Teasley's Departure Alters The Mystics' Draft Outlook

TAMPA, April 8 -- After several months of scouting college basketball games and a few hectic days here watching prospects go through their final workouts, Washington Mystics General Manager Linda Hargrove flew back to Washington early Tuesday morning to begin sorting through the data she has collected. In a phone conversation after she landed, Hargrove said much of the Mystics' strategy going into today's WNBA draft remains up in the air.

"We don't really know for sure what position we're going to go for yet," she said. "We don't know if we're going to go with a guard or with a post [player] at that number six pick. . . . Obviously, we've been studying our roster for several months and the players in the draft and trying to figure out which position is going to be able to help us most this year. Before 1 o'clock [Wednesday] we've got to have all those scenarios worked through and know what we're going to do, and we will. But we're actually not quite there yet. We've just been really, really working hard to put it all together."

Tennessee's Candace Parker, who led her team to its second consecutive national title Tuesday night, is expected to be the top pick in the draft, which is being held at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla. The resort is owned by Sheila Johnson, the Mystics' president and managing partner. The Chicago Sky likely will choose LSU center Sylvia Fowles next. Stanford guard Candice Wiggins, who was spectacular in the NCAA tournament, should go to the Minnesota Lynx at No. 3. The Mystics pick after Detroit and Houston. They also have the 20th and 34th selections.

"I like the depth of this year's draft," Hargrove said. "When you move past those three [Parker, Fowles and Wiggins], I see about 10 players who are all going to be very good in the WNBA. . . . Most of the players that are going to be taken in the first round are going to be players that will have some kind of impact on their team."

With the departure of starting point guard Nikki Teasley last month, the Mystics have an unexpected void to fill. Though they have two point guards on the roster, untested Nikki Blue and recent free agent signee Amber Jacobs, they don't have a proven veteran at that position.

Not having Teasley has changed the strategy going into the draft, Hargrove said. "Before, maybe we're thinking post [player] all the way. Now we really feel we have to look at this whole picture a bit more than we did before. . . . [But] I don't think that we feel that we have to" draft a point guard.

A handful of area players have been invited to Florida for the draft, including Maryland's Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper, Virginia's Sharneé Zoll and James Madison's Tamera Young.

Both Langhorne and Harper are expected to go in the first round. Though Langhorne is the more decorated of the two, Harper is thought to be the better pro prospect.

"Harper, to me, is a better player because she plays face-up and her range is out a little more," Los Angeles Sparks Coach Michael Cooper said.

Hargrove said Young stood out during the pre-draft camp this past weekend.

"She is an extremely athletic player," Hargrove said. "I think people would look at her and think this is a player who could really get a lot better."

Note: Former WNBA most valuable player Yolanda Griffith signed with Seattle, giving the Storm three MVPs on its revamped roster.