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Taking
a rookie is the ultimate gamble, but Taurasi is not your average
rookie. The three-time national champion at UConn can score, pass
and rebound and plays hurt. And her initial value may be underrated
simply because she is a rookie.The Phoenix Mercury were not a good team in 2003. In fact, they were a very bad team.
But as a fan, is there anything better than an organization making radical changes in the offseason to turn things around? GM Seth Sulka rebuffed all trade offers for the top overall WNBA Draft pick and was still able to land five first and second round draft picks. Not to mention the top pick in the Dispersal Draft, key free agent acquisitions and a new coaching staff.
 Taylor |
How will the new arrivals mesh with the returning players? They are not exactly coming in to a bare cupboard with sharpshooter Anna DeForge and center Adrian Williams on board, but Taurasi will be taxed this summer like no women�s basketball player before her. Not only is she expected to carry the Mercury, but she will compete for a spot on the 2004 US Olympic Team that will participate in the Athens Games in August, all following a long, injury-filled senior season at Connecticut.
Can the Mercury improve their rebounding? Phoenix has not been even a league-average rebounding team since the 1999 season, and 2003 was no exception. Williams became Phoenix�s first All-Star since Brandy Reed played in the 2000 game. The 6-4 center/forward averaged a career-high 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds on the season and ranked seventh in the league in steals per game (1.68). Thanks in large part to Williams, the Mercury boasted the fourth best defense in the WNBA in large part because they forced the opposition into 610 turnovers � 25.7 percent of all possessions.
 DeForge |
What role will the role players play? The Mercury were challenged by an inconsistent lineup. In all, a WNBA-record 21 players saw action for the Mercury last season. Edwina Brown and Plenette Pierson had great success in playing together for Maccabi Ramat Hen in the Israeli league during the offseason. Forward Kayte Christensen averaged 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds a game last season and will be paired in the paint once again with former UC-Santa Barbara teammate, 6-8 rookie Lindsay Taylor. With her size, it will be hard for Taylor not to make an impact when she gets into a game. Fellow rookies Ashley Robinson, Shereka Wright and Erika Valek could all end up not only making the team, but playing a significant role in the team�s 2004 plans.
But perhaps the biggest question the Mercury face in 2004 is how a first year head coach will handle a young team and high expectations? Graf does have considerable coaching experience both in the WNBA and in her native Australia as an assistant, and she will not be alone. A starter in all 33 games for last year�s squad, Lisa Harrison retired in the offseason, but is not straying too far. Harrison will still be able to help bring the youngsters along with former Phoenix Suns player Cedric Ceballos, as both will assist Graf on the bench.