The 2004 No. 1 WNBA Draft Pick also proved to be a franchise player the Mercury could build around, taking them from the league's worst record in 2003 (8-26) to a .500 record and within a game of a playoff appearance in 2004.

Taurasi

"The best word to sum her up is special, and she's special in so many ways," Mercury coach Carrie Graf said. "She's a consummate teammate. If you put 100 people in a room, it would be hard to go past her. She's classy, confident and a basketball phenom."

"She did things on her own terms," added Comets superstar and Olympic teammate Tina Thompson. "And she can elevate her game. She's young, a good student of the game, and the sky's the limit for her."

The future is also bright for fourth-year guard Anna DeForge, who had the best season of her career, averaging 14.4 ppg and hitting more three-pointers (70) than anyone else in the league in 2004. Small forward Penny Taylor, who the Mercury picked up in the 2004 Dispersal Draft, added 13.2 points and shot a blistering 42.7 percent from beyond the arc.

In the post, power forward Plenette Pierson proved to be a solid scorer, contributing 9.4 points a night. Ultimately, though, Phoenix's inability to get rebounding production from the 4 and 5 slots cost them wins. The team was beat on the glass 30-27 per game and ranked last in the league in rebounds per game.

To help alleviate the club's rebounding woes, free agent center Kamila Vodichkova was brought in from Seattle. The 6-4 native of the Czech Republic has the physical mentality Phoenix needs to take the next step and reach the playoffs.

"It’s difficult to get post players with experience in our league," general manager Seth Sulka said. "Kamila has earned the respect of the coaches and players in our league over the past five years with her physical play and soft touch and was a key figure on Seattle’s championship team last year."

Irvin

A player who also figures to help that cause is rookie Sandora Irvin, the Mercury's third overall selection in the Draft and the NCAA's all-time leader in blocked shots.

"I’m known for blocking shots and that’s what the coaches here want me to do and bring that to the game of basketball," Irvin said. "My goal is to just rebound and block shots, be outstanding at that and let the other things just come to me."

As if the perimeter trio of Taurasi, Taylor and Pierson was not potent enough, Phoenix also acquired 5-11 Aussie sharpshooter Belinda Snell in the offseason. Snell scored 54 points in a Australian Women's National Basketball League this season, converting 12 three-pointers to break a record previously held by current Mercury assistant Michele Timms.

If Phoenix wants to make it to the playoffs, however, it will have to do more than just shoot the ball well. The Mercury need to improve defensively, close out games, not blow leads, learn to win on the road, and most importantly, have a strong finish during the regular season stretch run.

Last season, Phoenix won just once in its last five games, costing it a berth in the postseason by one loss.

"Everything happens for a reason," Taurasi said. "Sometimes, you’ve got to see it the wrong way to do it the right way, that’s the way I look at it. Maybe it wasn’t our year to go to the playoffs. Maybe we needed to see ourselves play that last game knowing we didn’t have a chance to go to the playoffs.

"So, for next year we know when we’re in that position, when it comes down to the last five or six games, we’ll handle it a little different."