| | NEW YORK -- Miami's new WNBA team shook up the expansion
draft by trading away its first two picks.
First, the team made guard Kate Starbird of Sacramento its first
pick, then swapped her and its first pick (eighth overall) in the
2000 WNBA draft to Utah for center Elena Baranova the Starzz's
second-round pick (19th overall) in the draft.
Then Miami chose guard-forward Stephanie McCarty from Charlotte
in the second round and traded her to Indiana for a second-round
choice, guard Sandy Brondello, and Indiana's first-round pick (10th
overall) in the 2000 draft.
Indiana opened the expansion draft by selecting guard Gordana
Grubin of the Los Angeles Sparks. Seattle had the second pick and
picked guard Edna Campbell of Phoenix.
After Miami selected Starbird, Portland completed the first
round by choosing forward Alisa Burras from Cleveland.
Besides McCarty and Brondello, the other second-round picks were
guard Sophia Witherspoon, taken by Portland from New York, and
guard Sonja Henning, chosen by Seattle from Houston.
Portland came out of the draft with an extra player, getting
center Michele Van Gorp from New York as a payback for selecting
Witherspoon in the second round and guard Coquese Washington in the
fourth round.
Each of the 12 existing WNBA teams protected five players
through the first three rounds of the draft, with each team losing
one player. For the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, the current
teams protected three more players each and the lost one additional
player to the new teams.
Nicknames and logos for the new teams will be announced later.
The regular WNBA draft is set for April 25, with the first pick
held by the Cleveland Rockers. | |
ALSO SEE
Grubin goes first in WNBA Expansion Draft as Starbird ends up in Utah
Portland gets seven players, including Burras, in expansion draft
Sparks lose Grubin, Bjedov in expansion draft
Utah loses point guard Black; picks up Starbird
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