IVORY LATTA | KATIE GEARLDS | SHAY DORON | ALISON BALES | TIFFANY JACKSON | ARMINTIE PRICE

IVORY LATTA, Detroit Shock

Hi Ivory. You have this at-ease feel for the game, and I love that about you. What do you most look forward to about playing in Detroit with a team full of superstars?
- AMJBizz, Harvey, Ill.

"I'm looking forward to a lot. Being with great players is going to make me a great player and I'm really looking forward to playing in Detroit."

What adjustments do you think you will have to make in your game to compete at the next level? I love your game. You have a lot of heart and Detroit got a gem. Detroit Basketball!
- Adrien, Richmond, Va.

"(Laughs) I don't think it's going to be that big of an adjustment. I need to be focused and go out there willing to learn. I have great, veteran players ahead of me who know the game, so I need to be willing to learn."

What's your fave shoe brand? If you had to choose your hairstyle, what would it be between braids or a ponytail?
- JDizzy, Detroit

"Favorite shoe brand would have to be the Nike Huarache. I like them… they're very comfortable. And hairstyle? I like to get a nice, fresh perm and let it hang low."

How much influence and help do you think you can bring to the best team in the WNBA? Get ready to work your way to your first WNBA title and congrats on being drafted to the best team in the league.
- TJ, Andrews AFP, Md.

"I think I can bring a lot of influence. My mindset is just to go out there and do whatever it takes to help my team get a win, whether it's playing defense, shooting or sitting on the bench cheering them on. Whatever Coach wants me to do, I'm willing to do it."

What's up? I'm a PG too and I just want to ask you what the most important thing is to focus on in playing that position?
- Tiara, Chicago

"You have to focus on controlling the team. Pushing the tempo, knowing the plays and making sure everyone is in the right place. Also being very vocal."

Hello, Ivory. I have been a fan of yours for 4 years. I have heard Coach Laimbeer is very demanding. What are your thoughts?
Lynn, Wolcottville, Ind.

"That's great! (Laughs.) I know, from speaking to him, that he's a very demanding coach. It's only going to make me a better player."

Hey, Latta. I'm a 16-year-old female ball player living in Virginia. I love watching you play because you are so exciting to watch and always push yourself and show off for the crowd. What keeps you motivated to play hard every night?
- Smilez, Suffolk, Va.

"It's just my love of the game. I love to play basketball and that's what I've been doing since I was a young lady. And I'm going to continue to play with a lot of heart and passion."

Who do you look forward to meeting and playing against in the WNBA? And why?
- Leonard, Birmingham, Ala.

"Oh, man! I'm definitely looking forward to playing against Sue Bird, Kara Lawson and other great guards. They're great and I'm really excited."

KATIE GEARLDS, Seattle Storm

How does it feel to hear your name being called in the WNBA draft?
- Cheyanne, Ukiah, Calif.

"It's very surreal. First of all, you've waited all morning, going through the process of sitting backstage with so many unknowns. It's a huge relief and it's a lot of excitement to find out where you're finally going to end up."

At what position or positions do you think you will play for the Storm: 1, 2 or 3? And as a follow-up, at which position do you prefer to play for the Storm?
- Triztam, Irvine, Calif.

"I see myself playing mostly at the 2 or 3. I can handle the ball, and though it might not be my best skill, if it's needed to give Sue Bird some rest, I can do it. Preferably, though, I'd be at the 2 or 3. I love to chuck it up there."

How did you feel when you won the 3-point shooting competition? I really admire how you shoot 'em. Good luck your rookie year and the years to come. My cousin is Nicole Powell, and I know you'll be playing against her sometime.
- Meghan, Boston

"It was fun to beat a Seattle native Aaron Brooks (of Oregon) when we did the battle of the sexes. It was also good because it kept my mind of (Purdue's) loss to North Carolina. We had just lost two days ago, and it was great to win just one more time in a Purdue jersey. It was a lot of fun."

SHAY DORON, New York Liberty

After following Maryland basketball for a few years now, there's definitely something that sets the team apart from the others. I think it's the humbleness and positive energy that radiates off of you guys. How did you wind up establishing that and are you sad to leave it behind? Do you think your contributions as a leader and role model will do the same for the Liberty? And how the heck did you manage school with a 3.7 GPA and turn Maryland into a powerhouse?
- Amanda, Philadelphia

"The thing I'm going to miss most about Maryland is the team camaraderie that we built. It's a tribute to the girls how easy-going their personalities are. We all came together to do one thing: win a championship. When you have that one common goal, nothing else matters… who scores, who doesn't… it doesn't matter. It's all about the one goal: winning championships. And we did that.

"And I hope I can do the same with the Liberty. I'm not going to be shy. I'm going to go in there and do all of the same things I've always done, and hopefully the success will continue here into the future.

"As far as school goes, it's a lot of sacrificing. But it really comes down to time management. You have to learn to prioritize where and when, to pick and choose, but it's worth it in the end when you look back at your accomplishments."

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- Kristin, Washington, N.C.

"I wanted to be a runner in the Olympics. But I hate track, so there that idea goes… I also wanted to be a veterinarian."

As a Maryland fan, I followed the Terps very closely. Congratulations on being drafted, and my friends and I will be rooting for you during your season. I read an ESPN article about your background. How does your past motivate you to play to your fullest?
- Melissa, Rockville, Md.

"You shouldn't need any motivation to play in the best league in the world. Everybody should want to be the best, play with the best… that's the motivation in itself. To be the first one to do it from my country means a lot to me, especially knowing how much support I have in Israel. It's great to be able to help in any way, getting recognition for Israel or just to do something positive for the country."

Shalom, Shay. I'm Jewish, and I have the pleasure of traveling to Israel for six weeks this summer! As an ambassador from Israel to the U.S. and the WNBA, and as the only current Jewish player in the WNBA, what is it that you hope to convey to the people about life back home? And how do you feel about representing both a country and a faith? Do you feel that there is a lot of pressure on you? Also, many articles mentioned that you considered going home to Israel instead of playing in the WNBA. How did you decide to play here in the U.S.? B'shalom.
- Risa, Phoenix

"I like to prove people wrong. And people always see the news, and it's really a misrepresentation of what really is. My goal is to tell and show people how amazing it really is and how I love it. I tell about my experiences and how much I've grown there and how I think it's a beautiful country. I don't lie… I tell the truth, and it's easy to describe to people what kind of a place it is.

"I don't feel there's a lot of pressure on me, honestly. My family has always been supportive of me, and the most important people to me -- whether I play basketball tomorrow or not -- are still going to be there. I put pressure on myself because I want to succeed, but I don't let other pressures like that get to me.

"And as for playing in Israel, my dream was always to play in the WNBA. If that didn't work out, I wanted to explore other options. But the WNBA has been my dream since day one. Also, the seasons don't really overlap, so it wasn't a tough decision."

You stated that Alana Beard was the toughest player you ever had to guard in college. Now that you'll possibly have to guard her again in the WNBA, what are your plans to try and contain her?
- Jackie, Laurel, Md.

"It's tough to contain her, obviously, but over my four years at Maryland, I've gotten a lot better on the ball. That should help, given that I first played her during my freshman year. And God knows no one plays defense coming out of high school. I'm just going to keep her in front of me and try to keep my feet moving and continue to get better. I'll be a step quicker this time."

Were you very close to your college teammates? Is there a specific teammate you're going to miss the most? If so, who and why? Do you plan on keeping in touch?
- Mya, Atlanta

"We have a rule on the team that everyone has to be in contact with me once a week, via e-mail, IM, text messaging or another way. I love them all. I miss them all. I don't have a favorite teammate, but we've been discussing where we're going to play overseas… and we're all going to try to play at least in the same country in the future. We'll try to stay together as much as possible. And I'll kill them if they don't keep in touch."

ALISON BALES, Indiana Fever

Hey, Alison. First of all, welcome home to Indiana. I want to thank you for accepting the job and becoming the final piece to the Fever's puzzle to the championship. Without a doubt, I know this is our year, and you are sure to help us out a lot. But, I want to ask you… Are you nervous about coming in and playing with world-renown Tamika Catchings and her supporting cast? How do you think the transition will be? And what will be the hardest part about being rookie? Good luck. ROY: Allison Bales!
- Drewbie, Indiana

"First off, thank you for the question. And yes, I will go into training camp with some nerves, but I'm also very excited. This is what I've been dreaming of for years, so to finally accomplish it and get drafted and to be playing so close to all of my family is really what I was looking forward to doing. I think that I'm in a very good situation in Indiana and I look forward to getting it started."

I am a huge Fever fan. Seeing that now you are a Fever player, what are your thoughts about playing for the Fever? What are you going to do to make the Fever even better? Who do you most want to meet on the Fever team?
- Lauren, Brownsburg, Ind.

"The Fever have been a little vertically challenged in the past and that's something I'm obviously bringing to the table. Hopefully I can contribute in the post with my size and my other strengths. And I already met all of the coaches on the Fever. And I'm really looking forward to meeting all of my teammates. I think Tamika Catchings is an unbelievable ambassador for our sport. So if I had to pick one, I'd probably pick her."

Hey Alison, how are ya? I was wondering how you felt about playing against Harding and not with her?
- Nathan, Covington, Ga.

"I do love Lindsey Harding. She was an unbelievable point guard for us at Duke and I'll miss her next year. But I also think that both of us are moving on to our dream… playing in the WNBA. So I'm just looking forward to playing in the WNBA and even though Lindsey's not on my team, I think that Indiana has a great team with great players."

Alison, I was a huge fan of yours during the past two seasons, not only because of your great basketball skills, but also because you're a classy gal! My question: What part of your game will need the most intense work to keep you competitive with the pros here on the next level? Also, do you see yourself as a dunker?
- Howie, Philadelphia

"A dunker? Not so much. Some players have been able to add that to our (women's) game, like Candace Parker (at Tennessee). But you shouldn't be expecting this from me this season. Sometime in the future… maybe…

"And I think I want to improve my game overall. My defense is very stable and established, but I need to make sure I'm shooting the ball on offense and posting up hard and staying aggressive underneath."

TIFFANY JACKSON, New York Liberty

Have you and Jessica (Davenport) talked about how you two might be the new franchise faces of the Liberty (along with Shameka Christon)? What are your feelings about that?
- Dom, Dixon, Calif.

"I'm really excited to play with Jessica. I've played against her for so long and now it's really good to be playing together. Hopefully we can do great things."

What's up? I went to Lincoln High School (Dallas) class of '06. And I'm so proud you have made it this far, being the 5th pick. Do you think you can contribute to the New York Liberty right away? Are you surprised how former Lincoln standout Andrea Riley contributed to her (Oklahoma State) team right away? Do you think she can make it to the WNBA?
- Marquis, Dallas

"I was not surprised about Andrea. She did really well, and I was really proud of her. I think she can make it to the WNBA. And I'm going into training camp with New York with an open mind and I hope that I play well."

ARMINTIE PRICE, Chicago Sky

Chicago, as we know, didn't have the best record last season. What do you think you can bring this year to change that? P.S. We are so happy in Chicago to have drafted a great player like you!!
- AMJBizz, Harvey, Ill.

"I'm glad to be here and to know that I can be a spark for the Chicago Sky… me and my teammates. This is going to be a team effort. We're trying to build Chicago up. We can't do much worse than (they did last season), so I'm trying to stay positive and will go out every game and play my hardest. And hopefully, everything will work out."

Armintie Price, how do you feel you're gonna impact the team this year coming in as a rookie? Do you feel you can be an elite star in the league for a long time? And you are so beautiful… stay sweet!
- Steffon, Bladensburg, Md.

"Well, thank you! I think I can impact the game by bringing my enthusiasm, my speed. I know the game in the WNBA is faster than in college, and I know I'll have to react faster and become a more complete player. Hopefully, I can get better at all of the things I do, like rebounding and scoring in different ways. As the years go on, I guess I could be like a Tamika Catchings -- somebody who I really look up to -- but I think it's going to take some time. I have a lot of room to improve and I'm willing to do that."

I know that you were born in Wisconsin, but how do you feel to be going to the North versus being in the South for all these years? How excited are you to going to the next level of basketball and do you wake up thinking that you are dreaming that all of this is happening?
- Shon, Irving, Texas

"I can say I'm glad to be out of Mississippi. I was ready to move and go somewhere bigger, so I think Chicago will be a great fit. I have been waking up every morning feeling like I haven't yet woken up. This is a dream come true for me, and a lot of people are happy for me. I don't take it for granted and I know this team will be a great fit for me. This is just really exciting and I'm very grateful."

All photos NBAE/Getty Images