprehensively to play basketball which includes desire, the Dream will make major improvements. I have not been a big believer of Ivory Latta. But last year she stepped into the role as team leader on and off the floor quite nicely and was key to the four wins the Dream got. Latta started 31 of 34 games and had a 2 to 1 assist to turnover rate, shooting only 36 percent. Angel McCoughtry’s #1 Pick talent and energy is legendary, and is greatly anticipated for the future of the team. This team has talent, but do they have chemistry in order to make a jump into respectability.

Projection: 6th, EASTERN CONFERENCE (14-20)

 

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WASHINGTON MYSTICS

Projected Starting Five
PF – Nakia Sanford
SF – Monique Currie
C – Chasity Melvin
PG – Lindsay Harding
SG – Alana Beard

KEYS
Bench Players – C. Langhorne, T. Humphrey, M. Ajavon, N. Blue, M. Coleman
Additions – Coleman
Subtractions – C. Miller
Positive Statistic – 1092 Total Minutes Played for Beard (8th in League)
Negative Statistic – 69.6 PPG as a Team (Worst in League)

Outlook – The Washington Mystics do not have a talent issue, they have a culture issue, a losing culture. This has to be the most underachieving franchise in the history of the league. The Mystics has had more college superstars on their roster than most teams, yet and still they can not find a way to break through into contending status. This season the Mystics are putting their faith into 3 former Duke Blue Devils who will play key roles (Alana Beard, Monique Currie, Lindsay Harding) and two former Maryland Terrapin stars (Marissa Coleman and Crystal Langhorne) who will anchor the bench. Out of that ACC contingent, only Beard is the one that has nothing to prove. Her back has to be killing her for real in carrying this franchise. The real dilemma is how to get Marissa Coleman on the floor at the positions two of their three best players are starting. There is no way this team should be last in scoring, and if that continues, look for Washington to once again scrap the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Projection: 7th, EASTERN CONFERENCE (14-20)

 

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CHICAGO SKY

Projected Starting Five
PF – Candace Dupree
SF – Armintie Price
C – Sylvia Fowles
PG – Dominique Canty
SG – Jia Perkins

KEYS
Bench Players – C. Tolliver, E. Thorn
Additions – C. Tolliver, E. Thorn
Subtractions – C. Melvin
Positive Statistic – 7.9 rbg (Candace Dupree, 3rd in the League)
Negative Statistic – 110 Team 3 pt shots made (Last in the League)

Outlook – Everything for the Sky starts and ends with the frontcourt tandem of Sylvia Fowles and Candace Dupree. Only five games into the 2008 season, a season in which Chicago figured to have its best chance yet to reach the postseason, Fowles went down with a knee injury that caused her to miss 17 games and deflated Chicago’s hopes for making the playoffs. The Sky managed just a 6-11 record without Fowles. If Fowles remains healthy, she should be a force in the middle on both sides of the ball that will open up the outside shooting of one of the worst shooting teams in the league, and be a goaltender on defense. Chicago does not have much of a bench, so it is imperative that they get the most offensively out of a veteran backcourt in Jia Perkins (age 27) and Dominique Canty (32). If Perkins, Canty and Armentie Price (who is a dreadful offensive player, 44 percent shooting, no three pointers and 52 percent from the line) can consistently score, Chicago will do damage. Dupree for some reason continues to be the most overlooked, underrated player in the league. If she continues to be “Dupree’ (16pts, 9 rpg), Chicago could crack the postseason for the first time in franchise history.

Projection: 4th, EASTERN CONFERENCE (17-17)

 

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MINNESOTA LYNX

Projected Starting Five
PF – Latoya Pringle
SF – Seimone Augustus
C – Nikki Anosike
PG – Kelly Miller
SG – Candice Wiggins

KEYS
Bench Players – C. Houston, R. Montgomery, A. DeForge, C. Thomas
Additions – Montgomery, Pringle
Subtractions – N. Olhde, N. Quinn
Positive Statistic – 81.4 PPG (Minnesota points scored, second in league)
Negative Statistic – 80 PPG (Minnesota points allowed, third worst in league)

Outlook – It is important to note that in the 10 year history of the Lynx, that this franchise has finished over .500 twice (18-16 both in ’03 and ’04). It is an understatement to say that the expectation of the Lynx in 2009 is playoffs or bust, considering the roster that has been compiled on paper. In my memory, has no team in the history of the league had more accomplished college stars on one roster. Anosike, Candice Wiggins, LaToya Pringle, Renee Montgomery, Latoya Pringle, Charde Houston. Add veteran players like Kelly Miller, Christi Thomas, Anna DeForge, and you have quite a stable of names. Am I forgetting somebody? OH, just only one of the most explosive offensive players in the league, “Lady” Seimone Augustus, and the expectations I am sure are very high in Minny. But here is a fact; there is no “D” in the word Minnesota. If the Lynx want to make the playoffs, they must play better defense. All those names list, only Pringle and maybe the rookie Montgomery conjures up defensive thoughts. Minny has great youth and good energy, but can they play enough on the ball defense that will get them to their first playoff berth in five seasons.

Projection - 5th, WESTERN CONFERENCE (16-18)

 

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INDIANA FEVER

Projected Starting Five
PF – Ebony Hoffman
SF – Tamika Catchings
C – Tammy Sutton-Brown
PG – Briann January
SG – Katie Douglas

KEYS
Bench Players – T. Bevilaqua, Y. Griffith, T. White
Additions – January, Griffith, E. White, T. Dixon
Subtractions – NONE
Positive Statistic – 324 Total Team Steals (1st in the League)
Negative Statistic – 17 games started by Tamika Catchings

Outlook – The Fever took a small step back last season finishing 17-17, after winning 21 games each of the previous two seasons. The expectation of the Fever going into the 2008 season was that of championship aspirations. But in 2008 as in ’07 and ’06 it has been the three-time defending East champion Detroit Shock who have sent them home. But the reality is when your best player is also the leagues best defensive player, and she misses 12-15 games in the last two regular seasons it affects your playoff positioning and in turn affects your playoff aspirations. Tamika Catchings has a ton of support on the roster, but she has to be healthy if Indiana has any chance to get over the Detroit hump and win a championship. Ebony Hoffman last season had a breakout year as she was named the leagues Most Improved Player. She is a “big girl” that can step out and drain a 3 at any moment (26 3 pointers made in ’08 at 36 percent beyond the arc) She was fith in the league in rebounding (7.8 per game) and brings a ton of energy on the floor. In the backcourt, Indian will hand the reigns over to Briann January as veteran Tully Belalaqua becomes the sixth woman. With the addition of Yolanda Griffith, and a better second season from Katie Douglas, this team is ready right now to win a title. If, and this is a big if, Catchings can play at her max without getting hurt.

Projection: 2nd, EASTERN CONFERENCE (23-11)

 

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PHOENIX MERCURY

Projected Starting Five
PF – Le’Coe Willingham
SF – Diana Taurasi
C – Tangela Smith
PG – Temeka Johnson
SG – Cappie Pondexter

KEYS
Bench Players – Bonner, Ohlde, Mazante,
Additions – N. Ohlde, D. Bonner
Subtractions – K. Miller, L. Pringle
Positive Statistic – 230-3 pointers made (2nd in league),
Negative Statistic – 1146 FGA from Tarausi and Pondexter of the 2460 Team FGA (47 percent of team attempts)

Outlook – The pundits and Phoenix fans continue to look at the Phoenix Mercury franchise as a championship quality team. But if one really dug deep, you would find that Phoenix for the most part has been a franchise that has only made the playoffs 2 times in the last 8 years, and three out of five Diana Taurasi years. Since the 2007 Championship season this roster gets worst. Yes the Mercury have two All Star franchise players, but the talent around them continue to deteriorate particularly on the defensive side of the court. The key to the Mercury this season is not Tarausi or Cappie Pondexter (you know what they bring). It is the gapping hole that they have at the Power Forward position and what will they get from Tangela Smith coming off of knee surgery. LeCoe Willingham is a stop gap and is not the answer. At six feet, she is an undersized PF with limited defensive skills (only 15 block shots total in five seasons). Temeka Johnson is now your starting point guard in place of the steady and reliable Kelly Miller. Johnson has played in a total of 34 games the past 2 seasons, with a career of shooting 40 percent, 20 percent from behind the arc. Tarausi and Pondexter both are going to have to score in bunches just to keep Phoenix in games. They account for close to 50 percent of the team’s total points and I think that number has to grow just to keep them in games.

Projection: tied - 5th, WESTERN CONFERENCE (16-18)

 

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NEW YORK LIBERTY

Projected Starting Five
PF – Cathrine Kraayeveld
SF – Shameka Christon
C – Janel McCarville
PG – Loree Moore
SG – Essence Carson

KEYS
Bench Players – L. Mitchell, S. Spencer, J. Davenport
Additions – K. Vaughn, S. Spencer
Subtractions – E. Thorn
Positive Statistic – 259 Team 3 pointers made (Led the League)
Negative Statistic – 653 Team Free Throw Attempts (Last in the League)

Outlook – The “Lib Kids” may become a victim of a much improved top of the Eastern Conference. Although the Liberty fell one game short in advancing to the WNBA finals last season, Pat Coyle may find her team post-season wise on the outside looking in unless their roster of young players do not improve internally. The biggest improvement is to increase the number of team wide free throw attempts as New York was dead last in the league. The Liberty will again be led by a tri-fecta of young dynamic players Shameka Christon, Janel McCarville, and Loree Moore. It is Christon that the team depends upon to shoulder the load of offensive responsibility, and in 2008 she had a bounce back from a somewhat up and down 2007 averaging almost 16 points per game. But Christon is a volume scorer averaging only 10 ppg on 9 shots. McCarville, meanwhile, took herself to a new level in ‘08, setting career-highs in points (13.7), steals (1.5), assists (2.1), and rebounds (5.4) per game. Her .535 field-goal percentage was also third-best among all players. The addition of Essence Carson to the starting lineup should provide energy and defensive prowess that New York desperately needs. But it s Loree Moore that will determine the post-season fate for this franchise. Moore is clearly one of the top point guards in the league and shoulders the leadership responsibility, if she can keep her assist up (4.6 – 2008) and her turnovers down (2.66 – 2008), the Liberty could see the needed improvement internally that will vault them to enother playoff run.

Projection: 5th, EASTERN CONFERENCE (17-17)

 

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CONNETICUT SUN

Projected Starting Five
PF – Ashja Jones
SF – Keri Gardin
C – Tamika Whitmore
PG – Lindsay Whalen
SG – Amber Holt

KEYS
Bench Players – S. Gruda, B. Turner
Additions – NONE
Subtractions – T. Raymond, J. Carey
Positive Statistic – 1239 Total Rebounds (3rd in the league)
Negative Statistic – Keri Gardin .537 Free Throw percentage

Outlook – The Sun have lost a majority of the core of their championship years of 2004-06 (Douglas, Sales, Dydek, McWilliams-Franklin). But the one constant is the underrated leadership of Mike Thibault who just might be the best coach in the league. Even when the Sun change roster, this franchise has made the playoffs every single year but one (2001) in the 10 year history of the franchise. I do not expect that to change this season. No glitz, no glamour, just hard working players in Tameka Whitmore, Ashja Jones and the floor general Lindsay Whalen. But another thing that remains constant is that this franchise has never had one player to get it over the hump (SEE SACRAMENTO MONARCHS). This team has talent, but not championship talent. In order for the Sun to eclipse Detroit and Indiana, they have to find a player that will put the team on her back on punish the rest of the Conference. The Sun also have a glaring hole at the Small Forward. Right now, unknown Keri Gardin who averages 4 points and shoots in the mid thirties is “penciled” in at the 3. But I could see the Sun picking somebody up off of the waiver wire on opening day to help fill in that gap. If they find a jewel, they will be well on their way to another playoff berth.

Projection: 3rd, EASTERN CONFERENCE (19-15)

 

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LOS ANGELES SPARKS

Projected Starting Five
PF – Tina Thompson
SF – Delisha Milton-Jones
C – Lisa Leslie
PG – Noelle Quinn
SG – Betty Lennox

KEYS
Bench Players – M. Ferdinand Harris, S. Bobbitt, V. Hayden
Additions – Lennox, Hayden, Quinn, Thompson
Subtractions – T. Johnson, S. Spencer
Positive Statistic – 216 Total Team Blocks (Led the League)
Negative Statistic – 608 total Turnovers (2nd in the league) Leslie (119), Lennox (114) and Thompson (112) were 1, 2 and 3 in most turnovers in the league, Milton Jones (99) was 7, Candace parker (91) was tied for 9th.

Outlook – Once again the Sparks find themselves in the cat’s meow seat of being the media and league fron office exec’s odds on favorite to win the 2009 WNBA Championship. But in my opinion this team has far more questions than answers. Without Candace Parker the league’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, this is not the same exact team that ended last season on a last second shot by San Antonio’s Sophia Young. Parker is rushing back to aid Los Angeles. Even if Parker does make it back, what type of shape will “The Golden Child” be in? With the addition of Tina Thompson, can this aging front line hold up against the youth of the rest of the conference? Will Michael Cooper be focused and engaged enough as he is moonlighting as the USC Trojans new head coach? Can Betty Lennox fit chemistry wise into the star studded Los Angeles machine? This team will be interesting to say the least, but they in my mind are part of the crowded landscape of the Western Conference. They have the talent to finish first in the regular season, but do they have the chemestry to win a championship. Those questions must be answered.


Projection: 1st, WESTERN CONFERENCE (23-11)

 

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SEATTLE STORM

Projected Starting Five
PF – Lauren Jackson
SF – Swin Cash
C – Janell Burse
PG – Sue Bird
SG – Tanisha Wright

KEYS
Bench Players – K. Geralds,
Additions – J. Burse, S. Johnson
Subtractions – Y. Griffith, S. Swoopes
Positive Statistic – .398 Opponent’s FG percentage
Negative Statistic – .318 Team 3 Point FG percentage (tied for second worst in league)

Outlook – The window of opportunity is closing on the Storm in their chase of a second championship. Lauren Jackson, who is in my opinion the best player in the game, has unofficially served notice to Seattle that she is a year to year basketball player in the WNBA. With that said, I do believe that if healthy, the Storm are a better team in ’09 than in ’08, and if all plays perfectly, they could represent the Western Conference this season, and break a four year drought unable to make it out of the first round in any of those years Sue Bird is coming off of her best season, averaging 14 points and 5 assist per games and carrying the Storm during Jackson’s Olympic and Injury break. She is the key to a very solid six player rotation that includes a deteriorating Swin Cash (coming off of back surgery), Janell Burse, who is also coming off a season ending surgery and sharp shooter off the bench Katie Geralds who shoots close to 40 percent from behind the arc. The player to watch is Tanisha Wright at the off guard position who is young and somewhat unproven but plays with great energy and can get to the basket at will. The big weakness of the Storm and always have been is the bench. After Geralds there is nothing there. This team is going to have to ride or die with six players and hope they can hold up to get them passed the first round.

Projection: 2nd, WESTERN CONFERENCE (20-14)

 

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SAN ANTONIO SILVER STARS

Projected Starting Five
PF – Sophia Young
SF – Erin Bueschler (Perperglou)
C – Ruth Riley
PG – Becky Hammon
SG – Vickie Johnson

KEYS
Bench Players – S. Crossley, H. Darling, E. Lawson-Wade
Additions – NONE
Subtractions – NONE
Positive Statistic – .433 Team FG Percentage (Led the league)
Negative Statistic – 1093 Team Rebounds (Last in the League)

Outlook – The San Antonio Silver Stars experienced a dream season including the very best record in the league at 24-10. However that dream ended up in a complete nightmare in the WNBA Finals as San Antonio got beat in every form imaginable getting swept by the Detroit Shock. But the Silver Stars lived on the edge throughout the playoffs leading up to the finals. They won three very close games against Sacramento and Los Angeles that they easily could have lost, that I think caught up to them against Detroit. This season, the core of the Stars remain the same with two superstars in Sophia Young and Becky Hammon. However Ann Wauters, who anchors the middle, does not intend to join the team until midway through the season in order to rest her body and deal with some personal issues. Wauters averaged 14.7 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 53 percent from the field – also tops on the team. Now San Antonio has to depend on the up and down play of Ruth Riley. If you look deep into this squad, at some key spots the Stars are aging. Erin Buchser is 30, Helen Darling is 31, Hammon is 32 and Vicki Johnson is 37. If Johnson who is one of the original players in the league, can give them a full season of production, San Antonio will be in the hunt. But Living on the edge one year can mean falling off the cliff the next.

Projection: 4th, WESTERN CONFERENCE (19-15)

 

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DETROIT SHOCK

Projected Starting Five
PF – Taj McWilliams-Franklin
SF – Alexis Hornbuckle
C – Cheryl Ford
PG – Katie Smith
SG – Deanna Nolan

KEYS
Bench Players – P. Pierson, K. Braxton, K. Haynie
Additions – Haynie, S. Zellous
Subtractions – NONE
Positive Statistic – 1248 Total Rebounds (1st in the League)
Negative Statistic – Alexis Hornbuckle .354 FG percentage

Outlook – As long as Bill Laimbeer is leading this franchise, the Shock will always content for a Championship. Laimbeer is in the mold of Phil Jackson, having a way to motivate and manage players, to get the absolute best out of them, even if they possess limited talent. This team does not have to worry about limited talent or experience. This is the most experienced team in the league by far. Deanna Nolan is the best off guard in the league. She is a model of consistency that plays all out every single minute she is on the floor. Nolan has missed only one game in the past seven seasons; that is a testimony to her dedication and ability to lead and perform at the highest level every moment of a game. Cheryl Ford though is another story. For the last two seasons, the most productive rebounder in the league has missed parts or all of the post season; however the Shock finds ways to adjust and manage. A testament to their depth and experience in players such as Plenette Pierson, Katie Smith, Kara Braxton and Taj Mc-Williams Franklin (a key pick up in their title run). This year Detroit will receive a push from the Indiana Fever; but with their depth and championship experience, the Shock should be right there ready to contend with the challenges.

Projection: 1st, EASTERN CONFERENCE (25-9)