WNBA draft day

2009 WNBA DRAFT, ROUND 1
PICK TEAM RECORD

1 Atlanta Dream | Angel McCoughtry | Louisville 4-30
2 Washington Mystics | Marissa Coleman | Maryland 10-24
3 Chicago Sky | Kristi Toliver | Maryland 12-22
4 Minnesota Lynx | Renee Montgomery | Connecticut 16-18
5 Phoenix Mercury | DeWanna Bonner | Auburn 16-18
6 Indiana Fever | Briann January | Arizona State 17-7
7 Sacramento Monarchs | Courtney Paris | Oklahoma 18-16
8 New York Liberty | Kia Vaughn | Rutgers 19-15
9 Minnesota Lynx | Quanitra Hollingsworth | VCU 16-18
10 Connecticut Sun | Chante Black | Duke 21-13
11 Detroit Shock | Shavonte Zellous | Pittsburgh 22-12
12 Seattle Storm | Ashley Walker | California 22-12
13 Los Angeles Sparks | Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton | Purdue 20-14


2009 WNBA DRAFT, ROUND 2
PICK TEAM RECORD

14 San Antonio Silver Stars | Megan Frazee | Liberty 24-10
15 Minnesota Lynx | Rashanda McCants | North Carolina 16-18
16 Chicago Sky | Danielle Gant | Texas A&M 12-22
17 Connecticut Sun | Lyndra Littles | Virginia 21-13
18 Detroit | Britany Miller | Florida State 22-12
19 Indiana Fever | Christina Wirth | Vanderbilt 17-7
20 Sacramento Monarchs | Whitney Boddie | Auburn 18-16
21 New York Liberty | Abby Waner | Duke 19-15
22 Los Angeles Sparks | Ashley Paris | Oklahoma 20-14
23 Washington Mystics | Camille LeNoir | USC 10-24
24 Washington Mystics | Jelena Milovanovic | MKB Euroleasing 10-24
25 Atlanta Dream | Shalee Lehning | Kansas State 4-30
26 San Antonio Silver Stars | Sonja Petrovic | Belgrade, Serbia 24-10


2009 WNBA DRAFT, ROUND 3
PICK TEAM RECORD

27 Atlanta Dream | Jessica Morrow | Baylor 4-30
28 Washington Mystics | Josephine Owino | Union (Tenn.) 10-24
29 Chicago Sky | Jennifer Risper | Baylor 12-22
30 Minnesota Lynx | Emily Fox | Minnesota 16-18
31 Phoenix Mercury | Sha Brooks | Florida 16-18
32 Indiana Fever | Danielle Campbell | Purdue 17-7
33 Sacramento Monarchs | Morgan Warburton | Utah 18-16
34 Phoenix Mercury | Jessica Adair | George Washington 16-18
35 Los Angeles Sparks | Britney Jordan | Texas A&M-Commerce 20-14
36 Connecticut Sun | Alba Torrens | Real Club Celta Indepo 21-13
37 Detroit Shock | Tanae Davis-Cain | Florida State 22-12
38 Seattle Storm | Mara Freshour | Florida State 22-12
39 San Antonio Silver Stars | Candyce Bingham | Lousville 24-10

I'm always surprised at the order, but there's no accounting for the needs of particular teams. We fans can say what we want, praise and grumble, but in the end it's the decisions of respective teams. Courtney Paris at seven was the biggest surprise for me, and I am not alone.

Not selected:

Takia Starks, Texas A&M (what?)
Devanei Hampton, Cal
Jillian Harmon, Stanford

I'm really surprised at Takia Starks not being chosen.

I'm thrilled for Camille LeNoir and Candyse Bingham - very hard-working players with skills. I also can't completely dislike the Storm now, since they selected Ashley Walker. I wished Ashley luck Saturday, and I will continue to do so for her up there. The Storm sure didn't work out for her assistant coach at Cal. And I'm happy for Coach Greg McCall, because his daughter DeWanna isn't that far away in Phoenix.

I was at the Sparks draft party today, and everyone was very pleased with the selections of the powers that be. True that Wisdom-Hylton and Walker are forwards and we need guards, but I guess they're counting on that with Marta Fernandez. My guess is they're going to keep Shannon Bobbitt as the PG, and use Fernandez as the two. Or if rumors on rebkell are correct, they'll sign Betty Lennox within the next week, and there will be our 2. If that's the case, the Lindsay and Ashley picks are brilliant, because we need forwards.

Personally, I was very happy for one, because Wisdom-Hylton and Candace Parker already know each other well from their high school days in Illinois. And Ashley Paris is a good player and an even better person. I was one of those that yelled "woo!" when we got her at 22. As for Britney Jordan, I admit I don't know much about her. But I'm willing to learn.

I predict Murriel Page, Raffaela Masciadri, Kiesha Brown and Jessica Moore have seen their last days in purple and gold uniforms.

Bottom line: we appear to be loaded! I like that.

Candace did her appearance at the party and made the rounds. It was very personable.

Pics:

http://www.spmsportspage.com/images/WNBA/2009/Sparks-Draft-Party-Womens-Professional-Basketball-WNBA-4-09-2009/003.html

Coach Michael Cooper told the crowd that staff had done their homework on prospective picks extensively this year, including obtaining their medical histories. I guess it paid off.