General Manager Survey 2008

Who is the best player in the game? Who is the best coach? Which team has the best chance of taking the title from the Phoenix Mercury? Which player would GMs sign first if they were starting a team today?

Once again, WNBA.com posed questions to the league's general managers to learn what the people who make the decisions really think about these topics and more. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

And as always, we want to hear your thoughts on the matter. Log in to the Fan Voice now to pick your own winners in each category.


2008 PREDICTIONS

Which team will win the 2008 WNBA Finals?

Los Angeles Sparks - 42%

Phoenix Mercury - 17%

Seattle Storm - 17%

Connecticut Sun - 8%

Indiana Fever - 8%

San Antonio Silver Stars - 8%

Who will be the 2008 WNBA MVP?

Lisa Leslie - 36%

Lauren Jackson - 27%

Becky Hammon - 18%

Diana Taurasi - 18%

Which team will win the Eastern Conference?

Detroit Shock - 58%

Indiana Fever - 25%

Chicago Sky - 8%

Connecticut Sun - 8%


Which team will win the Western Conference?

Los Angeles Sparks - 50%

Phoenix Mercury - 17%

San Antonio Silver Stars - 17%

Seattle Storm- 17%


Which teams will qualify for the playoffs in the East?

Detroit Shock - 100%

Chicago Sky - 92%

Indiana Fever - 75%

New York Liberty - 67%

Connecticut Sun - 58%

Washington Mystics - 8%

Which teams will qualify for the playoffs in the West?

L.A. Sparks - 100%

San Antonio Silver Stars - 100%

Phoenix Mercury - 92%

Seattle Storm - 83%

Minnesota Lynx - 17%

Sacramento Monarchs - 8%


Which team made the best offseason moves overall?

Seattle Storm - 46%

Indiana Fever - 29%

Los Angeles - 21%

Atlanta Dream - 4%

Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact in 2008?

Katie Douglas - 29%

Sylvia Fowles - 25%

DeLisha Milton-Jones - 25%

Ann Wauters - 13%

Candace Parker - 8%

If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the WNBA, who would it be?

Candace Parker - 29%

Tamika Catchings - 25%

Sylvia Fowles - 17%

Cheryl Ford - 8%

Lauren Jackson - 8%

Lisa Leslie - 8%

Diana Taurasi - 4%


Which team will be most improved in 2008?

Los Angeles Sparks - 46%

Chicago Sky - 21%

Minnesota Lynx - 17%

Houston - 8%

New York Liberty - 8%

Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2008?

Seimone Augustus - 9%

Nikki Blue - 9%

Rebekkah Brunson - 9%

Shameka Christon - 9%

Marie Ferdinand-Harris - 9%

Asjha Jones - 9%

Ivory Latta - 9%

Kara Lawson - 9%

Noelle Quinn - 9%

Sidney Spencer - 9%

Diana Taurasi - 9%


Who is the best international player in the WNBA?

Lauren Jackson - 92%

Penny Taylor - 8%

Which international player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2008?

Ann Wauters - 40%

Sandrine Gruda - 30%

Marta Fernandez - 10%

Lauren Jackson - 10%

Evanthia Maltsi - 10%


Which team will be the most fun to watch?

Phoenix Mercury - 42%

Los Angeles Sparks - 25%

Houston Comets - 8%

Indiana Fever - 8%

Sacramento Monarchs - 8%

San Antonio Silver Stars - 8%
Which WNBA player would you most want taking a shot with the game on the line?

Diana Taurasi - 50%

Lauren Jackson - 17%

Becky Hammon - 8%

Lisa Leslie - 8%

Cappie Pondexter - 8%

Kara Lawson - 4%

Nicole Powell - 4%

Who will win the 2008 Rookie of the Year award?
Candace Parker - 75%

Sylvia Fowles - 25%
Which rookie will be the best player in five years?
Sylvia Fowles - 67%

Candace Parker - 25%

Candice Wiggins - 8%


Who will win the Defensive Player of the Year award?

Tamika Catchings - 32%

Sylvia Fowles - 18%

Lauren Jackson - 18%

Katie Douglas - 9%

Lisa Leslie - 9%

Plenette Pierson - 9%

Ticha Penicheiro - 5%
Which "sleeper" rookie is most likely to be a success?

Amber Holt - 25%

Candice Wiggins - 17%

Shannon Bobbitt - 8%

Essence Carson - 8%

A'Quonesia Franklin - 8%

Charde Houston - 8%

Tasha Humphrey - 8%

Tamera Young - 8%

Erica White - 8%


PLAYER SUPERLATIVES
Who is the best point guard in the WNBA?

Sue Bird - 42%

Becky Hammon - 17%

Kelly Miller - 8%

Katie Smith - 8%

Diana Taurasi - 8%

Nikki Teasley - 8%

Lindsay Whalen - 8%

Who is the best shooting guard in the WNBA?

Deanna Nolan - 42%

Diana Taurasi - 33%

Seimone Augustus - 17%

Alana Beard - 8%


Who is the best small forward in the WNBA?

Diana Taurasi - 33%

Tamika Catchings - 25%

Katie Douglas - 8%

Katie Smith - 8%

Penny Taylor - 8%

Sophia Young - 8%

Candace Parker - 4%

Nicole Powell - 4%

Who is the best power forward in the WNBA?

Lauren Jackson - 54%

Cheryl Ford - 17%

Tina Thompson - 17%

Sophia Young - 8%

Rebekkah Brunson - 4%


Who is the best center in the WNBA?

Lisa Leslie - 75%

Lauren Jackson - 17%

Sancho Lyttle - 8%

Which player has the greatest hunger to win a championship in 2008?

Tamika Catchings - 27%

Lisa Leslie - 18%

Sheryl Swoopes - 18%

Katie Douglas - 9%

Becky Hammon - 9%

Vickie Johnson - 9%

Kara Lawson - 9%


Who is the most athletic player in the WNBA?

Deanna Nolan - 67%

Sylvia Fowles - 8%

Sancho Lyttle - 8%

Candace Parker - 8%

Armintie Price - 8%

Which player has the best post moves?

Lisa Leslie - 58%

Lauren Jackson - 25%

Tina Thompson - 8%

DeMya Walker - 8%


Which player is the league's best pure shooter?

Shanna Crossley - 25%

Laurie Koehn - 17%

Katie Smith - 17%

Diana Taurasi - 17%

Katie Douglas - 8%

Becky Hammon - 8%

Kara Lawson - 8%

Which player is the league's best leaper?

Deanna Nolan - 58%

Rebekkah Brunson - 17%

Swin Cash - 8%

Michelle Snow - 8%

Sophia Young - 8%


Who is the best-passing post player?

Janel McCarville - 50%

Lisa Leslie - 17%

Ruth Riley - 17%

Candice Dupree - 8%

Yolanda Griffith - 8%
Who is the best fast-break finisher?

Deanna Nolan - 33%

Cappie Pondexter - 33%

Armintie Price - 8%

Katie Smith - 8%

Diana Taurasi - 8%

Lindsay Whalen - 8%


Who has the single most effective offensive move in the game today?

Lisa Leslie (Post up and spin to the basket) - 45%

Cappie Pondexter (Crossover dribble) - 18%

Seimone Augustus (Floating jumper) - 9%

Erin Buescher (Up and under) - 9%

Lauren Jackson (Pick and pop) - 9%

Deanna Nolan (Pull-up jumper) - 9%

Who is the most underrated player in the WNBA?

Penny Taylor - 18%

Seimone Augustus - 9%

Tully Bevilaqua - 9%

Asjha Jones - 9%

Betty Lennox - 9%

Mwadi Mabika - 9%

Taj McWilliams-Franklin - 9%

Cappie Pondexter - 9%

Nicole Powell - 9%

Katie Smith - 9%


Who is the best perimeter defender in the WNBA?

Tamika Catchings - 27.3%

Katie Douglas - 18.2%

Deanna Nolan - 18.2%

Alana Beard - 9.1%

Tully Bevilaqua - 9.1%

Chelsea Newton - 9.1%

Katie Smith - 9.1%

Who is the best interior defender in the WNBA?

Taj McWilliams-Franklin - 36.4%

Yolanda Griffith - 18.2%

Lisa Leslie - 18.2%

Cheryl Ford - 9.1%

Ruth Riley - 9.1%

Michelle Snow - 9.1%


Who is the quickest player with the ball?

Deanna Nolan - 25%

Sherill Baker - 8%

Iziane Castro Marques - 8%

Lindsey Harding - 8%

Shannon Johnson - 8%

Temeka Johnson - 8%

Kelly Miller - 8%

Cappie Pondexter - 8%

Armintie Price - 8%

Diana Taurasi - 8%

Which player has the best court smarts?

Becky Hammon - 25%

Sue Bird - 17%

Diana Taurasi - 17%

Lindsay Whalen - 17%

Katie Douglas - 8%

Lauren Jackson - 8%

Kara Lawson - 4%

Katie Smith - 4%


Which player is best at making her teammates better?

Lindsay Whalen - 25%

Tamika Catchings - 17%

Lisa Leslie - 17%

Diana Taurasi - 17%

Alana Beard - 8%

Sue Bird - 8%

Ticha Penicheiro - 8%

Who is the toughest player in the WNBA?

Lauren Jackson - 17%

Tamika Whitmore - 17%

Tamika Catchings - 13%

Erin Buescher - 8%

Latasha Byears - 8%

Helen Darling - 8%

Yolanda Griffith - 8%

Lisa Leslie - 8%

DeLisha Milton-Jones - 8%

Chelsea Newton - 4%


Who is the most intense player in the WNBA?

Tamika Catchings - 50%

Alana Beard - 8%

Latasha Byears - 8%

Yolanda Griffith - 8%

Kara Lawson - 8%

Kelly Miller - 8%

Katie Smith - 8%

Who is the most easy-going player on the court?

Seimone Augustus - 20%

Kara Braxton - 10%

Erin Buescher - 10%

Iziane Castro Marques - 10%

Candice Dupree - 10%

Taj McWilliams-Franklin - 10%

Ann Strother - 10%

Diana Taurasi - 10%

Candice Wiggins - 10%


Which player is the best on-court leader?

Lisa Leslie - 25%

Tully Bevilaqua - 17%

Tamika Catchings - 17%

Ticha Penicheiro - 17%

Alana Beard - 8%

Sue Bird - 8%

Becky Hammon - 8%

Which player is the best locker-room leader?

Alana Beard - 17%

Lisa Leslie - 17%

Tully Bevilaqua - 8%

Tamika Catchings - 8%

Shannon Johnson - 8%

Vickie Johnson - 8%

Kara Lawson - 8%

Tamika Raymond - 8%

Olympia Scott - 8%

Katie Smith - 8%


Who is the best perimeter defender in the WNBA?

Katie Douglas - 38%

Chelsea Newton - 13%

Alana Beard - 8%

Tully Bevilaqua - 8%

Tamika Catchings - 8%

Helen Darling - 8%

Temeka Johnson - 8%

Hamchetou Maiga-Ba - 8%

Who is the best interior defender in the WNBA?

Lisa Leslie - 50%

Lauren Jackson - 17%

Sylvia Fowles - 8%

Janel McCarville - 8%

Taj McWilliams-Franklin - 8%

Rebekkah Brunson - 4%

DeMya Walker - 4%


COACHING SUPERLATIVES
Who is the best head coach in the WNBA?

Mike Thibault - 50%

Michael Cooper - 17%

Brian Agler - 8%

Pat Coyle - 8%

Lin Dunn - 8%

Bill Laimbeer - 8%

Which head coach is the best strategic/X's and O's coach?

Mike Thibault - 58%

Brian Agler - 17%

Michael Cooper - 8%

Pat Coyle- 8%

Bill Laimbeer - 8%


Which head coach is the best manager/motivator of players?

Michael Cooper - 42%

Lin Dunn - 17%

Mike Thibault - 17%

Corey Gaines - 8%

Dan Hughes - 8%

Bill Laimbeer - 8%


Which head coach is the best at developing young players?

Mike Thibault - 27%

Michael Cooper - 18%

Dan Hughes - 18%

Don Zierden - 18%

Brian Agler - 9%

Corey Gaines - 9%


Who is the best assistant coach in the WNBA?

Julie Plank - 20%

Bernadette Mattox - 15%

Cheryl Reeve - 13%

Jessie Kenlaw - 10%

Gary Kloppenburg - 10%

Stephanie White - 10%

Fred Williams - 10%

Scott Hawk - 5%

Tom Abatemarco - 3%

Monique Ambers - 3%

Which active player would make the best head coach someday?

Kara Lawson - 25%

Sue Bird - 17%

Katie Smith - 17%

Tully Bevilaqua - 8%

Tamecka Dixon - 8%

Vickie Johnson - 8%

Ticha Penicheiro - 8%

Tamika Raymond - 8%