WNBA GMs predict Leslie as MVP again, Parker as top rookie
NEW YORK - WNBA general managers predict the Los Angeles Sparks will win their third WNBA title in franchise history during the 2008 season, and Sparks center Lisa Leslie will win her league record fourth MVP.
Sparks teammate and first pick of the WNBA Draft, Candace Parker of Naperville, will likely take Rookie of the Year honors, according to respondents of the Sixth Annual WNBA.com survey of general managers.
Providing fans with an inside look into the minds of WNBA decision-makers on the 2008 season, the Sparks received 42 percent of the votes to win the WNBA Finals. The Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm finished tied for second with 17 percent of the votes.
Leslie received 36 percent of the GMs' votes to win the 2008 MVP award. Other MVP candidates included the Storm's Lauren Jackson (27 percent), who finished second, while the San Antonio Silver Stars' Becky Hammon and Mercury's Diana Taurasi (18 percent) finished tied for third.
The GMs predict a two-player battle for rookie honors with Parker getting 75 percent of the early votes to the Chicago Sky's Sylvia Fowles, who received the remaining 25 percent.
And despite finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting, Fowles was voted as the rookie most likely to develop into the best player in five years with 67 percent of the votes. Parker finished second with 25 percent.
Additional predictions:
• Detroit Shock winning the Eastern Conference.
• Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever winning Defensive Player of the Year (32 percent)
• Phoenix Mercury most fun team to watch in 2008 (42 percent)
• Deanna Nolan, Detroit Shock most athletic player (67 percent)
• Shanna Crossley, San Antonio Silver Stars best pure shooter (25 percent)
• Katie Douglas, Indiana Fever acquisition that will make biggest impact in 2008 (29 percent)
• Lindsay Whalen of the Connecticut Sun voted best at making her teammates better (27 percent)
Here are the results from the 2008 survey:
2008 WNBA predictions by general managers
1. Which team will win WNBA Finals 2008?
Los Angeles: 42%
Phoenix: 17%
Seattle: 17%
Also receiving votes: Connecticut, Indiana, San Antonio
2. Which team will win the Eastern Conference?
Detroit: 58%
Indiana: 25%
Also receiving votes: Chicago, Connecticut
3. Which team will win the Western Conference?
Los Angeles: 50%
Phoenix: 17%
San Antonio: 17%
Seattle: 17%
4. Which teams will also qualify for the Eastern Conference playoffs?
Detroit: 100%
Chicago: 92%
Indiana: 75%
New York: 67%
Connecticut: 58%
Washington: 8%
5. Which teams will also qualify for the Western Conference playoffs?
L.A.: 100%
San Antonio: 100%
Phoenix: 92%
Seattle: 83%
Minnesota: 17%
Sacramento: 8%
6. Which team made the best offseason moves overall?
Seattle: 46%
Indiana: 29%
L.A.: 21%
Also receiving votes: Atlanta
7. Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact?
Katie Douglas: 29%
Sylvia Fowles: 25%
DeLisha Milton-Jones: 25%
Ann Wauters: 13%
Also receiving votes: Candace Parker
8. Which team will be most improved in 2008?
Los Angeles: 46%
Chicago: 21%
Minnesota: 17%
Also receiving votes: Houston, New York
9. Which team will be the most fun to watch?
Phoenix: 42%
L.A.: 25%
Also receiving votes: Houston, Indiana, Sacramento, San Antonio
On top players
1. Who will win the 2008 MVP?
Lisa Leslie: 36%
Lauren Jackson: 27%
Becky Hammon: 18%
Diana Taurasi: 18%
2. If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the WNBA, who would it be?
Candace Parker: 29%
Tamika Catchings: 25%
Sylvia Fowles: 17%
Also receiving votes: Cheryl Ford, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi
3. Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2008?
Shameka Christon: 9%
Marie Ferdinand: 9%
Kara Lawson: 9%
Rebekkah Brunson: 9%
Seimone Augustus: 9%
Ivory Latta: 9%
Noelle Quinn: 9%
Asjha Jones: 9%
Nikki Blue: 9%
Diana Taurasi: 9%
Sidney Spencer: 9%
4. Which player do you think has the greatest hunger to win a championship in 2008?
Tamika Catchings: 27%
Lisa Leslie: 18%
Sheryl Swoopes: 18%
Also receiving votes: Katie Douglas, Becky Hammon, Vickie Johnson, Kara Lawson
5. Who is the best point guard in the WNBA?
Sue Bird: 42%
Becky Hammon: 17%
Also receiving votes: Kelly Miller, Katie Smith, Diana Taurasi, Nikki Teasley, Lindsay Whalen
6. Who is the best shooting guard in the WNBA?
Deanna Nolan: 42%
Diana Taurasi: 33%
Seimone Augustus: 17%
Also receiving votes: Alana Beard
7. Who is the best small forward in the WNBA?
Diana Taurasi: 33%
Tamika Catchings: 25%
Katie Douglas: 8%
Katie Smith: 8%
Penny Taylor: 8%
Sophia Young: 8%
Also receiving votes: Candace Parker, Nicole Powell
8. Who is the best power forward in the WNBA?
Lauren Jackson: 54%
Cheryl Ford: 17%
Tina Thompson: 17%
Also receiving votes: Sophia Young, Rebekkah Brunson
9. Who is the best center in the WNBA?
Lisa Leslie: 75%
Lauren Jackson: 17%
Sancho Lyttle: 8%
10. Who is the most underrated player in the WNBA?
Penny Taylor: 18%
Also receiving votes: Seimone Augustus, Tully Bevilaqua, Asjha Jones, Betty Lennox, Mwadi Mabika, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Cappie Pondexter, Nicole Powell, Katie Smith
On rookies
1. Who will win the 2008 Rookie of the Year?
Candace Parker: 75%
Sylvia Fowles: 25%
2. Which rookie will be the best player in five years?
Sylvia Fowles: 67%
Candace Parker: 25%
Candice Wiggins: 8%
3. Which "sleeper" rookie is most likely to be a success?
Amber Holt: 25%
Candice Wiggins: 17%
Also receiving votes: Shannon Bobbitt, Essence Carson, A'Quonesia Franklin, Charde Houston, Tasha Humphrey, Tamera Young, Erica White
On coaches
1. Who is the best head coach in the WNBA?
Mike Thibault: 50%
Michael Cooper: 17%
Also receiving votes: Brian Agler, Patty Coyle, Lin Dunn, Bill Laimbeer
2. Which head coach is the best manager/motivator of people?
Michael Cooper: 42%
Lin Dunn: 17%
Mike Thibault: 17%
Also receiving votes: Corey Gaines, Dan Hughes, Bill Laimbeer
3. Which head coach is the best strategic/X's and O's coach?
Mike Thibault: 58%
Brian Agler: 17%
Also receiving votes: Michael Cooper, Patty Coyle, Bill Laimbeer
4. Which head coach is the best at developing young players?
Mike Thibault: 27%
Michael Cooper: 18%
Dan Hughes: 18%
Don Zierden: 18%
Also receiving votes: Brian Agler, Corey Gaines
5. Who is the best assistant coach in the WNBA?
Julie Plank: 20%
Bernadette Maddox: 15%
Cheryl Reeve : 13%
Jessie Kenlaw: 10%
Gary Kloppenburg: 10%
Stephanie White: 10%
Fred Williams: 10%
Also receiving votes: Scott Hawk, Tom Abatemarco, Monique Ambers
6. Which active player would make the best head coach someday?
Kara Lawson: 25%
Katie Smith: 17%
Sue Bird: 17%
Also receiving votes: Tully Bevilaqua, Tamecka Dixon, Vickie Johnson, Ticha Penicheiro, Tamika Raymond