The foundations for the WNBA campaign which has elevated Alanna Smith into most improved calculations were built last year on deep disappointment.
Diamond DeShields, the third pick in the draft, knows critics aren't sold on her yet. But she brings a new outlook back from a pro season in Turkey.
Azurá Stevens has teams like Indiana and Chicago reconsidering their early draft picks, causing a ripple effect through the first round.
The WNBA's new Las Vegas franchise had the best odds in Monday's draft lottery and ended up with the No. 1 pick. Now Bill Laimbeer will have to decide between players such as South Carolina's A'ja Wilson and 19-year-old Russian post player Maria Vadeeva.
The WNBA Basketball Power Index examines how tough it might be for Washington to get a first-round bye -- and whether Seattle or Chicago has the inside track at the eighth and final playoff berth.
Heading into the All-Star break, Chicago was on the rise. But after three consecutive losses and a trade that seemed to indicate the Sky already have an eye on 2018, a spot in the postseason seems unlikely.
