 | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Those were Tamika Catchings' words following Indiana's loss to Connecticut in the 2003 season finale, a defeat that eliminated the Fever from the WNBA postseason after the team had ranked second in the East to eventual-champion Detroit for much of the summer. Solidly in contention with a 13-10 record as July turned to August, the Fever dropped six straight games and eight of 11 overall to close the year.
Thus began an offseason of refortification for Indiana. After head coach and general manager Nell Fortner resigned in September, Chief Operating Officer Kelly Krauskopf assumed GM duties, hiring former NBA player and coach Brian Winters in December as Fortner's successor on the bench.
 Catchings |
 Miller |
“Kelly adds another dimension to our team,” said Winters at the time. “She’s a veteran and a proven, quality perimeter shooter who also can handle and pass the basketball. Her quickness will add to our team speed, particularly on the defensive end of the floor.”
Though Miller, who led the league in 3-point percentage in 2002, never started a game while backing up All-Star Dawn Staley in Charlotte, the Fever are counting on her ball-handling and long-distance shooting range to help open up the offense for Catchings, one of the WNBA's most talented all-around players.
Now entering her third year, the 6-1 Catchings has established herself as a force, averaging 19.2 points, 8.3 boards and 3.5 assists for her career. Last season, she led the Fever in every major statistical category, was the league's leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, was named to the All-WNBA First Team and finished second for both the Most Valuable Player (Seattle's Lauren Jackson) and Defensive Player of the Year (Houston's Sheryl Swoopes).
Joining Catchings in the frontcourt will be veterans Natalie Williams and Kristen Rasmussen. Williams, an All-Star in 2003, ranked eighth in the league in rebounding with 7.5 per game, led the Fever in field-goal percentage (.485) and was second to Catchings in scoring (13.4 ppg). Fifth-year forward Rasmussen became a full-time starter for the first time last season, averaging 6.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg, and will likely split time with first-round draft pick Ebony Hoffman.
On the perimeter, Indiana welcomes another newcomer, the athletic and versatile Deanna Jackson. Acquired from the disbanded Cleveland Rockers via the January dispersal draft, Jackson posted 7.2 ppg and 2.6 rpg in 2003 and at 6-2, brings good size to the shooting guard spot.
“Deanna is the player we had hoped would be there,” said Krauskopf following Jackson's selection. “She adds athleticism, size and versatility to our perimeter rotation."
The acquisitions of Miller and Jackson not only offset the departures of regulars Nikki McCray (free agency) and Coquese Washington (retired), but also give the Fever plenty of depth in the backcourt, with Coretta Brown, Niele Ivey and Stephanie White all available off the bench. Each played big minutes for Indiana in 2003 and will have opportunities to contribute in the team's rotation of reserves.
However, the Fever may not be as strong down low. Center Kelly Schumacher averaged a career-high 14.1 minutes last year and is strictly a role player, so much will hinge upon Hoffman's development. The Fever did add Astou Ndiaye-Diatta in the offseason, but Catchings -- who led the WNBA with 35.6 mpg in 2003 -- and Williams (31.0 mpg) will be expected to shoulder the load once again.
The talent is in place -- the key for Indiana in light of last year's finish will be consistency in the latter stages of the summer, the ability to maintain its tenacity as the year winds down that can only come from, as Catchings knows all too well, the kind of experience that hurts pretty bad.
"I have high expectations. We have enough talent to be a playoff team and we have the players who can win a championship. But talk is cheap. We've got to perform to get the job done. We got better from last season, but everyone else did too."