WNBA Draft

[mred]

Who from the Big XII will be drafted? When will they go?

ISU obviously has Welle and Gahan. I suspect Welle will go mid to late first round and Gahan will go in the third or fourth round.

[TXSNOS]

Lambert and Crockrum of Baylor will no doubt be drafted. Dales and Caufield from OU will also be drafted. Ross from OU may be drafted also, but the status of her knee and whether she will have surgery will likely affect her draft status.

I was watching a girls' high school all-star game on TV today, and the announcer said that Lambert was injured. Does anyone know what her injury is and how it happened?

TXSNOS

[RaiderPower1]

A broken something?

[swok34]

I've read that she broke her leg......is that true Baylor fans?
Though I still see her going first round. Hate to see players get hurt in games that don't really matter http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/frown.gif Crockrum had a huge game (double-double) vs USA/WNBA players. She's certainly Carolyn Peck's kind of girl, but with Peck leaving the WNBA, not sure where she'll land......Dunn may have picked Lambert at #1 being that she's from Seattle and they need a shooter, but with her injury she'll definitely fall. I heard at one point that Cynthia Cooper of Phoenix really, really wanted Lambert.

Let's see.......Big XII OU seniors:

Stacey Dales....1st round
Laneisha Caufield....projected 1st, possibly 2nd.
Rosalind Ross...projected late 2nd, possibly 3rd.

I don't think Ross' injury affects her draft status because she has had to play 30+ minutes a game with OU and has been able to sustain that this year. With the WNBA, she will not be required to play that many minutes.....I could see her surgery being postponed yet again until after this years WNBA season, which is 4 months of games at best. Ross really, really raised her status in the Final Four.......though she is a streaky shooter, her on-ball defense is incredible.

I've read projections that Stacey Dales is going to Portland at #5, and Sue Bird is going #1 to either Seattle or Seattle will trade their pick to a team that would pick Sue Bird #1......I'm not absolutely positive that I believe that Stacey falls to #5, though I would very much LOVE to see her play in Portland with Jackie Stiles and Portland wants her very badly.....

I've had some folks ask if Caufield will suffer the same fate as Whaley with being undersized and I don't think she will. The thing Caufield has going for her is her incredible D.

I've gotten a little bored with the college ESPN board this season, but the folks that post over at the WNBA ESPN board are very knowledgable and informative. That's where I am now in regards to the ESPN boards.

[dem]

Sheila Lambert suffered a broken fibula during the WBCA All-Star game at the Final Four:
http://gobaylorbears.fansonly.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/033002aaa.html

[cyfanatic]

For a list of all the WNBA draft hopefuls, go to WNBA.com, they are all listed alphabetically. Go Big Twelve players!

[swok34]

Jackie Stiles is doing some sort of "cybercast" during the draft....
http://www.wnba.com/draft2002/broadcast_details.html

Think I've decided I won't do lunch at 10:30 am and just follow along on the internet.....
I do intend to tape all four rounds...if I can figure out how to get that cable box and VCR going at the same time.

[Press]

I didn't realize it's on TV. What channel?

[NorthForty]

ESPN2

[swok34]

1st round only on ESPN2, but the remaining 3 rounds are on NBA-TV....if you have satellite or digital cable.

[dem]

Here are comments on Big 12 draft prospects by fullcourt.com (Clay Kallam) [in position order, point guard/1, shooting guard/2, etc.]:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
From fullcourt.com (Clay Kallam):
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Stacey Dales, Oklahoma: First, we're not really sure if she's a point guard. The best guess is that she's better suited for the two, but you never know. If she played for Portland, for example, she would be the point, letting Jackie Stiles be the shooter, but Dales would guard the opponents' two or three. Still, Dales is long, athletic and talented. She doesn't have a mid-range game, and there are those who see a little too much Kate Starbird. On the other hand, she's got Olympic experience and did nothing but win in college. Best case: All-star. Worst case: Rotation (a top-eight player). Likely: Solid starter.

Sheila Lambert, Baylor: Ankle injury aside, Lambert is the most athletic point in this year's crop. Some wonder about her ability to shoot it, while others see her as a small two guard doing her best at the one. Best case: All-star. Worst case: Rotation. Likely: After a year or two of apprenticeship, a solid starter.

LaNeishea Caufield, Oklahoma: Quick, strong, athletic, Caufield has the body to play in the WNBA. She doesn't have the shot, or the size, though. Best case: Rotation. Worst case: Europe. Likely: End of the bench.

Rosalind Ross, Oklahoma: If her knee were 100%, and she could handle a little better, Ross would be a no-brainer first-round pick. But, in this dismal draft, she easily could go in the top 16 anyway. Best case: Starter, after several years. Worst case: Her knee blows out, and she never recovers. Likely: End of the bench for a good team, rotation for a weak one.

Tracy Gahan, Iowa State: All the tools, none of the fire. Best case: Rotation, if she plays with passion every time out. Worst case: Another career track. Likely: Europe.

Danielle Crockrom, Baylor: She needs to spend some time in the weight room, and she didn't have to battle a lot of size in the Big 12, but there are some teams who like her a lot. If she can hold her own, strength-wise, she should have a decent career. If she can score in the WNBA, she could have a very good one. Best case: Starter. Worst case: End of the bench. Likely: Rotation.

Angie Welle, Iowa State: Big, slow centers don't have a great track record in the WNBA, but Welle can shoot and is clever inside. Can she defend? Hard to say. Can she rebound? Another uncertainty. If she can't score, she can't play in the league at all. Best case: Rotation. Worst case: Europe. Likely: End of the bench.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _




[This message has been edited by dem (edited 04-15-2002).]

[swok34]

ok, some of the "experts" are really perplexing me.........
that's the 2nd opinion I've heard that Stacey Dales is not a "true" point guard........h e l l o.........if it weren't for OU's lack of depth in the frontcourt and the best player off the bench BEING a point guard, that's exactly the position she would have played.
I've been hoping and wishing for a week now that Stacey falls to #5 and Portland gets her.....because that's exactly what they want, a tall point guard.

And, I didn't think Roz' had anything left to "blow" out.......

[YCN]

There's not a doubt in my mind that Stacey Dales is a WNBA-quality PG, but she would be equally adept at the 2.

I would sort of say she is a PG with a punch, because at the next level at PG, she makes all the other players around her better. In college, she made pass after pass that wasn't handled because her teammates could not fathom that the ball was coming their way. In the pros that will hardly be the case.

[kate dawg]

Just wanted to point out that Mandy Nightingale and Jenny Roulier were also at the WNBA combine. Word at the banquet last night was that Nightingale had a great camp and really helped her spot. Lin Dunn projected her as the 15th pick in the second round going to Cleveland before the combine so who knows.

Seems to me that a woman as competitive as Nightingale with as hard as she plays night in and night out could really help a team that needed a player with her type of game.

[dem]

Kenya Larkin is also attending the camp. It should be pointed out that, having already showcased their talents at the Final Four, Stacey Dales, LaNeisha Caufield, and Rosalind Ross are not participating in the camp. Danielle Crockrom is also not there, having had a spectacular performance at the WBCA All-Star game; presumably she had nothing to gain by going to the camp. Sheila Lambert, of course, is injured. That leaves only Larkin, Roulier, Nightingale, Gahan and Welle as Big 12 participants.

[carolann]

The TexasSports.com article says Kenya Larkin is exploring options to play overseas. I wouldn't rule out seeing her as a role player for a WNBA team at some point in her career.

I could definitely see Mandy Nightingale playing for Dan Hughes at Cleveland. I think I read that Darling is coming back from pregnancy this year. The roster also includes Jennifer Rizzotti. Tricia Bader-Binford might also be able to play the point. You know, this a roster that Nightingale might make.

[dem]

I thought I read that Darling is pregnant with triplets. Hmm, that could complicate the point-guard situation in Cleveland . . .

[carolann]

You're right Dem. I read in various places to day - definitely triplets! Darling is expected to be out for the entire season. This is an opportunity for someone!