Compared to last year, the 1998 ABL combine was uneventful, with relatively few top seniors attending. In general, play was dominated by unprotected ABL veterans with the exception of standout performances by Alisa Burras and Danielle McCulley.
That lack of sizzle, plus the WNBA's signing of Kristin Folkl, Ticha Penicheiro, and Nykesha Sales, should make this a very interesting draft -- without many obvious choices and plenty of jockeying for position/players.First, there is no obvious top pick, which is a serious blow to Portland, which lost Natalie Williams and was expected to heal itself by picking a superstar.
Chasity Melvin might be the one, or Portland might trade down to teams interested in Melvin or Burras, McCulley, Tausha Mills, Barb Franke and Barbara Farris. In addition to those six, Jacque Nero has signed a contract with the ABL and have guaranteed roster spots. Other notable additions to the draft pool after the WNBA draft are Julie Krommenhoek and Katrina Price, though Price might wind up trying out for the Houston Comets.
Na'Sheema Hillmon, who also showed well at the combine, will be Nashville's second-round territorial pick. (ABL general managers and coaches rate players prior to the draft as their value in terms of what round they would be picked in, and then teams can decide whether or not to use the pick in that round to select a local player. Those choices are then locked in.) Chicago will get Ashlet Berggren in round two, Seattle will get Naomi Mulitauaopele in the second round and New England will pick up Carla Berube in the third round. (The Blizzard chose Berube in the fourth round last year.)
Aside from the regional picks, the ten ABL teams each have seven protected players who are guaranteed positions on their respective teams. There are three spots open and each team may choose up to five players in the draft to possibly bring the roster to twelve going into preseason camp in the fall. Here's a look at the teams and their needs in the order of round one of the draft: (the seventh player protected during the expansion draft is listed as '7.')
1. Portland Power
Protected players:
The Power received a huge blow when Natalie Williams demanded to be traded to Long Beach. Replacing her is virtually impossible. Except for Yolanda Griffith, who must not have wanted to go to Portland, no player in the ABL or the ABL draft pool can fill her shoes. So the Power got caught in a three-way trade that sent Griffith to Chicago and Tracy Henderson to Portland along with the first draft pick. Lin Dunn made it clear that only Kristin Folkl could fill the huge void in the Power lineup and was willing to fight against possible regional rights to get what she thought the Power deserved. But that's a moot point now, since Folkl won't be playing in the ABL, and Dunn can't get Penicheiro or Sales to help at the guard position either.
Dunn's only real choice is use her first pick to get another ABL player -- maybe Katrina McClain? That's about the only player who is the caliber of Williams. Or she could use her first pick to get Burras or Melvin and then trade. Portland also has the eighth pick in the first round and should use it to get a point guard, unless Dunn plans to use Henning at the point, in which case the Power needs a backup point guard who can (and will) shoot. Debra Williams, Tully Bevilaqua (Australia) and Stephanie Howard are possibilities, and the only point guards who stood out at all at the combine.
2. Philadelphia Rage
Protected players:
Teresa Edwards and Dawn Staley on the same team has got to be a coup, though both need the ball to be effective. But Anne Donovan, along with Cavalli and company, will have to work really hard this summer to keep Staley in the ABL. As for the draft, the Rage should take either Burras or Melvin to help out McWilliams inside. A good second round pick would be a two-guard to back up Edwards (assuming Staley is playing the point) like Debra Williams (if she's still available), or maybe WNBA vet Laure Savasta, or a familiar face from the ABL such as Nicky McCrimmon.
Philadelphia has the second pick in each round and really needs to choose wisely to boost its roster and get out of the ABL gutter. Of course the addition of Edwards certainly helped. But the lack of success in Atlanta with Edwards and McClain shows you need more than a couple big time players.
3. Long Beach Stingrays
Protected players:
The 1997-98 ABL runners-up will have a whole new look this year, with the biggest change in the middle, where Natalie Williams will now roam. The StingRays also acquired Lovelace in exchange for Venus Lacy and Smith for a draft choice. In addition, the Stingrays regained a first round draft choice in a trade with Seattle for Niesa Johnson.
Long Beach is almost guaranteed to pick McCulley, who will be the best of the remaining collegians and who was also seen talking with the Long Beach brain trust at the combine. The StingRays pick next to last in the second round and not at all in the third, but they just need to pick up a couple backup guards, which will probably come from the unprotected player pool. Apparently McHugh liked what she saw in Shantel Hardison (LATech '92) and Heather Owen (Stanford '98).
4. Nashville
Protected players:
Cindi Harvey will be leading one of the ABL's two expansion teams and should use her fourth pick in the opening round to get a point guard. Problem is, there is no legitimate first rounder out there. Since Roundtree is still not back to her best and Marciniak has shown she can't really make it in the pros (at least not as a starter), Nashville needs serious backcourt help. They could pick Debra Williams or Katrina Price or go with one of the top seven listed above and trade for a guard. Na'Sheema Hillmon has been declared the regional pick and will be taken 11th (first slot in the second round).
Bevilaqua and Howard, notables at the combine, are later round picks that could help. Again, a trade could be in order. Say take Barbara Farris or Tausha Mills as a first round pick and trade for a guard, maybe Keisha Anderson?
5. Colorado Xplosion:
Protected players:
The Xplosion have a new coach, Linda Hargrove, after Sheryl Estes resigned. With many more guards than inside players on the protected list, Hargrove needs to get some help for Phillips inside. Luckily, that's where the strength of the draft is. Their first round pick should be automatic -- either Farris or Mills. In the second round, Jacque Nero would be a good choice. She should still be available, but won't the next time around. They may want some more size inside where Cozette Ballentine or Heather Owen might fit the bill.
If Colorado decides to use one of its guards in a trade, the Xplosion may use a later round pick to get a backup guard. Shelly Sheetz helped herself out by going to the combine and performing respectably, so re-signing her wouldn't be out of the question -- though not necessarily the best choice.
6. San Jose Lasers
Protected players:
Coach Angela Beck has played her cards well in her tenure in San Jose, with a great draft last year and some end of the season dealing this year. Sonja Henning (and a fourth round pick) went to Portland in exchange for Portland's third round pick this year and a first round pick in 1999. Henning probably would not have been protected by the Lasers, and they have a couple good draft picks instead.
In the first round, San Jose should take Farris, if she's left. If not, Barb Franke should help fill the need of a backup center/power forward. Stacey Ford, who was left unprotected, could be a later round pick for a backup inside player. Heather Owen could also be a later round choice. One thing is for sure, though: Naomi Mulitauaopele will not be in a Laser uniform next year, as Seattle has exercised its regional right to her.
San Jose needs a point guard desperately, especially if Beck wants to move Azzi back to the two. A better choice might be to find a shooter and leave Azzi at the point. Then again, no one was shooting the lights out at the combine, so the task could be difficult. Bevilaqua is possibility, but that could give them a great handling point guard with defense and no shot -- kind of like Henning, who they gave up on. Maybe Katrina Price could help in the guard slot and be a second round pick.
7. New England Blizzard
Protected players:
Nykesha Sales' choice of the WNBA slowed the Blizzard plan to become the New England Huskies -- and she would have been a great addition just as a player. For some unknown reason, New England made sure of a third Husky by declaring Carla Berube their regional choice that will be taken in the third round as the 27th pick overall. It was doubtful that any other team would have picked her up, so who knows why New England decided to use its regional pick that way.
The Blizzard picks seventh in the first round and then doesn't pick again until the third when they pick Berube, which is kind of a waste. Karen Deden made more of a contribution last season, and she was left unprotected, as was Shanda Berry until she was protected after the first round of expansion drafting.
The best of the inside players may be gone by the seventh pick, but if not the Blizzard may have a chance at Franke, Mills, or Tiffany Gooden. A good backup at the point or the two would be helpful, but by the time they pick again in round three, the best choices will probably players left unprotected. But Savasta could also be a choice to back up Rizzoti and Jones.
8. Portland has another first round pick at the eighth spot (see above).
9. Chicago
Protected players:
Wow! An expansion team with Griffith and McClain? That duo, when both are playing hard, is as good a frontcourt as anywhere in women's basketball.
Yolanda Griffith took the Long Beach expansion team to the ABL Finals, and there's no reason to think she can't do it again with the help of the likes of Katrina McClain. They do need a point guard, though -- maybe Tully Bevilaqua or Debra Williams. Their second round pick at 14th overall has been nailed down: Ashley Berggren will be the regional pick for Chicago.
The next pick is not until the fourth round, as it stands. That will probably change with the foreseen trades, especially since Portland undoubtedly has its eye on McClain. Melvin or Burras could end up here in a deal. In any case, Chicago needs some backup help inside, which could be in the form of Karen Deden in the later rounds.
10. Columbus Quest
Protected players:
Well, Brian Agler has won the ABL xhampionship two years in a row with virtually the same team. Except now he not only has to make up for the loss of Nikki McCray, which took place after the '96-97 season, but also Andrea Lloyd -- and maybe Valerie Still. Those are big shoes to fill, and even though Lloyd didn't have the numbers of the other two she did practically everything and anything Agler needed on the court, and he is losing a great basketball mind. If any of the above mentioned inside players are left, he should grab one. Otherwise unprotected players may be the way to go for inside experience -- Stacey Ford, Karen Deden, Sheila Frost or Linda Godby.
Tiffani Johnson could be thrown into the mix, but then again he may as well just re-sign Pashen Thompson. I wouldn't be surprised to see Shanele Stires back in a Quest uniform either.
13. Seattle Reign
Protected players:
Seattle doesn't pick at all until round two in the 13th spot overall. As one of the worst teams in the league two years in a row, the Reign could really have used a first round draft choice, but they chose to swap it for Niesa Johnson of Long Beach. Also, in a trade involving Rhonda Smith, Seattle got an extra third round pick.
The Reign will use their regional rights to draft Naomi Mulitauaopele as the 13th pick. This was a given (except for those who thought she might go to San Jose), especially after she was seen talking with Tammy Holder, GM Karen Bryant, and ABL VP Tracey Williams for most of the last combine tryout session.
Holder and Bryant were also talking with foreign player, Maria Samoroukova from Greece, but they would be better off finding a point guard. Kate Paye may be the old-stand-by and a hard worker, but she really can't measure up the rest of the league. Savasta wouldn't be a bad choice. Maybe Bevilaqua will still be around. Johnson was acquired to step in at the two guard -- well, at least you'd hope so for trading away a first round pick.
Seattle is really going to have to improve and maybe cut some draft deals to move up in the standings. Whiting needs some help in the middle, and Naomi is untested, as is her knee.
5/2/98
