Indiana Fever Draft Preview

Power trio Briann January, Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas are among the core players back in Indiana for 2013.
NBAE/Getty Images

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First 3 Selections in 2013 No. 9 overall No. 21 overall No. 33 overall Last 3 First Round Picks (Pick, Year) Sasha Goodlett (11, 2012) Jeannette Pohlen (9, 2011) Jene Morris (11, 2010)

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Strengths Championship Experience Depth Tamika Catchings Areas of Improvement Rebounding Field Goal Percentage Road Record

So, can they do it again?

Such is the unforgiving world of sports. The Indiana Fever clawed their way to a first WNBA Championship in 2012, despite suffering two major postseason injuries, and as the 2013 campaign approaches, the question arises: Do the Fever have what it takes to repeat?

Nobody knows until the games are played, of course, but Head Coach Lin Dunn is relishing the opportunity to find out.

"It was a great accomplishment, especially with Katie (Douglas) and (Jeannette) Pohlen going down and players like Erin Phillips and (Erlana) Larkins stepping up for us against Minnesota in the Finals," said Dunn. "But we can't spend much time looking at our rings and smiling. We have work to do. We can't be satisfied. I know I'm not, and I know the players I've got and they aren't satisfied either. We have to go out this season and work hard on improving and defending the title."

One way most teams improve from season to season is through the WNBA Draft, which features three of the most promising prospects to ever come into the league in 2013 -- Baylor's Brittney Griner, Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins and Delaware's Elena Delle Donne. With the ninth and 21st picks in this year's draft, Indiana will miss out on one of the "3 to See," but Dunn is eager to add through the draft what was already begun during a winning offseason.

"The first positive, even before we get to the draft, is the fact we kept the core of our championship team together," said Dunn, referencing the re-signing of 2011 WNBA MVP and 2012 WNBA Finals MVP Tamika Catchings, Briann January and Shavonte Zellous. "But as far as the draft goes, we think we know the five or six players who will be gone before we pick at No. 9, but we think we can get a good player at that spot. As I said, with our core returning, I wouldn't say we have any holes to fill, so we will be looking for the best player available to us, whatever their best position was in college. We're not worrying about getting a point guard or getting a post player. Best athlete available."

Some of the players mentioned by Coach Dunn include Toni Young (forward, Oklahoma State), Kayla Alexander (center, Syracuse) and guards Kelly Faris (UConn), Lindsey Moore (Nebraska) and Chucky Jeffery (Colorado).

"There should be some good players available when we pick on Monday," said Dunn. "And then we start getting our roster together and start training camp and working on things for the season."

One attempted experiment from last year's preseason paid big dividends for the Fever when reigning League MVP Catchings shifted over to the 4-spot, a move that helped drive Indiana's championship run. Dunn thinks they've only scratched the surface of this lineup change.

"We were pretty successful with Catch at the four last season," said Dunn. "And now that she's comfortable there, and the team is, we think we have some things we can do with Catch at the four and January at the 1. We'll work it at, and go into the season excited about this great group of players we have and competing for another championship."