"It’s not about who gets it done," says Cooper, "it’s about getting it done. And we’re bringing in people who can get it done.” Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

But even Cooper's comeback couldn't stem the struggles in La-La Land. Legendary center Lisa Leslie missed the season to have a baby. Chamique Holdsclaw unexpectedly retired a mere five games into the year. Point guard Temeka Johnson missed 23 games due to injury. And the Sparks struggled to a 10-24 mark, tied with Minnesota for worst in the league.

Luck was on the Sparks' side in the Draft Lottery last fall, however, as Cooper and general manager Penny Toler won the first pick in the highly publicized WNBA Draft on April 9.

WNBA.com's Adam Hirshfield spoke recently with Coach Cooper to discuss his plans for the No. 1 overall pick and his expectations for the coming season in L.A.

Q. Since you won the lottery back in October, there has been a lot of talk about the No. 1 pick. The world wants to know, unequivocally… who are you taking? Can you give your loyal fans a hint?

A. "For sure, we're gonna pick a big person. And the way we've been looking at it so far is that this No. 1 pick is a no-brainer, just because any of the top players in this draft are going to be great for us. But we've also been taking a look at and assembling information on all of the top players available, because there's still going to be someone very good at our No. 15 pick. This draft is that deep. And we're hoping to get a good pick in the third round, too.

"But to get back to the top of the first round, I think any of those top four or five picks will be no-brainers. Sylvia Fowles has had a terrific career and a great senior year. Candace Parker has had a great career at Tennessee. Erlana Larkins from North Carolina is playing extremely well. Laura Harper and Crystal Langhorne from Maryland are both gonna be super players at the next level.

"What we need to do is pick the best player for the future of this franchise. Lisa (Leslie) probably has a couple more years left in her, and being a mom might even cut into that time a bit. But we have to prepare ourselves for whenever she wants to retire. We'll need someone to step in and fill those big shoes she has created here. And we definitely see people in this draft who are capable of doing that."

Q. How important is it to pick a player who will fit in well with the group you already have? How important is chemistry in the draft process?

A. "Any of the players I've just mentioned will fit in well here. Smooth (Leslie) has been such a valuable force for us down low and can play with her back to the basket. In the WNBA, that's almost a foreign attribute. Most of the posts in this league have to face up to the basket. But not only can Smooth do that, but she can be that traditional, back-to-the-basket center. And there are a couple of players in this draft who can play extremely well with their backs to the basket."

Q. What role are you hoping your top pick to play this season? Will she get immediately thrown into the fire or will you bring her along more slowly, focusing more on building for the future?

A. "For whoever we pick, I think it's going to be trial by fire. She's gonna get thrown into the loop immediately and will be tested from the get-go. And I think all of those players I mentioned are ready to play at this level.

"This class of players… all of them who will go in the first round, and probably some even into the second round… they're gonna take the WNBA to a new level. With Sheryl Swoopes, Smooth, Tina Thompson are getting closer to retiring, so this incoming group of players is gonna take the torch from them and help bring this league to the next level. This class is full of excellent players who are ready and willing to do that.

"Remember the SEC Final a few weeks ago? Parker and Fowles are going to come in and make an immediate impact on whatever teams they go to. All of the players -- Langhorne, Harper, Candice Wiggins, Shannon Bobbitt -- can come in and do things to help the teams they go to. They're also capable of helping to improve the level of talent around the league, they're going to be great in the community, they're going to be great ambassadors for the women's game.

"This is the group of players that is going to help the league raise its head and show that it's here to stay. 'Look at our league! Everyone take notice!' Because these are the kind of players that make little girls want to play basketball. Doesn't everyone want to try to dunk like Parker or Fowles? They call Bobbitt Miss Ankle-Breaker… doesn't every little girl want to be that kind of player? That kind of game is appealing to all kinds of basketball fans, and your more casual fans -- males in particular -- are getting into the WNBA because these players are so fun to watch. More women are getting involved as both spectators and players as well, but the improvement in the product, the improvement in the basketball you see on the court is hugely important to growing this league."

Q. You said a few months ago that your scouting would be more focused than if you had the third or fourth pick. Are there added pressures now that you have the No. 1 overall pick? Does this player need to come in, perform and be a star immediately?

A. "I think it's like any other year. No, I don't think there's any added pressure. Any top-five pick is going to have pressure to come in and perform well for her team. And we're confident that any of the top four or five players will perform. Anyone we pick at No. 1 is going to be a great player, so our scouting for that pick has been a bit more focused.

"With the second and third round picks, we're really going to depend a lot on our scouting. We want to get those later picks right, too, because I think our second round pick is going to be able to come in and help us."

Q. Is there still scouting to do at this point? How closely have you been watching the NCAA Tournament? What are you looking forward to most about this year's tourney?

A. "I've been watching basketball pretty much straight for the last 48 hours and I'm still not basketballed out! You've got a lot of great players out there, and it's so fun to see them take control of games and lift their teams to the next level in the tournament. It's getting as competitive as the men's tournament in lots of ways… there are so many players to watch and teams that can surprise you.

"And I just don't get tired watching basketball. As long as I get something to eat, I can stay up and stay in front of the TV all day and well into the night. I did that all weekend, and I may do the same thing again today."

Q. Is there any chance of the Sparks trading that top pick? Have teams approached you with offers?

A. "We got some interesting offers. And I'm sure we'll get some more as we get closer to the draft. And I'm not going to say that a trade is totally out of the question, but if you're lucky enough to get the No. 1 pick, you're not just foolishly going to trade it away… especially with all of the talent that's coming out this year. We're listening to offers, but it's pretty safe to say… probably 90 percent… that we're going to keep the No. 1 pick and go that way."

Q. How much influence have your veterans had in deciding who to take? Do you consult Lisa or Taj (McWilliams-Franklin) about who they think is the better fit?

A. "Well, Smooth is the only one who's around. And there are times I'll tell her what we're thinking about doing as an organization in terms of the direction of the team. I think that's the fair thing to do, because you always want your players to feel comfortable about the moves the franchise is making. I don't think it's something you HAVE to do, but I do think it helps team chemistry because everyone's on the same page and it gives them more of a stake in the team's success.

"We've talked about some players, and most of the players I mentioned to her, she had already taken a look at or played with. But any player we pick, anyone who's going to help us win, Lisa is going to be excited to play with her. All she said was, 'Coop, let's take someone who's going to come in and contribute immediately and help us win.' And we're definitely going to do that."

Q. Let's take a quick look at the players you have coming back for 2008. What will their roles be in the coming season?

A. "Well, Temeka Johnson, for one, is getting there health-wise. She started working out with us lightly last week and she responded well. There was no swelling or anything like that. And I'll be excited, because I've never had a chance to coach Temeka when she's healthy. So she'll be ready to go.

"Marie Ferdinand, who we picked up in free agency, is in a great place I think. Even though she spent a lot of last season on the bench, which I still don't really understand, we think that will help her longevity in this league. We don't see her as the age she is now (29), because when you see her on the court running up and down, she looks like she's in excellent shape… especially just two years after having her baby. She'll be ready to go too, and hopefully playing in L.A. will give her a new lease on life. I know we'll get some quality basketball out of her.

"Taj is overseas playing. Murriel Page is excited about coming back. Sidney Spencer is out here working out and is really excited about her second year in the league. She learned so much during her rookie season and she's learning every day more about what she can do at this level. Obviously our record was disappointing last season, but it was positive in the fact that a lot of our younger players actually got a big chance to play. If we'd had more success, the youngsters might have gotten fewer spot minutes and their development might have taken longer. But Sid, especially, grew by leaps and bounds and by the end of the season, you saw what she's capable of doing out there.

"I think everybody is excited about the season and getting ready in their own way.

"Marta (Fernandez) is planning on coming back. How soon? We're not sure, but she is planning on coming back. She's another who really got a chance to play last year. We added her with the intention of playing her as a sixth man off the bench, but she ended up starting. When I talked to her about a month ago, she sounded excited. But she's also getting ready to try to help Spain qualify for the Olympics, so that's her top priority right now.

"I also think Liron Cohen and Brisa Silva have really good shots at making the Opening Day roster. We're not bringing people in here just to fill roster or practice spots. We're bringing people in here because we think they can play. Penny, Cathy, Karla and I are trying to put starters behind our starters. So we're bringing people in because they'll help our chemistry and because we think they can really play.

"On any given night, every player is going to have a chance to be the star. And it's not about who gets it done, it's about getting it done. And we're bringing in people who can get it done."

Q. What will be the toughest thing about coaching this team in 2008?

A. "I think the toughest thing will be getting everything to gel really quickly. We're going to have some very talented people. This will be Smooth's full return to the court after playing a bit with the national team, and getting her to gel quickly with Taj, Temeka, our No. 1 pick and everyone else will be the biggest challenge. If we can do that and come out of the blocks playing solid basketball, then I think we'll be in great shape."

Q. Is it right to put you back up among the West's elite heading into the season?

A. "It's right to put us back up among the elite in the whole league. Phoenix did a great job last year winning a championship, and Detroit will always be up there. But the Sparks are back and we're going to show everybody."

Q. If you could sum up the Sparks hopes for 2008 in one word, what would it be?

A. "Championship. That's it. That's all we work for here."