THE WOMEN OF THE WNBA
By John Kelly
Twelve teams are set to compete in the WNBA's 14th season with only 11 players on each roster and a reduction of $52,000 in salary cap for each team. Here's a quick preseason handicap (in order of preference) of the dozen teams in the WNBA:
PHOENIX MERCURY - Diana Taurasi is the best player on the league's best team. The addition of Candice Dupree, acquired as part of a three-way trade with Chicago and New York, should re-energize the 27-year-old Taurasi. Dupree and Taurasi were teammates overseas this winter.
INDIANA FEVER - Tamika Catchings is the best WNBA player without a title. Indy is the class of the Eastern Conference. Head coach Lin Dunn emphasizes defense.
SEATTLE STORM - The entry of Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson is the best duo in the league. The Storm won the title in 2004, but they've been unceremoniously dumped in the first round of playoffs each of the past five seasons.
LOS ANGELES SPARKS - Life without Lisa Leslie begins in L.A. Leslie was a huge force on the both ends of the court. She will be missed. Candace Parker is the second-best player in the WNBA, but her supporting cast is suspect.
SAN ANTONIO SILVER STARS - This is a beautifully-operated organization with Dan Hughes as general manager and Sandy Brondello as head coach. Becky Hammon is a crafty point guard who can win games single-handedly with her three-point shooting. The Stars are tough at home.
CONNECTICUT SUN - Here's another excellent organization. They're building for the future, but they could be a playoff team this year. Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles are re-united after starring as collegians at the University of Connecticut. The young pair may struggle against veteran types.
ATLANTA DREAM - The 2010 roster is virtually unchanged from 2009. Atlanta won 18 games last season after a 4-28 record in its inaugural 2008 season. The Dream is a legitimate playoff contender in the weak Eastern Conference.
NEW YORK LIBERTY - The Cappie Pondexter Era begins in New York. The former Rutgers star loves to run and gun, which should excite the Madison Square Garden faithful. Head coach Anne Donovan rarely gets outsmarted.
MINNESOTA LYNX - Here's my sleeper team. Head coach Cheryl Reeve, a longtime assistant to Bill Laimbeer in Detroit, will have an immediate impact on her team. The injured Wiggins (knee) and Augustus (torso) should return to the team shortly. Watch Minny improve as the season progresses.
WASHINGTON MYSTICS - Strong on the perimeter, but weak in the paint. The addition of 12-year veteran Katie Smith, provided she stays healthy, should offset the loss of injured Alana Beard.
CHICAGO SKY - This is a team without a "go-to" player. Sylvia Fowles, a 6'6" center, is a better defensive player than offensive threat. Chicago moves its home games from UIC Pavilion to Allstate Arena.
TULSA SHOCK - Here's the biggest disappointment in the 2010 WNBA season. Nolan Richardson's "Forty Minutes of Hell" will not work for a team rebuilding on the fly. Only five members of the 2009 Detroit Shock (no Katie Smith, no Deanna Nolan and no Cheryl Ford) are playing with Tulsa this season.