Mercury add four players in second, third rounds
April 4, 2007 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury News Release
PHOENIX - The Phoenix Mercury selected four players in the second and third rounds of today's 2007 WNBA Draft presented by adidas.
Delaware forward Tyresa Smith (second round, 18th overall), Oklahoma forward Leah Rush (third round, 28th overall), Middle Tennessee guard Chrissy Givens (third round, 31st overall) and Arizona State forward Emily Westerberg (third round, 37th overall) are the newest members of the Mercury.
The 6-0, Smith is a two-time Colonial Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 19.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in her senior season.
Rush, the former Sooner, is a 6-1 forward named to the All-Big 12 Second Team in both 2005 and 2006 with career averages of 10.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in four seasons in Oklahoma.
Givens is a 5-11 Middle Tennessee guard who was the 2007 Sun Belt Player of the Year, averaging a team-high 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
Westerberg, the team's final pick in the draft, is a week removed from helping lead Arizona State to the school's first Elite Eight appearance. The Corvallis, Oregon native is a three-time member of the All-Pac-10 First Team (2007, 2006, 2005) and was named to this year's Pac-10 All-Tournament Team. Westerberg averaged 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds during her senior season under ASU Head Coach and Mercury television analyst Charli Turner Thorne.
Winners of a franchise-best seven straight to finish 2006, the Phoenix Mercury look to pick up where they left off led by All-Stars Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Tangela Smith in the record-shattering offense of head coach Paul Westhead. Under the direction of new general manager Ann Meyers Drysdale, Phoenix opens its 11th WNBA season on Saturday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. at US Airways Center against the San Antonio Silver Stars.
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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from April 4, 2007
- Lindsey Harding, Jessica Davenport taken as top two picks in 2007 WNBA Draft - WNBA
- Monarchs select Jessica Dickson in second round of 2007 WNBA Draft - Sacramento Monarchs
- Chicago Sky Selects Four Players in WNBA Rookie Draft - Chicago Sky
- Seattle Storm Select Katie Gearlds in 2007 WNBA Draft - Seattle Storm
- Mercury add four players in second, third rounds - Phoenix Mercury
- Sun Select Four Players in 2007 WNBA Draft - Connecticut Sun
- Shock Selects Latta In 2007 WNBA Draft - Detroit Shock
- Fever Selects 6-7 Bales to Highlight 2007 Draft Picks - Indiana Fever
- Mystics select Bernice Mosby - Washington Mystics
- Silver Stars deal draft pick Davenport for Hammon - San Antonio Stars
- Minnesota Lynx Make Three WNBA Second-Round Selections - Minnesota Lynx
- Mercury acquire All-Star Tangela Smith - Phoenix Mercury
- Liberty Obtain Draft Rights to Davenport, Trade Hammon - New York Liberty
- Minnesota Lynx Acquire First Overall Pick Lindsey Harding in Exchange for Tangela Smith - Minnesota Lynx
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