Washington Mystics seek post player in 2010 WNBA draft

Traditionally, coaches and general managers keep their wish-lists of prospects or position needs a secret when preparing for an entry draft. Not so with the Washington Mystics, who have no qualms about revealing their desire to add a post player in Thursday's WNBA draft.

Washington owns the sixth overall pick in this year's draft, which many coaches believe lacks the overall depth of the previous two years. There should be several options available for the Mystics with their first-round choice though, as they continue to tweak their roster.

"We've been joking that there's no doubt in everybody's mind. They know the Mystics are certainly looking for a post," said General Manager Angela Taylor, who will also choose players with the 14th, 18th and 30th selections. "But although we have specific needs coming out of the draft we're not going to let that put blinders on us. . . . We aren't just going to select a post player just because someone is 6 foot and over."

After reaching the playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history and finishing 16-18 in 2009, Taylor signed free-agent guard Katie Smith, injecting instant leadership and scoring. But while backcourt depth has improved since Taylor and Coach Julie Plank arrived, there was an imbalance in the paint.

Ideally, Washington would like to acquire someone they can develop who complements forward Crystal Langhorne, the team's most reliable and only steady scorer among post players a season ago, who will be entering her third year in the league.

Connecticut's 6-foot-4 center Tina Charles is the most professionally ready and is projected to be taken first overall by the Connecticut Sun, but a handful of solid front-court prospects will remain when the Mystics are on the clock.

"Outside of the top three or four players -- you look at Tina Charles, [guard] Epiphanny Prince and [guard] Monica Wright, they're probably the class of the draft -- there's really little difference between certain post players and different perimeter players," Taylor said. "It really is what you need and what you like in a type of player."

Among those on Taylor's watch list: Stanford's 6-foot-4 Jayne Appel is a prolific rebounder and natural passer who has been hampered by injuries and would need to work on her offensive game; and Nebraska's versatile 6-foot-2 Kelsey Griffin, who also dealt with injuries and needs to work on her perimeter shooting but thrives in almost any situation, offensively and defensively.

Meanwhile, several Mystics are familiar with Florida State's Jacinta Monroe, who needs to increase her strength but standing 6-foot-5, is a terrific shot-blocker and can run the floor.

Mississippi State's 6-foot-5 Chanel Mokango is a consistent rebounder but more of a finesse player who would also need to get stronger.

One thing is certain though, most players in Thursday's draft will need to work their way onto a WNBA roster. The league limits teams to a 15-player roster in training camp, but it must shrink to 11 by the start of the regular season.

Note: Wright, a Virginia alum and Forest Park graduate, is expected to be one of the stars of the draft class and possibly a top-three selection.

An explosive player who excels defensively, Wright has a "pro-type" body according to Taylor.