2005 Record 14-20, .412 (6th in West) Award Winners & Honorees All-Star Katie Smith 2005 Draft Recap Rd. 1 - 11, Kristen Mann Rd. 2 - 17, Jacqueline Batteast Rd. 3 - 37, Monique Bivins Playoff History Two out of eight years Last Appearance 2004, lost in first round

Ohlde

Without question, the best thing that happened to the Minnesota Lynx in 2005 was winning the Draft Lottery in December. Despite finishing the season with 14 wins, the Lynx defied the odds and won the Draft Lottery to secure the top overall pick in the Draft. In addition, Minnesota also has seventh overall pick, which gives them a number options.

Looking back, the Lynx were very much in the postseason hunt all season long, but lost their last four regular season games to slide into Lottery contention. In just her second season, center Nicole Ohlde asserted herself as one of the top centers in the WNBA, led the team in rebounding (5.7 rpg). She was joined in the starting lineup by fellow-second year player Vanessa Hayden. The two are living up to their 2004 first round Draft selection worthiness.

Guard Chandi Jones, who was also drafted in the first round in 2004, was traded to the Lynx in the deal that sent franchise player Katie Smith to Detroit, showed improvement with increased playing time, going from 16 to 28 minutes a night after the trade, jumping from 1 to 3 assists per game and increasing her scoring average by more than 25 percent.

Despite an All-Star first half of the season, Katie Smith's production began to diminish in late June and into July. The decision to trade her away could not have been an easy one. She was leading the league in scoring with 13.3 ppg before being traded. The team was one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league, but that was before Smith was traded.

Center Tamika Williams number were below her career bests as well. In her fourth season, she averaged career lows in minutes per game (22.8), points per game (5.8) and rebounds per game (5.0). She has yet to replicate the promising 10.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg of her rookie season in 2002.

The Minnesota Lynx ultimately had a disappointing season because they could not score, finding themselves near the bottom of the league in scoring. The real problem was that they lacked a real scorer down the stretch.

Head Coach -Suzie McConnell Serio 2005 Starting Lineup -G- Kristi Harrower -G- Chandi Jones -F- Svetlana Abrosimova -F- Vanessa Hayden -C- Nicole Ohlde Key 2005 Reserves -Tamika Williams -Stacey Lovelace -Amber Jacobs -Amanda Lassiter Key Additions -Adrian Williams

Mann

With Smith out of the equation, where else do the Lynx look to for perimeter scoring? Is Chandi Jones capable of putting up big numbers on a regular basis? Will last year's top draft pick, Kristen Mann, improve in her second season? With two first round picks, how do Roger Griffith and Suzie McConnell Serio fill their needs and build toward the future. The last time they had two top picks, they went with two post players in Ohlde and Hayden.

This is a very young team that was held together by veterans Williams (who signed a three-year deal in early March), guard Kristi Harrower and forward Svetlana Abrosimova. But the question remains whether Harrower and Abrosimova will return or spend the summer training for the World Championships. Also, can forward Adrian Williams, who was signed in the offseason but did not play in the WNBA in 2005, re-capture any of her past All-Star glory? If the answers to these questions are all no's, the Lynx might find themselves with another Lottery pick this time next season.