2004 in Review: Michelle Greco

Bill Baptist/NBAE/Getty GRECO'S STATISTICS 2004 PLAYOFFS 2.2 PPG 0.5 0.8 RPG 0.0 0.6 APG 0. 0.2 SPG 0.0 0.0 BPG 0.0 5.6 MPG 1.5 .556 FG% 1.000

Storm Coach Anne Donovan on Michelle Greco:

"Greco was such a great kid to have. I've heard all her career what a great kid she was and what a beautiful person she was, so it was great to finally get her up close and be able to work with her. Everything I'd heard about her is true. She's a young player who doesn't have a ton of experience in this league and is hungry to get it, so I'm hopeful for Michelle Greco to have another season here in Seattle and show us more of what she can do."

2004 Season:
Michelle Greco came to Seattle last April with no guarantees. After going undrafted following the end of her UCLA career (despite leading the Pac-10 in scoring for the second time as a fifth-year senior), Greco failed to make the Cleveland Rockers during 2003 training camp. After an off-season spent in Israel and Greece, however, Greco showed off her scrappy playing style and scoring ability to Anne Donovan to earn a spot on the Storm's active roster.

With the Storm boasting one of the WNBA's top three-guard rotations in Sue Bird, Betty Lennox and Tully Bevilaqua, Greco's opportunities were limited throughout the season. A series of injuries also made it difficult for her to establish momentum.

Greco's best chance came when Lennox suffered a broken nose at the end of June and was forced out of the lineup, missing a pair of games. In the first of those two games, July 1 vs. San Antonio, Greco had six points on 2-for-2 shooting in seven minutes of action before spraining an ankle in a scrum for a loose ball. The play ended up a jump ball, and Greco had to stay in the game for the jump. Demonstrating her toughness, she won the tip. But the injury would sideline Greco for three games, and by the time she returned, Lennox was nearly at full strength.

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Greco had her moments throughout the season. In her WNBA debut against her hometown Los Angeles Sparks, Greco scored six points, making all four of her free-throw attempts. July 15 at Sacramento was arguably Greco's most important game, as she came off the bench during the second half of a tight game to give the Storm a strong six-minute performances - two points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal.

During the playoffs, Greco played just six minutes in the Storm's march to the WNBA Championship, but she came off the bench to score a key bucket in the first half of Game 1 as the Storm took control of its series with Minnesota. She was forced into duty at point guard during Game 2 of the series after Bird broke her nose, but saw only mop-up duty during the Western Conference Finals and WNBA Finals. Greco was on the floor as the Storm clinched the title over the Connecticut Sun.

Already a KeyArena favorite, Greco stands the chance to earn more playing time with a season under her belt. While a roster spot isn't guaranteed (she is not under contract, but is a reserved player who can negotiate only with the Storm), Greco will have a tremendous advantage in terms of making the team during training camp based on her experience and non-veteran contract. While Greco's playing time was limited during her rookie season, she did shoot 55.6% on her nine shot attempts and averaged nearly a free throw and a half for every two field-goal attempts, strong efficiency numbers.
- Kevin Pelton, storm.wnba.com

2004 Highlights:

Scored a career-high six points twice, in WNBA debut vs. Los Angeles on 5/22 and vs. San Antonio on 7/1

Had career-high three rebounds to go with her four points at Houston on 7/27.

Totaled nine points in three preseason games

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