The waiting is nearly over for Sting coach and general manager Trudi Lacey, who has been researching and deliberating just what to do with the team's top overall pick since winning the 2005 WNBA Draft Lottery. All of the college games have been played, the tapes reviewed and scouting reports read. With the future of the franchise in her hands. There is nothing left for the prospects to do but sit and wait for their names to be called. So without further ado, the Charlotte Sting are on the clock...

Q. How have you been preparing for the upcoming WNBA Draft?
"I attend college games, practices, view tape, speak with players' coaches and other coaches. The process used this year to evaluate the #1 pick was to use a "process of elimination". I started with a comprehensive list and narrowed it down to my top 3 picks."

Q. When do you start getting prepared for the Draft?
"Shortly after the completion of the Sting season by attending college practices, exhibition games and holiday tournaments."

Q. Are there specific areas or holes/weaknesses are you looking to bolster with your picks?
"We made additional offseason moves that bolstered some of the areas we wanted to improve upon."

Q. What are the most important traits you look for in prospects?
"Physical traits I prefer are size, athletic ability and quickness in term of basketball skills. I prefer players who showcase a multiple skill set, i.e. a player that is versatile who can play more than one position, who can defend and score in a variety of ways. I also look for a player with intangible skills, i.e. a high basketball IQ, a leader on and off the court and a person of good character. My preference is a complete player who possesses all of the above-mentioned skills."

Q. What players that you have seen have impressed you the most so far?
"If Seimone Augustus would have declared herself eligible for the draft, she is without question the most talented and gifted player in the country. If Monique Curry or Cappie Pondexter declare themselves eligible for this year's draft, they too would have had an immediate impact in the WNBA. Other than that, Janel McCarville would have the most immediate impact."

Q. How closely does a player's performance in the NCAA Tournament affect her draft status?
"By showcasing the best players against each other and also it gives me a platform to evaluate who can win at the highest level. Yes, depending on how a player plays, it can positively or negatively impact her draft status."

Q. Are you looking to trade or considering trading picks or players?
"To be determined."

Q. Does foreign scouting consume a lot of your time in the offseason?
"I'd say I spend approximately 30 percent of my time during the off-season scouting foreign players in international competition."

Q. With free agency as an option now, are you more likely to fill needs through the Draft, free agency, or trades?
The main objective is to put the best team on the floor as possible. So, the strength of the draft or the quality of unrestricted free agents in a given year dictates my strategy.