New Post at Swish Appeal

I have a new post up at the Swish Appeal website. This one explains the concept of WNBA Most Valuable Player Shares.

Go visit Swish Appeal and send them some love!

2009 WNBA Awards: The Mid-Season Special

She's standing up, and it's time to recognize her.

Ah, if there's a chasm in which a WNBA follower can easily fall, it's letting his or her picks for yearly awards face the scrutiny of others. (Good thing I have blog space to fill!)

If I were handing out awards, here's who I'd give them to, based on the halfway point of the season.

Most Valuable Player: Nicky Anosike - C - Minnesota Lynx

I would put Nicky above just about anyone - even above the major names like Jackson and Taurasi. She's tough and fearless and one of the reasons why the Lynx have suddenly become a team to be feared. She's just in her second year in the league and I think she's going to be one of those players that can just do it all. She's averaging 14.4 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Lynx, as well as 3.1 steals per game.

All WNBA Teams: I had to bang on some position designations for this one.

First Team

C - Nicky Anosike, Lynx
PF - Lauren Jackson, Storm
SF - Tamika Catchings, Fever
SG - Diana Taurasi, Mercury
PG - Cappie Pondexter, Mercury

Second Team

C - Erika de Souza, Dream
PF - Shameka Christon, Liberty
SF - Sancho Lyttle, Dream
SG - Tanisha Wright, Storm
PG - Jia Perkins, Sky

Rookie of the Year: DeWanna Bonner - G - Mercury

Angel McCoughtry is really good, but I would have to give the nod to Bonner just from the minutes played.

All-Rookie Team

C - Courtney Paris, Monarchs
PF - Megan Frazee, Silver Stars
SF - Angel McCoughtry, Dream
SG - DeWanna Bonner, Mercury
PG - Renee Montgomery, Lynx

Sixth Woman of the Year: Crystal Langhorne - F/C - Mystics

Having 11.6 ppg/7.6 rpg out of only 3 starts in 15 games? She makes a pretty strong argument for the honor.

Coach of the Year

This is a tough one. How do you quantify the difference between the coach and the players? If a coach is also a GM, does player acquisition figure in the ratings?

My rule: best record unless there are other considerations. That makes Lin Dunn of the Fever my nominee.

Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Shannon Johnson - G - Storm

This is usually given to one of the oldest players in the league as an honorarium. Some charity work and general good behavior is required. Lisa Leslie is retiring, but she's a bit too whiny to get the award. Tina Thompson is too much of an intimidator. Since Shannon Johnson has put in her time, and since she hasn't won the award yet, I'll nominate her for the award.

Most Improved Player: Kara Braxton - C - Detroit Shock

Braxton is scoring 11.8 points for game and sh'es been on fire, hitting 64 percent of her field goals. She's getting 7.3 rpg, almost two more than last year. The Shock are banged up, but this has left opportunity for Braxton to show what she can do.

Defensive Player of the Year: Nicky Anosike - C - Minnesota Lynx

Yes, she throws her elbows but with 53 steals and 16 blocks on the year, Anosike is a force to be reckoned with. There aren't too many centers leading the league in steals.

All-Defensive Team:

C: Nicky Anosike, Lynx
PF: Lauren Jackson, Storm
SF: Tamika Catchings, Fever
SG: Tanisha Wright, Storm
PG: Alexis Hornbuckle, Shock

Without Candace

There is a rumor - which has not been verified - that Candace Parker is pregnant.

Granted, when you look for computer translations for proof - "Kendis Parker widely publicized Uralic public, did not arrive in Yekaterinburg. This became known at the end of the year, when the player announced that it intends to acquire a child" - you're never 100 percent sure. Maybe Candace intends to buy a child.

If Candace is a no-show for 2009, not only does this mean substantially less dunking in the WNBA, it also means that the Sparks have some big problems. It was Candace and Leslie that kept this team above water; without Candace Lisa Leslie will have to perform a solo act. (Now, Leslie will know what it feels like when one of your key players leaves a team due to pregnancy - Leslie skipped all of 2007 for that very reason.)

So without Candace, who is in the front running for an MVP in 2009?

1. Diana Taurasi: She's got to be the front runner. She'll be a young 26 years old at the end of the season. She and Cappie Pondexter carried the Mercury on their backs last year. She has a great personality and even appeals to those people who don't like the WNBA in a way that no other WNBA player does.

Add to that the fact that she's never won one. The MVP might end up staying in the west yet again.

2. Lindsey Whalen: She'll also hit 26 years old and she should be even better than she was last year. Then again, she's not the world's greatest quote (Taurasi) and she doesn't have the body of a superstar model (Parker, Leslie, Jackson). With the MVP picked for intangibles as much as it's picked for on-court performance, Whalen would have to have a superlative year to make it. But she's probably the hope for an Eastern MVP.

3. Sophia Young: A great player from a marquee team. However, Young has one big problem. She's not Becky Hammon. Becky will always draw the attention, make the quotes, and have the monster fanbase. Which will lead on toe ask, "How can a player be the MVP when her teammate is getting all the glory?"

4, Deanna Nolan: If there's a player with personality, it's definitely Tweety. She can put on the kind of flashy show that fans like to see, Detroit is a team with definite dynasty aspirations, and she's definitely got personality. But is it the personality that the image-conscious WNBA wants? There might be resistance in giving the MVP to a "Bad Girl", one with all those tattoos. If you're looking for the sweet Becky-Hammon-girl-next-door type, look elsewhere - the problem is maybe the voters will, too.

5. Jia Perkins/Sylvia Fowles: When Big Syl got hurt in 2008, Jia picked up the slack. When they are both healthy, the Sky become a lot more formidable. But if the Sky finish fifth - or worse - would it doom any hope of an MVP for either of the two?