Just got done watching the new Mercury players!!

[Yuma]

1. Diana Taurasi - The new best player in the WNBA! Enough said!

2. Ashley Robinson - Long shot blocker, Seth Sulka said she is the defender on Lisa Leslie and other big centers in the Western Conference!

3. Shereka Wright - Tough, gets to the line a LOT, knows how to score down low, female Karl Malone

4. Sheila Lambert - Guard from the Detroit Shock, ??? Not many minutes, looks to be instant offense in her limited minutes.

5. Erika Valek - Val Ackerman likened her to a John Stockton, arguably the best pure point guard in the WNBA draft, acn shoot the three, too!

6. Lindsay Taylor - 6' 8" scored 18 points a game, and averaged 9 boards I believe. They say she's a project and needs work on her footwork, but you can't teach size!! She could be the sleeper of the WNBA draft this year!!

Overall, the Mercury came in needing a lot of pieces and ended up getting the female Larry Bird, possibly a Karl Malone, and a John Stockton, while getting two HUGE players down low!! Both look like they can block shots well!! The Mercury look like they improved the most in the draft. Val Ackerman and Rebecca Lobo said they feel Phoenix will be in the playoffs from what players were returning and what they added in the draft. Could be the Mercury are ready to return to their playoff from of old!!

 

[minercon]

Since they are only allowed 11 playing players and 2 on IRL I wonder who of the old guard will be left out??? We need American girls...no more Aussies or European gals. They never play more than two years.

 

[George O'Brien]

Since they are only allowed 11 playing players and 2 on IRL I wonder who of the old guard will be left out??? We need American girls...no more Aussies or European gals. They never play more than two years.

There will be a big turnover. Last year, one of their best players was Adrian Williams, 6'4" 170. She averaged 7.4 rpg and 9.8 ppg in 29 minutes. A year ago she shot very well (46.7%) but dropped to 40.7% last season. She should benefit from a stronger supporting cast.

Kayte Christensen is probably the best known player on the Mercury to Suns fans because she was used as a commentator on TV a number of times. She is not a big scorer at 6.9 ppg but she shot 48.4% and grabbed 4.2 rpg in 22 minutes. At 6'3" she is good sized for the women's game.

Lisa Harrison had a down year last season, but she is mostly known as a defensive specialist anyway. Her shooting was down as she hit only 41.3% from the field, but her career average of 46.7% is quite good. Lisa is still probably best known for turning down a lot of money to pose nude in Playboy after being voted the best looking woman in the WNBA by Playboy readers.

Last season the team's leading scorer was Anna DeForge, but at 11.9 ppg on 41.2% shooting. With all the guards coming in, she may not stay.

Williams, Christensen, and Harrison are likely to stay. Beyond that, who knows?