Rec’ing on…The 2008 WNBA Expansion Draft

Let me start by saying that I’m not a big fan of the expansion drafts. The expansion teams typically get second-tier players while the veteran teams lose some essential chemistry from their bench.

That said, I have to compliment Coach Meadors on the job she did for the Atlanta Dream. I think she completed the best expansion selection in the history of the league. I was surprised by a

Let me start by saying that I’m not a big fan of the expansion drafts. The expansion teams typically get second-tier players while the veteran teams lose some essential chemistry from their bench.

That said, I have to compliment Coach Meadors on the job she did for the Atlanta Dream. I think she completed the best expansion selection in the history of the league. I was surprised by a couple of the trades she was able to pull off. Well done. While the team is youthful, it still boasts talent and experience. It has size as well as shooters.

First off, the back-court starts off pretty solid. You get experienced players with Haynie, Lennox, and Castro Marquez, combined with the potential that is Ivory Latta. Once the points get used to whatever system Coach Meadors puts in, they could be fun to watch.

The front-court is a little more hit-and-miss. Getting Feenstra, Anderson, and Desouza immediately gives Atlanta a presence inside. Where the Dream are weakest is in the forward position. While Mann gives them some experience in the position, the forwards are the ones most suffering from expansionitis. They are getting an opportunity to shine, and they need to make the best of it.

The player selection I’m most scratching my head over is Ann Wauters. Don’t get me wrong…I love watching her play. When she’s healthy and where she wants to be, she’s very tough at her position. But she doesn’t seem to have a passion to play in the WNBA, and that shortcoming has been the weakness of many of the non-American players who have tried making it in the league.

I think the Dream are going to be OK this season. While it’s unlikely they will make the playoffs, it wouldn’t shock me, either. This is a decent core around which to build for the future. I fully expect their first season to be much more respectable than the Sky’s was.

But this isn’t just a draft for the Dream. The other teams took some lumps. I think Detroit is unhappy that they lost Feenstra. When Ford was hurt, she rose to the occasion. Combine that with losing a shooting point guard, and Detroit’s bench doesn’t look nearly as deep as it did.

Seattle is also going to be smarting with the losses of both Lennox and Castro Marquez. While Lennox was a bit of a prima dona, the fact of the matter is she was the go-to when a game was getting ugly for the Storm. But Lennox and new coach Agler have a history, and it’s probably not surprising that he preferred a new play-maker. Izzie, I think, is as great a loss. Her shooting was often the difference-maker when teams focused too much on Jackson.

The loss of Haynie is certainly going to have an impact in Sacramento. Yes, Penicheiro is trying to keep up with the younger guards, but the fact of the matter is that there aren’t many seasons left in those legs. Haynie was a good backup who could spell at either the 1 or the 2. It’s going to hurt.

Everyone else squeaked by in pretty good shape. I can’t help smiling at Indiana trading a draft pick in exchange for Atlanta not picking up any of the choice unprotected players. THAT was brilliant.