WNBA team-by-team preview capsules
League's 13th season opens Saturday
updated 12:03 a.m. ET June 6, 2009
Team-by-team look at the WNBA, which opens its 13th season Saturday:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTA DREAM:
2008: 4-30, 7th place.
COACH: Marynell Meadors, 2nd season with team, 42-62 overall.
KEY ADDITIONS: C Michelle Snow (free agent, Houston); F Chamique Holdsclaw (trade, Los Angeles); G Nikki Teasley (free agent); F Sancho Lyttle (dispersal draft, Houston; F Angel McCoughtry (draft, No. 1 overall, Louisville); G Coco Miller (free agent, Washington); G Shalee Lehning (draft, No. 25, Kansas State).
KEY LOSSES: G Betty Lennox (waived); C Alison Bales (trade, Phoenix); C Katie Feenstra Mattera (released); G Kristin Haynie (waived); F Ann Strother (waived); G Ivory Latta (waived).
STRENGTH: Veteran experience. After setting the league record with 30 losses in its inaugural season last year, the team was revamped with the additions of four veterans. Holdsclaw, a six-time All-Star with career averages of 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, played eight-plus seasons with Washington and Los Angeles before retiring early in the 2007 campaign. Snow (9.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), entering her eighth season, and Lyttle (8.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg in 2008) were teammates on the Comets the last five seasons. Teasley (8.7 ppg, 5.0 apg) begins her seventh year after sitting out last season after giving birth.
WEAKNESS: Chemistry. Holdsclaw was the once the leading player on the Mystics, and McCoughtry helped lead Louisville to the national championship game this year, but the other newcomers have mostly been complementary players. They will likely need to play leading roles with the second-year team. The Dream likely will need some time to develop cohesive play, but they should see marked improvement.
CHICAGO SKY
2008: 12-22, 5th.
COACH: Steven Key, 2nd season, 12-22.
KEY ADDITIONS: G Kristi Toliver (draft, No. 3, Maryland); G Erin Thorn (free agent, New York); F Shyra Ely (free agent, Seattle); C Chen Nan (free agent); F Mistie Bass (dispersal draft, Houston).
KEY LOSSES: C Chasity Melvin (free agent, Washington); G Cathy Joens (free agent); G Tye'sha Fluker (free agent).
STRENGTH: Balance. Second-year center Sylvia Fowles, the franchise's key player, missed 17 games due to the knee injury after being selected No. 2 overall in last year's draft. Although the Sky were an identical 6-11 with her and without her, they closed the season 4-5 with her in the lineup after the Olympic break. She is again joined in the frontcourt by Candice Dupree, who has averaged 15.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg in her three-year career, and 2007 rookie of the year Armintie Price. In the backcourt, Jia Perkins had a breakout season with career highs of 17.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg. The Sky also got solid play from Dominique Canty (8.1 ppg, team-leading 4.1 apg), and drafted Toliver, a skilled point guard with the scoring ability of a shooting guard.
WEAKNESSES: Chemistry, experience. Chicago was 12th in the league in scoring (72.7 ppg), 13th in free-throw shooting and last in 3-pointers made. Although the Sky appear to have a bright future with Fowles, Dupree, Price and Toliver, they are still a young team that needs time to gain experience and develop chemistry. The team also needs some consistency as Key is the Sky's first coach to begin a second year at the helm.
CONNECTICUT SUN
2008: 21-13, 2nd; lost to New York 2-1 in conference semifinals.
COACH: Mike Thibault, seventh season, 127-77.
KEY ADDITIONS: C Chante Black (draft, No. 10, Duke); F Lyndra Littles (draft, No. 17, Virginia); G Kristi Cirone (undrafted free agent, Illinois State); F Lauren Ervin (undrafted free agent, Arkansas); F Carrem Gay (undrafted free agent, Duke); G Kiesha Brown (waivers, Washington).
KEY LOSSES: G Jamie Carey (retirement); F Svetlana Abrosimova (free agent); F Tamika Raymond (sitting out); G Ketia Swanier (waived).
STRENGTH: Backcourt. Thrust into the leading role last year after the departure of stars Katie Douglas and Nykesha Sales, Lindsay Whalen averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 5.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds. She is the key to an offense that finished third in the league in scoring (79.1) and second in assists (17.9). Whalen will likely be joined in the starting backcourt by Erin Phillips, who joined the team down the stretch last year after training with the Australian national team for the Olympics. Second-year player Amber Holt will miss about a month after being injured in a preseason game.
WEAKNESS: Experience. The Sun were successful last season despite another offseason of roster turnovers that left Whalen as the lone starter remaining from a core group that had been together since 2004. Whalen endured an ankle injury down the stretch and Connecticut lost five of seven to close the season and then was ousted by the Liberty in first round of the playoffs. Asjha Jones led the way in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (6.1) in her second season as a starter, and veteran Tamika Whitmore also scored in double figures (12.6).
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