Scouting
potential Draft picks in the 2007 WNBA Draft with the WNBA Player Personnel Department
Evaluating
the Top College Seniors
November 13 - Just as they do every college season, the WNBA Player Personnel Department will be busy watching all of the college seniors. In fact, they have been watching them since they were freshmen and sophomores, not to mention the thousands of hours of tape that they have already viewed in preparation for the 2007 WNBA Draft. As another college season gets underway, the WNBA Player Personnel and their staff will be keeping an especially close eye on the following young women:
Television
Schedule |
Games to Watch on ESPN |
Amanda Brown,
forward/center, Penn State
A second-team All-Big Ten selection and a third-team
All-Conference honoree last season, Brown averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 rebounds
while ranking 12th in the nation in field goal percentage (.593). She also competed
with the Canada Senior National Team in the 2006 FIBA World Championships and
is playing with confidence after that experience. Expect big things.
Cori
Chambers, guard, Georgia
Chambers is known as a three-point shooter after
owning two of the top-five single-season 3-point tallies in Lady Bulldog history
and making 78 three's on 184 attempts last season. A silent assassin, she stretches
the zone and shoots with real consistency. However, she only got to the free throw
line 11 times in 32 games during the 2006-07 season and shot 42.8% from the field.
The 5-9 guard was voted second-team All-SEC in balloting of both league coaches
and the Associated Press.
Angela Clark, forward, St. John's
Named
to the First Team All-BIG EAST, Angela Clark ranked second on the team and 12th
in the conference, averaging 13.8 points per game. She also ranked sixth in the
BIG EAST with 8.4 rebounds per game and led the Red Storm with nine double-doubles.
Claire Coggins, guard/forward, Kansas State
An All-Big 12 Second
Team selection, Coggins led the Wildcats with 13.5 ppg last season. She also earned
2006 Postseason WNIT MVP honors and is a preseason All-Big 12 Conference honorable
mention selection. Watch out, Big XII.
Jazz Covington, center, Louisville
Covington
was named to the All-BIG EAST first team after leading Louisville in scoring with
13.7 points per game and ranking second on the team in rebounding with 6.9 rebounds
per game. A beast in the East, she is tough, physical and will finish. She also
recorded six double-doubles last season and shot 53.2% from the field. She is
among the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy.
Jessica
Davenport, center, Ohio State
The best post player in this Draft, everything
runs through Jessica. Davenport was a 2005 and 2006 Associated Press and Kodak/WBCA
All-American and finalist for Wade and Wooden awards. She repeated Big Ten Player
of the Year honors in 2006 after leading the conference in points (18.7), rebounds
(8.9), field goal percentage (.618/ 241-390), blocks (3.1) and defensive rebounds
(6.8). She is among the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade
Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Deanna
"Dee" Davis, guard, Vanderbilt
Heady, smart and quick, she can distribute
the ball but can also score at the drop of a dime. Dee Davis earned first-team
All-Southeastern Conference honors from league coaches after leading the conference
in assists, averaging 6.84 assists per game. She also ranked in the nation's top
five for assists throughout most of the 2005-06 season, ending the season behind
only three other point guards. The 5-7 point guard also a finalistfor the 2006
Nancy Lieberman Award, which honors the nations top point guard. She is a great
team leader and on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Jessica
Dickson, forward, South Florida
Dickson was an All-America candidate after
finishing third in the nation in scoring behind WNBA rookie All-Stars Seimone
Augustus (22.7 ppg) and Sophia Young (22.3 ppg) with a an average of 22.0 points
during the 2005-06 season. She is excellent at driving inside and hitting the
3-pointers. The 5-11 forward was named first team All-BIG EAST and was selected
as an Associated Press All-American honorable mention. She is among the 25 national
preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates
for the Women's Wooden Award.
Shay Doron, guard, Maryland
Ever-steady
with great passing ability, Doron's best scoring season came during her junior
season when she averaged 17.6 points while shooting 42.6% from the field. She
is very accurate from 3-point land. The second team All-ACC selection became the
school's all-time free throw record holder, ending the season with 416, and is
one of three players in Maryland's history to have two 500-point seasons. She
is among the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and
on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Rebekah Forsyth,
forward, Rose-Hulman
Forsyth ranked eighth nationally in scoring last season
with an average at 21.4 points per game during her junior season with Division
Three Rose-Hulman. She also averaged 11.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals.
Katie
Gearlds, guard/forward, Purdue
Could it be Katie Douglas all over again?
She will drive, slash, knock-down the 3-pointer and take a charge. Just call her
"Ms. Everything." Gearlds was named Kodak All-District, Honorable Mention
AP All-American, and first team All-Big Ten after averaging 15 points per game.
The 6-1 guard/forward, who is on the 2006-07 State Farm Wade Trophy ýWatch List
for national player of the year, recently earned the conference Preseason Player
of the Year honor and was also a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big
Ten squad by ýboth the coaches and media. She is among the 25 national preseason
candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy.
Chrissy Givens, guard, Middle
Tennessee
Givens became just the second player in Sun Belt Conference history
to be voted Sun Belt Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Sun
Belt Tournament MVP after leading Middle Tennessee and the Sun Belt in points
(21.5) and steals (3.16). Her 21.5 points per game ranked her eighth in the nation.
Alicia Gladden, guard, Florida State
Gladden recorded seven double-doubles
last season on her way to finish with averages of 13.1 points and 6.4 rebounds.
The 5-11 guard was also named to the All-ACC Third Team and earned ACC All-Defensive
Team honors for the second straight season in 2006.
Suntana Granderson,
guard, Xavier
A smart floor leader, great court awareness, athletic and
tough. Granderson was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection after finishing the
2005-06 season tied for eighth in the league at 14.9 points per game. She also
finished the year in fourth place with 2.13 made 3-point field goals per game
and in seventh place with a 33.5 percent 3-point field goal percentage. Do NOT
leave her orpen or you'll get punished. She also finished the year shooting 75.6
percent from the line.
Gabrielle Guegbelet, forward, Central Connecticut
State
Guegbelet led the Lady Blue Devils with averages of 17.8 points while
shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 10.9 rebounds . The also averaged 1.7
steals per game.
Carmen Guzman, guard, UAB
A first team all-Conference
USA selection, Guzman ranked among Conference USA's in several statistical categories
including fourth in scoring (16.0), eighth in steals (1.9), 12th in both assists
(3.1) and three-point field goal percentage (34-of-103, .330), 13th in assist/turnover
ratio (0.77) and 13th in free throw percentage (133-of-178, .747). She is thriving
under a great coach, putting up great stats and should make an even bigger splash
on the national scene this season.
Kamesha Hairston, forward, Temple
Do
not let her numbers fool you. With Candice Dupree gone now, Hairston will carry
Temple. She is very athletic, a slasher who can now hit the 3. Hairston averaged
12.8 ppg, grabbed 6.1 rpg and dished 56 assists while starting all 32 games for
the second straight season. Her 68 steals last season were tied for the third
best in the Atlantic 10.
Lauren Hall, forward, Trinity (D.C.)
Hall
was named to the All-AWCC Second Team for the second straight season after averaging
18.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists. The 5-8 forward only shot 35.9 percent
from the field and 30.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Lindsey Harding, guard,
Duke
An incredibly gifted floor leader. After shooting only 19.1 percent
from beyond the arc in her first two seasons, Harding improved her three-point
percentage by hitting 41.1 percent during the 2005-06 season. Last season, the
5.8 point guard was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was a second team
All-ACC selection and All-ACC Defensive Team honoree after averaging 10.7 points,
4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals. She is among the 25 national preseason
candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates for
the Women's Wooden Award.
Kiera Hardy, guard, Nebraska
Hardy was a
First-Team All-Big 12 selection after leading Nebraska with 17.5 points per game,
including 81 3-pointers on the season. She is also Nebraska's career three-point
leader (196 3FG/91 Games)
Cameo Hicks, guard, Washington
Hicks was
an All-Pac-10 team selection for first time in her career following the 2005-06
season where she averaged 15.0 points and 5.6 rebounds. The 5-10 guard also recorded
45 steals and hit 36 percent from beyond the arc. During the 2004-05 season, Hicks
shot a career-best 48.5 three-point percentage. She is on the list of 30 candidates
for the Women's Wooden Award.
Erin Higgins, guard, Oklahoma
Higgins
averaged 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists while starting 35 during the
2005-06 season. The 5-9 guard also shot 41.1 from beyond the arc last season and
dished out a career-high 84 assists. She can stretch a zone as the team's best
3-point shooter.
Stephanie Higgs, guard, Georgia Tech
Stephanie Higgs
earned 2006 second-team all-ACC Tournament honors after averaging 12.1 points
per game during the 2005-06 season. The 5-9 guard, who can play both guard positions,
also recorded four double-doubles during the year.
Brandie Hoskins, guard,
Ohio State
Just a great offensive and athletic player. She has good size
and strength, will make you pay if you think about leaving her open. Hoskins was
named 2006 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading OSU to its
first league tournament championship. She was also a third team All-Big Ten selection
after averaging 12.3 points per game and dishing out 96 assists this season for
the Buckeyes. The 5-9 guard ruptured her Achilles tendon in the second round of
the NCAA Tournament, but was explosive with a quick first step before her injury.
Staci Humphrey, guard, Greensboro
Humphrey was a First Team USA South
All-Conference and All-Tournament Team selection in 2006. She was also honored
as USA South Player of the Year after averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
Treasure Humphries, guard, Cincinnati
After averaging only 5.8 points
during her sophomore season, Humphries pushed her scoring average up to 12.8 points,
earning her BIG EAST Most Improved Player Award honors. She led Cincinnati in
scoring (12.8) and steals (2.4) while averaging a second-best 3.6 assists.
Tiffany
Jackson, forward, Texas
When playing with consistency, she is unstoppable.
She is very athletic with the ability to torture people with her talents. Jackson
was an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention and Kodak All-America Honorable
Mention after leading Texas in scoring (14.3), rebounding (8.7), steals (64, 2.6
) and minutes played (32.2). The 6-3 forward also shot a career-best 71.2 percent
from the free throw line. She is among the 25 national preseason candidates for
The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden
Award.
Lasma Jekabsone, center, Florida International
Jekabsone averaged
15.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 32 games played during the 2005-06
season.
Monica Johnson, forward, Lebanon Valley
Johnson averaged
19.6 points and 11.3 rebounds for the Lebanon Valley Division Three team. She
also dished out a total of 54 assists and recorded 40 steals in 25 games.
Melanie
Johnson, forward, South Carolina
Johnson did not begin her collegiate basketball
career until her sophomore year where she averaged 7.3 points while shooting 47.3
percent from the field. Last season, the 6-1 forward averaged 11.0 points and
recorded 67 steals in 29 games.
Yolanda Jones, forward, Louisiana-Lafayette
The
6-1 forward averaged 18.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 28 games last
season. On the defensive end, she averaged 1.8 steals per game.
Ashley Key,
guard, NC State
Key averaged 10.9 points and 4.0 assists during the 2005-06
season. The 6-0 guard also recorded 47 steals in 31 games.
Cassie King,
guard, N.C. Central
King averaged a team-high 18.4 points and 9.0 rebounds
while leading N.C. Central to a 23-7 overall record. She also shot 45.2 percent
from the field and 79.9 percent from the free throw line.
Ivory Latta, guard,
UNC
The best point guard in the nation. She is lightning quick and can
create her own shot. Latta ranks sixth among the ACC's all-time leaders in career
three-pointers, fifth in free throw percentage and 15th in three-point percentage.
The 5-6 point guard was selected as National Player of the Year by ESPN.com, the
U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Gballmag.com and Basketball Times
and was the Nancy Lieberman Award winner as point guard of the year after averaging
18.4 points and 5.2 assists. She also led the ACC in free throw percentage (85.2)
and was the ACC Tournament MVP for the second year in a row. She is among the
25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the list
of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Andrea Lightfoot, guard, Idaho
State
After Sitting out her sophomore season due to NCAA transfer rules,
Lightfoot became the first player in Big Sky Conference history to receive both
the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors after averaging 18.5 points,
5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Last season, the 5-8 guard shot 40.8 percent from
beyond the three-point arc and 86.1 percent from the free throw line.
Camille
Little, forward, North Carolina
Steady, consistent and will take care of
things in the paint.
Diana Lopez, guard, Regis (Colorado)
Lopez ranked
12th in the nation with 20.3 points per game while shooting 52.2 percent from
the field and 45.6 from the three-point line. She also averaged 4.8 rebounds and
recorded 114 steals.
Victoria Lucas-Perry, guard, Michigan State
A
smart, tough floor leader that can score. She is a threat from the 3-point area
as well. The 5-9 guard was an honorable Mention All-Big Ten after averaging a
career-high 10.2 points and 4.8 rebounds. Last summer, Lucas-Perry played on USA
Basketball's U-20 team that played in the FIBA Americas Championships in Mexico
City and averaged 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds during the tournament.
Jill
Martin, forward/center, Drake
Martin earned first team All-MVC playing
honors after ranking third in the conference in rebounding (9.1) and fifth in
scoring (16.4). She has recorded 25 career double-doubles.
Lyndsey Medders,
guard, Iowa State
Last season, Medders led NCAA Divison One with 7.7 assists
per game. She also scored 16.5 point per game on her way to earning All-Big 12
honors. She is on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award and on
the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Navonda Moore, guard/forward,
Alabama
Navonda Moore was a second team All-SEC honoree after averaging
12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds. The 5-10 guard/forward dished out 49 total assists
in 26 games, but turned the ball over 105 times.
Carrie Moore, guard, Western
Michigan
She continues to prove that she is the real deal. Named First
Team All-Mid-American Conference for second time in her career following the 2005-06
season. She ranked second on her team with an averaged of 17.2 points and while
making nearly half her field goal attempts. She also averaged 7.4 rebounds and
recorded six double-doubles.
Bernice Mosby, forward, Baylor
Mosby
sat out the 2005-06 season due to NCAA transfer rules after spending two and a
half seasons at the University of Florida where she averaged a team-leading 15.5
points, 8.6 rebounds and 30.3 minutes a game during the 200506 season before leaving
the team in late March. She was "the woman" in Florida, but how will
she play in a new system? She is the ultimate post player.
Eshaya Murphy,
guard, USC
Murphy finished the 2005-06 season on a 25-game double-digit
scoring streak. She is quick, strong, athletic and can flat-out score. The 5-11
guard led USC with 17.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.4 spg and 69 3-pointers made. She is among
the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the
list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Lauren Neaves, forward,
Rice
Active... Active... Active... Neaves earned first-team all-Conference
USA honors after ranking 16th nationally in rebounding with 10.8 per game and
23rd nationally in blocked shots with 73 (2.3 bpg) to go along with a career-high
15.7 points.
Cheyenne Noble, forward, Wentworth Inst.
The 6-0 forward
averaged 18.5 points and 11.9 rebounds in 25 games last season for the Division
Three Wentworth Institute of Technology. Can she make teams take notice?
Amanda
Pape, guard, Sacred Heart
Small conference with big skills and game. As
the 2006 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, Pape led the league in scoring
with an average of 17.9 points and steals with 101 (3.26 spg). She also finished
the season sixth in the NEC in rebounding with a 7.3 average.
Sarah Pfeifer,
Arkansas
Pfeifer did not play during the 2005-06 season, but she will make
up for lost time. Expect big things from her this season. During the 2004-05 season,
she averaged a team-high 12.4 points while shooting 44.6 percent from the fioor.
Rasaan Powell, center, Alcorn State
Every coach's dream... she thinks
defense first, but is consistent and steady on offense. Powell averaged 18.4 points
and 9.0 rebounds during the 2005-06 season. The 6-2 center also shot 48.1 percent
from the field and recorded 41 total steals.
Armintie Price, guard, Mississippi
Miss
Hustle, do not give her an inch. She is like the Energizer Bunny, always working.
Earned All-SEC First Team honors by the league coaches and the Associated Press
and named 2006 WBCA/Kodak All-America Honorable Mention after leading Ole Miss
in scoring (17.7), rebounding (9.6), assists (3.5) and steals (3.4). She was also
named the Top Two Guard in the NCAA by ESPN.com and really has a knack for finding
the ball. . She is among the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm
Wade Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Christina
Quaye, forward, Marquette
Quaye led Marquette to the NIT championship last
season after averaging 13.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 33 games. She also shot
an impressive 51.1 percent from the field during the season. As the team's leading
scorer, she is ready to put this team on her back.
Noelle Quinn, guard, UCLA
Quinn
was a 2006 honorable mention AP All-American after averaging a career-high's in
points (18.1), rebounds (8.2) and assists (3.8) during the 2005-06 season. She
has great size and skills, bringing instant offense. Entering her senior season,
the 6-0 guard holds career averages of 17.1 points and 7.8 rebounds. She is among
the 25 national preseason candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy and on the
list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award. You name it, she can do it.
Stephanie
Raymond, guard, Northern Illinois
Earned Third-Team All-MAC after leading
the league and ranking fourth in the nation with 107 steals (3.82 spg). She also
finished the year averaging team-high's in scoring (15.9 ppg), assists (95), steals
(107), and defensive rebounds (145). Coach Owens will expect and depend on Raymond
to lead the team to the promise land... or at least a conference title.
EeTisha
Riddle, forward, Missouri
Riddle was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive
team after averaging 6.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals. The 6-3 forward
also averaged 8.8 points. She has a knack for finding the ball and loves to play
defense.
Jillian Robbins, forward, Tulsa
Robbins was a 2006 Associated
Press and Kodak/WBCA honorable mention All-American after ranking nationally in
rebounding (3rd), steals (18th), blocked shorts (20th), field goal percentage
(23rd) and scoring (37th). She is undersized, but plays huge. She may be the most
underrated defensive player out there. The 6-1 forward started all 32 games last
season and averaged 17.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.9 steals and 1.6
assists per game. She is among the 25 national preseason candidates for The State
Farm Wade Trophy and on the list of 30 candidates for the Women's Wooden Award.
Jenna
Rubino, guard, Depaul
Rubino earned second team All-BIG EAST honors after
ranking among BIG EAST leaders in steals (11th-1.76 spg) and three-point field
goals per game (13th-1.56 pg). She is a great outside shooter and is her team's
zonebuster.
Leah Rush, forward, Oklahoma
Rush's best season came in
2004-05 when she averaged 15.5 and 6.3 rebounds per game. Last season, the 6-1
forward 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. She is a hard-nosed, blue collar worker
with the skills to play. She can do it inside and out. She is the ultimate team
player, a real unsung hero.
Brooke Smith, center, Stanford
Truly old
school, no one can stop her hook shot in the lane. Named 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America
honorable mention and was a All-Pac-10 and Pac-10 All-Tournament selection following
the 2005-06 season after averaging 17.2 points per game 7.5 boards per game. She
can go both right and left and is among the 25 national preseason candidates for
The State Farm Wade Trophy. She is one of the most lethal post players in the
country.
Nicole Soulis, forward, UW - Green Bay
Selected as the 2006
Horizon League Player of the Year after leading the league and ranking 30th in
the nation with an average of 18.4 points per game. She can flat-out score, but
is still a bit of a secret playing in a smaller conference.
Sidney Spencer,
forward/center, Tennessee
She has great size for a smaller post player,
but is deadly from 3-point range. Averaged a career-high 9.4 points while shooting
45.8 percent from the field, 43.4 percent from the three-point line and 92.5 percent
from the free throw line. During the 2004-05 season, the 6-3 forward/center averaged
a career-high 4.0 rebounds.
Renee Taylor, guard, Miami
A junior college
transfer, the 5-2 Taylor earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors after averaging
15.6 points, 3.83 assists and 2.37 steals. She proves that great things can come
in small packages. She is quick with great hands and court vision.
Carla
Thomas, forward, Vanderbilt
Earned honorable-mention All-Southeastern Conference
honors from the Associated Press after averaging 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds
during the 2005-06 season. The 6-3 forward shot 52.6 percent from the field. A
blue-collar player who gets it done.
Terra Wallace, guard, Texas - Arlington
Wallace
was named Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2006 after leading the conference
in scoring (19.1) and assists (5.0). She may not get the pub, but she does have
lots of game.
Emily Westerberg, forward, Arizona State
Westerberg
was named to the All-Pac-10 Team for the second consecutive season after finishing
second on Arizona State in scoring (12.8 ppg), rebounding (5.1 rpg), assists (80)
and blocks (9).
Mallorie Winn, guard, Pittsburgh
Winn is the team's
leading shooter and playmaker. She averaged 15.6 points and dished out 131 assists
during the 2005-06 season. The 5-10 guard also led Pittsburgh in three-point field
goals (59) and ranked second on the team in free-throw percentage (.788). When
she's on... she's ON.
Kia Wright, guard, St. John's
Earned First Team
All-BIG EAST honors and was a BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Candidate
after averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals. she is a quick, defensive
stopper who makes things hard for the opposing point guards.