Last year, San Antonio made one of the biggest draft day trades by trading with Atlanta to recieve Ann Wauters, the strong center out of Belgium. Once Ann arrived, San Antonio seemed unbeatable. Let's look at how San Antonio stacked up and what we could look for them to do come draft day.
Forever Young
Becky Hammon, the odds on star for the Silver Stars, had yet another solid season, but it was the play of 6'1" forward Sophia Young that caught people's attention. Young averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds for the Stars last season. Wauters also had a stellar campaign, scoring around 14 points and pulling down 6 boards a game. The Big Three did a lot for the Stars. At times, they heavily depended on those three. But once again, the story of San Antonio's season was execution and balance. The Stars are very disciplined and score a lot out of halfcourt sets. The Stars also, despite not having a huge roster due to cap reasons, went about as deep as possible - bringing off veteran guards like Helen Darling, Vickie Johnson, and Edwige Lawson-Wade. Balance and discipline helped get San Antonio to the finals. Oh, and so did that Sophia Young girl.
Exit Stage Left
The Silver Stars had one of the most memorable trips to the Finals, by beating a fiesty Sacramento team and ultimately beating the LA Sparks, a team most thought would win the title. However, once they got to the finals, the Stars struggled. Detroit's in-your-face style of defense really bothered the Stars. San Antonio has people that can create their own offense, but at some times it can get tough. This is the reason why they also struggled against a Sacramento squad who, on paper, shouldn't have been able to stay that close. But Sacramento frazzled the Stars and thus made a series out of it.
Reaching for the Stars
The Stars currently hold the 14, 26, and 39 draft picks. Though they don't have a pick in the first round, they get first dibs in the second round. Like any WNBA team, the Stars need to look at their roster and predict what will happen. Will Wauters and Lawson-Wade come back? Lawson-Wade plays for France and Wauters plays for Belgium. Eurobasket 2009, the qualification tournament for the World Championships, will be held this summer. Will the two Euros be no-shows? If so, the Stars might look to go with a post and a guard with their first two picks. With Shanna Crossley returning, the Stars do get some shooting, but how will older players like Darling and Johnson hold up? Johnson was a no-show in the finals last year. The guard position may be of need in San Antonio.
It's Shot Creation, Stupid
No matter what position the Stars draft, they need players who can create their own shots at any time. A player like Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton is a possiblity if she isn't drafted in the first round. Also look for someone like Shavonte Zellous or Briann January if they go guard. The Stars might even look in the Big XII for a player - someone like Danielle Gant, Takia Starks or Marlies Gipson. San Antonio might even take a chance on Liberty star Megan Frazee, a player who could thrive in the WNBA due to her versatility. The Stars were the best team for most of the year last season, which means they don't need a huge upgrade, but there are positions they need filled. They need someone who can create their own shot on the drop of a dime and someone who can act as a lockdown type of defender, because who wants to see Katie Smith light up the Stars again? I know San Antonio fans don't.