Dream Website Wakes Up

There is a story and picture about the ownership change at the official Atlanta Dream website. It's the first website update of any kind in almost a month.

Granted, it just links to a story at the WNBA website. But I'll take what I can get. Let's go, Dream!

Update: LifeLock Logo Scrubbed from Mercury Website

In my earlier post today about the presence of a LifeLock logo on the "lockout" splash page of the Phoenix Mercury, I provided visual evidence that the picture on the lock looked exactly like the logo used by LifeLock, a Tempe, AZ based identify-theft prevention company.

However, if you go to the Mercury website now (link is here until Monday), you will find that the logo has now been scrubbed. The "lock" that locks (theoretically) the entire website now no longer has the LifeLock logo stamped on it.

Curiouser and curiouser? Did we unlock something we were never intended to unlock?

Some More College Players and the Senior Prospects Metric

So who's this "Mandy Morales" girl?

I've added the Preseason Top 25 players has sparked a lot of discussion.

I have my own draft list of over 100 players, but there were players on bullsky's list that weren't on my list. I looked at the one's missing on my list, and then ranked them using the Senior Prospects Metric.

So does the newest WNBA Draft website find some diamonds...or does it dig some coal?

Robyn Fairbanks, Utah Valley State

Strengths: Averaged 23.8 points a game for Utah Valley State. Good rebounder and shot blocker.
Weaknesses: Plays for a weak conference - as a matter of fact, Utah Valley State does not belong to a conference. Short for a center.

Projection: Will not be drafted. I have her as #48 in my list of players. However, she should definitely show up at a WNBA pre-draft camp. Someone should at least give her a chance, given the dearth of centers.

Lindsay Wysdom-Hilton, Purdue

Strengths: Blocked Shots. Steals. All of the great defensive stats that would translate to NBA success if she were male.
Weaknesses: ACL tear led her to miss all of 2007-08. She's one year ahead of the other players in development.

Projection: I'm a moron for missing her. I had to evaluate Purdue's strength in 2007 as equal to 2008, since I don't have the Sagarin ratings for 2006-07, and they're not on the internet. If we assume that Purdue stands relatively to other teams the same way in 2006-07 as 2007-08...she jumps to #2. A first round pick, and the highest ranked forward.

Candace Byngham, Louisville

Strengths: Biggest contribution in my metric is in steals. Also a good rebounder.
Weaknesses: Age - older players take a bigger hit. Furthermore, at 6-1, she's small for a forward.

Projection: I have her at #39, which puts her as a candidate for the third round of the WNBA draft.

Jhasmin Player, Baylor

Strengths: Few turnovers and high steals ratio. Something tells me she's a great ball handler.
Weaknesses: She only played 21 games last year with a torn ACL. Therefore, we're looking at a smaller sample size of games. Games earlier in the season are usually against non-conference foes, and the Big East was the baddest conference around last year.

Projection: #15. On the border of second round/first round. She really needs to stand out as a senior.

Aisha Mohammed, Virginia

Strengths: She's a great rebounder.
Weaknesses: First, she'll be 23 on draft day. She's suffered a knee injury. She has a lot of turnovers (even for a center) and she doesn't have many blocked shots at all for someone playing the five position.

Projection: #115. She's not going to be drafted unless some team is absolutely desperate for a relatively unskilled rebounder. We'll see her in international play if her knees hold out.

Marshae Dotson, Florida

Strengths: High steal ratio. Good rebounder despite her size.
Weaknesses: High number of turnovers. Really too short to be a forward in the WNBA.

Projection: #81. The statistics say that she'll be one of the last people invited to a WNBA camp, and one of the first ones cut.

Mandy Morales, Montana

Strengths: Excellent assist to turnover ratio. As in 129 assists and 69 turnovers. Furthermore, she was the leading scorer for her team.
Weaknesses: Only age and that some might look down on the Big Sky conference.

Projection: bullsky over at the 2009 WNBA Draft site really found a diamond in the rough. Her stats project her as a first rounder, and she goes to #10 on my list. Someone should keep their eye on Mandy Morales.

Dream Overseas Updates Now on Dream Website

A great picture of Kasha Terry. Cribbed from the Atlanta Dream website.

The Dream now has an Overseas Update feature which it appears will be updated on a weekly basis. If you want "just the facts, m'aam" about how well players are doing individually during their various overseas offseasons, this is the place to go.

So what are you waiting for? Go there!