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Phoenix selects Taurasi with top pick in WNBA draft

April 17, 2004 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


SECAUCUS, N.J. April 17 – The Phoenix Mercury selected guard Diana Taurasi with the first overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft. Taurasi, a two-time Associated Press First Team All-American and two-time Naismith Player of the Year, averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in her four year career at University of Connecticut. The Huskies captured three consecutive NCAA National Championships (2002, 03, 04) during her time at Storrs, and Taurasi was selected the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Final Four the past two seasons.

"I'm excited (about playing in Phoenix)," said Taurasi. "It's a lot closer to home than Connecticut is. My parents will get a better opportunity to go out there. I've always been good with adjusting to new situations and obviously it's a new city with new teammates, new surroundings. I'm really excited. So everything that comes my way, I'm definitely going to enjoy it."

The Washington Mystics selected the 2004 Associated Press Player of the Year Alana Beard of Duke University. Beard, a three-time AP First Team All-American was also the winner of the 2004 Wooden Award, Wade Trophy and United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year. She averaged 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists during her four year career as a Blue Devil.

Minnesota had two picks in the top seven, selecting Kansas State center Nicole Ohlde with the sixth overall pick, and Florida center Vanessa Hayden with the seventh overall pick.

Other first round picks included Stanford guard/forward Nicole Powell (third, Charlotte); Minnesota guard Lindsay Whalen (fourth, Connecticut); Arkansas guard/forward Shameka Christon (fifth, New York); Houston guard/forward Chandi Jones (eighth, Phoenix); USC center Ebony Hoffman (ninth, Indiana); Georgetown forward Rebekkah Brunson (10th, Sacramento); Duke forward/center Iciss Tillis (11th, Detroit); Georgia center Christi Thomas (12th, Los Angeles); Purdue forward Shereka Wright (13th, Detroit).

Immediately following the draft, the Houston Comets traded the rights to Lindsay Taylor (13 pick in 2nd round) to Phoenix in exchange for the rights to Maria Villarroel (1st pick in 3rd round).

Below are the complete results from the 2004 WNBA Draft.

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2004 WNBA DRAFT ORDER FIRST ROUND
1 Phoenix (8-26) Diana Taurasi
2 Washington (9-25) Alana Beard
3 Charlotte from Indiana (16-18)1 Nicole Powell
4 Connecticut from San Antonio (12-22)2 Lindsay Whalen
5 New York (16-18) Shameka Christon
6 Minnesota from Seattle (18-16)3 Nicole Ohlde
7 Minnesota (18-16) Vanessa Hayden
8 Phoenix from Connecticut (18-16) 4 Chandi Jones
9 Indiana from Charlotte (18-16) 5 Ebony Hoffman
10 Sacramento (19-15) Rebekkah Brunson
11 Detroit from Houston (20-14)6 Iciss Tillis
12 Los Angeles (24-10) Christi Thomas
13 Detroit (25-9) Shereka Wright

1 On February 5, 2004 the Charlotte Sting acquired the Indiana Fever's first round and second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Kelly Miller and the Sting's first round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

2 On January 28, 2004 the Connecticut Sun acquired the San Antonio Silver Stars' first, second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Shannon Johnson and the Sun's second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

3 On April 15, 2004 the Minnesota Lynx acquired the Seattle Storms' first round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Amanda Lassiter in exchange for Sheri Sam and Janelle Burse.

4 On March 25, 2004 the Phoenix Mercury acquired the Connecticut Sun's first round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft in a three-way trade where the Mercury sent Tamicha Jackson to Washington and the Mystics sent Ashja Jones to Connecticut.

5 On February 5, 2004 the Indiana Fever acquired the Charlotte Stings' first round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Kelly Miller in exchange for the Fever's first round and second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

6 On February 17, 2004 the Detroit Shock acquired the Houston Comets' first and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Kedra Holland-Corn and the Shock's second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

SECOND ROUND

1 Phoenix (8-26) Ashley Robinson
2 Washington (9-25) Kaayla Chones
3 Connecticut from San Antonio (12-22)7 Jessica Brungo
4 New York (16-18) Amisha Carter
5 Charlotte from Indiana (16-18)8 Kelly Mazzante
6 Seattle (18-16) Catrina Frierson
7 Minnesota (18-16) Tasha Butts
8 San Antonio from Connecticut (18-16)9 Cindy Dallas
9 Charlotte (18-16) Jenni Benningfield
10 Detroit from Sacramento (19-15)10 Erika Valek
11 Connecticut from Houston (20-14)11 Ugo Oha
12 Los Angeles (24-10) Doneeka Hodges
13 Houston from Detroit (25-9)12 Lindsay Taylor

7 On January 28, 2004 the Connecticut Sun acquired the San Antonio Silver Stars' first, second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Shannon Johnson and the Sun's second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

8 On February 5, 2004 the Charlotte Sting acquired the Indiana Fever's first round and second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Kelly Miller and the Sting's first round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

9 On January 28, 2004 the San Antonio Silver Stars' acquired the Connecticut Sun's second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Shannon Johnson in exchange for the Silver Stars first, second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

10 On April 29, 2004 the Detroit Shock acquired the Sacramento Monarchs' second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Kedra Holland-Corn in exchange for the draft rights to Kara Lawson.

11 On January 5, 2004 the Connecticut Sun acquired the Houston Comets' second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for the Sun's eighth pick in the 2004 Dispersal Draft.

12 On February 17, 2004 the Houston Comets' acquired the Detroit Shock's second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Kedra Holland-Corn in exchange for the Comets first and third round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

13 On April 17, 2004 the Houston Comets traded the rights to Lindsay Taylor to Phoenix in exchange for the rights to Maria Villarroel.

THIRD ROUND

1 Phoenix (8-26) 13 Maria Villarroel
2 Washington (9-25) Evan Unrau
3 Connecticut from San Antonio (12-22)14 Candace Futrell
4 New York (16-18) Cathy Joens
5 Indiana (16-18) Ieva Kublina
6 Detroit from Houston from Seattle (18-16)15 Jennifer Smith
7 Minnesota (18-16) Amber Jacobs
8 San Antonio from Connecticut (18-16)16 Toccara Williams
9 Charlotte (18-16) Jia Perkins
10 Sacramento (19-15) Nuria Martinez
11 Houston (20-14) Stacy Stephens
12 Minnesota from Detroit (25-9)17 Kate Bulger

14 On January 28, 2004 the Connecticut Sun acquired the San Antonio Silver Stars' first, second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Shannon Johnson and the Sun's second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

15 On February 17, 2004 the Detroit Shock acquired the Houston Comets' first and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Kedra Holland-Corn and the Shock's second round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft (Houston's third round pick was acquired on May 20, 2003 from the Seattle Storm in exchange for Rita Williams).

16 On January 28, 2004 the San Antonio Silver Stars acquired the Connecticut Sun's second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft and Shannon Johnson in exchange for the Silver Stars' first, second and third round picks in the 2004 WNBA Draft.

17 On May 19, 2003 the Minnesota Lynx acquired the Detroit Shock's third round pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft in exchange for Tamara Moore.

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