Los Angeles Sparks

The Keys to Success

New Los Angeles coach Carol Ross outlined the keys to success for the team in an interview with Hoopfeed.com earlier this month. She is determined to make the Sparks more aggressive on both ends of the floor. They need to work harder on defense and be more cohesive. She brings over two decades of coaching to the table including being an assistant for the Atlanta Dream plus college stints at Ole Miss and Florida. With veterans DeLisha Milton-Jones and Ebony Hoffman along with a healthy Candice Parker buying into Ross’ philosophy, the Sparks have a strong chance of avoiding underperforming this season.

Player to Watch

Rookie Nneka Ogwumike, who had a stellar preseason, has already made her mark on the team and will no doubt be in the running for Rookie of the Year. It will be fun to watch the former Stanford player go up against veterans in the league with her outstanding athleticism coupled with her high basketball IQ.

The Pressure is On

Former Washington Mystics player Alana Beard has the most question marks over her head coming into the season for the Sparks. After missing two summers due to a severely injured left ankle, the Sparks gambled with signing the 5-11 guard. However, before her injury she averaged 16.2 points per game over her first six seasons for the Mystics. Will she be able to return to form for the Sparks? Back to Top

Minnesota Lynx

The Keys to Success

Good health is important to every team, but the starting five on this team all have a connection that makes losing any one of them for an extended period of time devastating. If they can stay healthy and Reeve can reduce the regular season minutes for the ageless McWilliams-Franklin, and the chronically sore Brunson, the pieces are in place.

Turnover free minutes from Thorn and Wiggins at backup point guard will help, and improved offense by Harris and Adair, or rookie Devereux Peters, will be an improvement.

Let’s face it though; we’re reaching for things when the biggest keys are health and bench production.

Player to Watch

Maya Moore was banged up during her rookie season and is still acclimating herself to professional basketball. After a WNBA championship followed by another championship in Europe, it should be exciting to see what else Moore can do and improve on during this season. It was virtually impossible for her to live up to the hype that came with her out of college, but this year we will see if she is destined to become the perennial All-Star expected of her.

The Pressure is On

The rest of the WNBA! How do you keep up with this team? Okay, seriously, Candice Wiggins needs to step into the role of being the first player of the bench and be ready to give rest to Whalen and Augustus. She signed a new, big contract this offseason, and the Lynx are expecting starter’s production out of their top bench player. With Wright and Thorn on the team, Reeve will not hesitate to sit Wiggins if the production is not there. Back to Top

Phoenix Mercury

The Keys to Success

While the Phoenix Mercury knew they would start the season without Australian forward Penny Taylor due to her Olympic commitments, her ACL injury incurred in overseas play nixed the chances that she would return after the London Games break. The Mercury has to figure out how to compensate without Taylor who averaged 16.7 points per game in 2011. And while adding Andrea Riley and rookie Samantha Prahalis fits well in the team’s uptempo style, Phoenix has to shore up their defensive prowess especially against the defending champion Minnesota Lynx and revamped West foe Los Angeles.

Player to Watch

Rookie Prahalis is an ideal fit for Phoenix. The fiery point guard known for her flashy no-look passes loves to run and should easily adapt to the Mercury. With the loss of former starting point guard Temeka Johnson to Tulsa, Prahalis has a chance to make her mark in the league this summer.

The Pressure is On

In 2009, forward Chardé Houston was an All-Star playing for the Minnesota Lynx and averaged 13.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. But by the end of that season, the Lynx petered out after a hot start and missed the playoffs. Rinse and repeat for 2010. With a diminished role on last year’s championship team, coming off the bench Houston had a season average of 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Her arrival in Phoenix gives her a chance to become a key player to help lessen the loss of Taylor for the season. Back to Top

San Antonio Silver Stars

The Keys to Success

With a mixture of seasoned veterans, including new team member Tangela Smith acquired from the Indiana Fever in the offseason, and young scoring and rebounding machines Shenise Johnson and Danielle Adams, the Silver Stars hope to live up to their potential after a three-year stretch of subpar years.

While they managed to earn playoff berths in 2009 and 2010, they did so with sub-.500 records and never made it past the first round.

Rebounding has been the team’s Achilles heel. The addition of Smith, Johnson plus a healthy Adams should help them perform better than last year when they finished as the worst rebounding team per game in the league.

Player to Watch

Danielle Adams was arguably well on her way to Rookie of the Year last season, outscoring and outrebounding eventual winner Maya Moore until she had to sit out after a right foot injury in late July. The team struggled without the post player from Texas A&M who was the June 2011 Rookie of the Month after averaging 14.3 points and 4.60 rebounds per game. This year, she has been the light of the team’s preseason in their two losses to Indiana. It remains to be seen whether the second-year player can avoid injury and put in performances like the 32-point game she had against Atlanta early last season.

The Pressure is On

General manager and head coach Dan Hughes. After handing over the head coach reigns in 2010 when Sandy Brondello took over assisted by her husband Olaf Lange, Hughes returned to the sidelines last year. The team had a great start, going 7-3 but still languish in mediocrity at best. The pressure on Hughes to harness the team’s new talent and squeeze more out of the returners to get the Silver Stars over the regular season sub-.500 doldrums. Back to Top

Seattle Storm

Keys to Success

Bird is still the best point guard in the game and Seattle still does not have a backup for her. She makes everyone on the court better and she wants the ball in her hands, especially in crucial situations. That is what makes her the best. Her task this year is to integrate Wauters and Thompson into the mix. Neither can run like Cash was able to on the break though, so it will be interesting to see if Seattle has to slow things down more frequently, or Stricklen, who is great in the open court, gets a chance.

The team has a tough opening half of the season, with eleven of the seventeen pre-Olympic break games on the road. They need to somehow stay close with the rest of the division because the good news is when Jackson returns in August, they have the entire month at home. They also have three of their last four at home.

Player to Watch

Katie Smith and Tina Thompson both received a lot of criticism last season, as they suffered perhaps their worst offensive numbers of their storied careers. What is left in the tank for the two veterans? Obviously Agler thinks there is enough for the Storm to make a run at the title. They will need to provide minutes and productivity for the Storm to succeed.

The Pressure is On

Really, there is not a lot of pressure on anyone with this team. Is that a good thing?

They have probably the best fan support in the league, a tremendous ownership group, and outstanding management. They have won titles, and have two of the most popular players in the world in Bird and Jackson. Sometimes though, pressure is needed to turn coal into the diamond. Where will it come from? The Storm will have find that inner drive and push to get this team back to the top. Back to Top

Tulsa Shock

The Keys to Success

It is a new day for the Tulsa Shock, a team that ended the last two years with the worst record in the league. With former Indiana Fever assistant Gary Kloppenburg in his first year as a WNBA head coach and six new players on the roster, Tulsa has a laundry list of things it needs in order to have a successful season. First is chemistry. With so many new players, the absence of Australian center Elizabeth Cambage to Olympic training and Tiffany (Jackson) Jones to pregnancy, plus a new staff, the Shock needs to come out of the gate as a cohesive unit.

Player to Watch

With an end-of-the season two-game suspension that started with her team’s play in the NCAA tournament, former Miami star Riquna Williams hurt her chances at becoming a 2012 first round draft pick, even though she averaged 16.6 points per game her senior year. While her fellow Hurricane Shenise Johnson went to San Antonio at No. 5, Williams had to wait until nearly midway through the second round before Tulsa picked her at No. 17. In preseason play Williams had 17 points in a 91-89 loss to Atlanta and 10 points in an 86-60 win over Atlanta. The Shock appears to have fared well in their choice of a talented player who seems to have recovered from an unfortunate end to a college career.

The Pressure is On

This is a no brainer. Gary Kloppenburg. While it seems that the only way for Tulsa to go is up, the least popular city among WNBA players, is now stocked with a young, talented roster at every position. Surely, they can win more than three games this year. Back to Top

NBA TV today announced its 45-game WNBA 2012 regular season schedule beginning with the debut of No. 1 draft pick Nnemkadi Ogwumike and the Los Angeles Sparks taking on WNBA All-Star Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm on Friday, May 18, at 10 p.m. ET.

The WNBA on NBA TV schedule will include appearances from all 12 WNBA teams, along with extensive coverage of the league throughout the season including highlights and post-game interviews with players and coaches following key WNBA matchups.

Prior to tipping off its comprehensive coverage of the league’s 16th season, NBA TV will present the WNBA Preview Show on Friday, May 18, at 6 p.m. During the 30-minute special, host Larry Smith and analyst LaChina Robinson will break down the Eastern and Western Conferences, discuss the Minnesota Lynx’s quest to defend its title and highlight the impact of the 2012 WNBA draft class.

The WNBA Preview Show also will feature an exclusive interview with WNBA president Laurel J. Richie as she discusses this year’s plans for the world’s premier women’s sports league.

2012 NBA TV WNBA Regular Season Schedule (all times ET)

May

June

July

August

September

Atlanta | Chicago | Connecticut | Indiana | New York | Washington

Atlanta Dream

Perhaps the team that had the toughest offseason was the defending Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Dream. They lost assistant coach Carol Ross to the head coaching job in Los Angeles. Erika de Souza and Iziane Castro-Marques announced they will stay in Brazil pre-Olympics to train (Castro-Marques remains unsigned), and Alison Bales and Shalee Lehning both retired.

Do not feel all that bad for the Dream though, as Angel McCoughtry is back, as is a healthier Sancho Lyttle. The starting backcourt of Lindsey Harding and Armintie Price is also back, and center Yelena Leuchanka returns as well, and will most likely get Erika’s minutes to start the season.

Ketia Swanier was brought to her hometown of Atlanta to back up Harding, allowing Coco Miller minutes behind Price, and Cathrine Kraayeveld gives the team a nice stretch power forward should Lyttle need a few games off here and there. Tiffany Hayes will also get a chance to crack the rotation as a rookie off the bench.

Keys to Success

Good health and surviving the time without Erika will determine the fate of the Dream. July will be crucial, as all five games they play are on the road, starting with division rival Chicago before heading out west.

McCoughtry is a future Most Valuable Player in the league, with skills that may be unmatched by anyone else. Saying she can do it all is an understatement, but the problem is she sometimes tries to do it all instead of relying on her teammates. She needs to trust the talents of Harding and Lyttle in particular, control some of her negative emotions, and then she will be the best player she can be.

Lyttle needs to stay healthy. When she is healthy, she is an amazing defensive presence and sets the tone for the team. Her performance versus Connecticut in last season’s playoffs was the difference, and that will be needed again this season.

Player to Watch

Armintie Price. An assistant coach at Mississippi this past college season, Price seemed to have almost a direct contact to the thoughts of Ross on the bench. McCoughtry even joked that they spoke in some secret Ole Miss language. With Ross gone, can Price be an effective “coach on the floor” as she was last year. The team trusted her and listened to her. Will that happen again without Ross?

The Pressure is On

Angel McCoughtry. Like it or not, the cameras are always on Angel. Therefore, her successes and her meltdowns are exposed to everyone to see. McCoughtry needs to increase the success, and reduce the meltdowns. She has the ability, but to be the next big thing in the WNBA, she needs to control her emotions when things do not go her way. She needs to understand the crowd and fans love positive emotion, not so much negative emotion. Back to Top

Chicago Sky

Is there a team that goes into this season with more expectations than the Sky? The team finished last season a disappointing 14-20, and, rather than blow up the core of the team, Pokey Chatman has added strong veteran parts to a nucleus she hopes is due to breakout.

The trading of the second overall pick to Seattle for Swin Cash and Le’Coe Willingham may be the best trade since Detroit acquired Katie Smith. The Sky then signed Ticha Penicheiro, the ageless consummate point guard to mentor last year’s top draft pick Courtney Vandersloot, a move that will also solidify Epiphanny Prince as a two guard instead of the point. Finally, they added more championship experience to help Sylvia Fowles rebound, with Ruth Riley coming aboard.

All of these moves are designed to give Fowles the surrounding pieces to allow the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year the help she needs to carry this team not only into the playoffs, but make a deep run.

Keys to Success

Fowles put up ridiculous numbers last year, averaging twenty points, two blocks, and over ten rebounds per game but Prince was the only other player on the team to average over ten points per game. The athletic ability of Fowles may be unmatched at the center position in the league, so it only makes sense for Chatman to get players like Cash and Penicheiro to help push the tempo. That will also help Prince and Vandersloot, who both thrive in the open court.

The moves strengthen the bench considerably, and that will be strength of the team. Penicheiro, Tamera Young, Willingham, Shay Murphy and Riley all have starters’ abilities, and whoever comes off the bench will be a talented player.

Player to Watch

Courtney Vandersloot. Fowles may become the Most Valuable Player in the league, but it is Vandersloot that will have to put her there. In year two of her professional career, she has already commented how the game seems to have slowed down for her, and the tremendous ability that awed USA national team coach Geno Auriemma when she attended one of their camps should emerge. She will not put up numbers like she did at Gonzaga, but on this team, she should not have to.

The Pressure is On

Swin Cash. Cash was brought to this team to teach them how to win, and how to be a playoff team. Along the way, she will be counted on to show the young team how to reach out to the fans, build your team brand, and conduct yourself as a professional, all while giving back to the community. Along the way, she will also go try to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Still, if anyone can handle all of this and succeed, it will be Cash. Back to Top

Connecticut Sun

Many teams would have looked at last year’s accomplishments (tied for the second best record in the league with 21 wins), and thought a tweak here, a tweak there and the team is over the top. With the exception of making a brief run at free agent Tina Thompson, the Connecticut Sun resisted the urge to make changes, and brought back virtually the same team as last year. Head coach Mike Thibault’s hope is that a team that has only three players with more than five years experience will be better just by maturing another year, and staying together.

Keys to Success

Tina Charles emerged as a Most Valuable Player candidate last year, and together with Asjha Jones form an Olympic post combo that is hard to match in the league. Charles will need to build on last year’s success of 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, and Jones, totally healthy for the first time in several years, will need to return to the All-Star level she played at prior to Charles’ arrival. The signing of Mistie Mims gives the Sun the best backup post they have had since Jones came off the bench. Renee Montgomery showed she can be an All-Star point guard in the WNBA, posting career highs in both points and assists last season, but needs to be consistent in her game management, especially as the Sun try to become more of a running team.

Player to Watch

Kara Lawson appears to be in the best shape of her career, and has played outstanding ball through the first two preseason games. She is a veteran, stabilizing presence, and alongside Montgomery forms a backcourt that will be able to dictate pace while making it difficult for opposing teams to double on the ball.

The Pressure is On

Mike Thibault. He is the longest tenured head coach in the WNBA, but the Sun has not won a playoff game in three years. It was his call to bring in veterans Mistie Mims and Sidney Spencer, and to not take a “useable” first round draft choice this season. He has a team he likes, with talent that needs to be cultivated and pulled out of young players. Will it continue to improve or slide back in a very competitive Eastern Conference? Back to Top

Indiana Fever

The Fever were potentially a Tamika Catchings-injury away from a run to the WNBA championship, so it was difficult for the team to not say “what if?” and try for another run with the same basic team. The team did trade starting power forward Tangela Smith, but gets back point guard Briann January from injury. When healthy, January and Erin Phillips comprised one of the best point guard rotations in the East.

They did not, however, replace Smith another power forward, and that position became even more worrisome when Shyra Ely-Gash injured her knee and was subsequently waived. It appears the Fever will go into the season with Catchings at that spot, which limits her ability to defend the strong wings in the league, or playing two centers together, with Jessica Davenport, Tammy Sutton-Brown, and rookie Sasha Goodlett all candidates for roster spots and playing time.

Keys to Success

Indiana has a bit of a strange roster combination right now, as they begin to transition to some youth while still keeping their veterans. The shooting guard/small forward positions will be held down by a combination of Katie Douglas, Shavonte Zellous, Jeanette Pohlen and possibly Roneeka Hodges. While strong three-point shooting will come from this group, the rebounding and defending of larger players could be a problem.

Catchings, of course, is the unquestioned leader and superstar on this team, and no less than a return to complete health will be a big problem for this team. Catchings, Sutton-Brown and Douglas all have over ten years of experience, and one has to wonder when the trio will slow down. Coach Lin Dunn will have to resist the temptation to play big minutes all season for them, and will have to rely on her bench.

The Fever finalized their roster on Monday, May 14, the first team to do so. La’Tangela Atkinson and Shannon Bobbitt were the last two players waived.

Player to Watch

Jessica Davenport has a breakout season last year, with career highs in every category, especially minutes played. With no true power forward in the rotation, it will fall to Davenport to provide rebounding, interior defense, and to not get into foul trouble. It is crucial she continue to blossom as a player.

The Pressure is On

Briann January. She was off to a strong start before her injury last year, with over eight points and five assists per game. However along with that came over three turnovers per game. She will need to reduce that number considerably and show little to no side effects from her knee injury to run this team effectively. Dunn will not hesitate to give Phillips minutes in place of January instead of alongside her if January is not the answer. Back to Top

New York Liberty

The 2011 New York Liberty made the playoffs and pushed the Indiana Fever to three games before falling. To build on that and advance further will require Cappie Pondexter to continue to be the all-everything guard she has proven to be throughout her career, and continued development by complementary players like Kia Vaughn, Essence Carson and Leilani Mitchell. Veterans Nicole Powell, Kara Braxton and Plenette Pierson need to continue to produce, but there is no doubt this is Pondexter’s team, and they will sink or swim based on her production.

Keys to Success

A quiet but outstanding addition to the Liberty is this offseason with the addition of point guard Kelly Miller. With Mitchell and Miller, the Liberty will have two solid point guards and take some of the ball handling duties off of Pondexter, allowing her to do what she does best, score.

Powell had her second consecutive season of scoring under ten points per game, and she or someone else needs to develop into that other shooter to take heat off of Pondexter as well. Pierson has done the exact opposite of Powell, putting up career highs in points, rebounds, and minutes played since joining the Liberty. Her aggressive style is perfect for the defensive minded John Whisenant, and her health is key to the team making another playoff run.

The center position will be interesting in a division that features Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles and Erika de Souza among its posts. The Liberty will go with the inconsistent Vaughn and Braxton, and surprise first-round choice Kelley Cain. They will need to step up and defend. If DeMya Walker is playing big minutes at center for the Liberty, that will not be a good thing.

Player to Watch

It is hard not to say Pondexter, but Essence Carson is due to have that breakout season predicted by many. Always a tremendous defensive presence, Carson has a new contract, and is coming off an 11 point per game season. Is she the one to become the second scorer instead of Powell? The Liberty will need one of them at least, that is for sure.

The Pressure is On

Kia Vaughn. Greatness was predicted for Vaughn early on, including her presence in USA Basketball’s pool of players for the senior national team. That has not yet translated to on the court production, and it is getting to be the time where she produces consistently or the team moves on. The acquisition of Braxton last season, the drafting of Cain and the signing of Walker cannot be viewed as a ringing endorsement of Vaughn. Back to Top

Washington Mystics

2012 is a season of new players and new hope for the Washington Mystics. Unfortunately, so was 2011. The Mystics may have as many as seven new players on their opening day roster, as they have said goodbye to Alana Beard and the past, and look to bring in young players and veterans with something to prove.

Crystal Langhorne, Monique Currie, and Matee Ajavon are the returnees that will be counted on to drive the team forward. Langhorne is a proven All-WNBA level talent at power forward, and will be the face of the franchise as they try to win back their fans after last year’s poor season. Currie is healthy again, and was playing at an All-Star level prior to injury. Ajavon showed tremendous improvement and the ability to score in bunches with the absence of Beard and Currie last season.

It will be in the hands of the newly acquired veterans if the team is to succeed. Currie commented on the “Dishin & Swishin” podcast on Hoopfeed.com that she really was happy with the improved attitude of the team, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Keys to Success

Trudi Lacey brought in a number of veterans that were deemed expendable by their prior teams: Dominique Canty, Michelle Snow, Ashley Robinson, and Noelle Quinn, most notably. They all have something to prove, and will most likely relish the opportunity to prove their game in Washington.

Jasmine Thomas will need to continue to develop at guard, and rookies Natalie Novosel and LaSondra Barrett both should get opportunities to prove their worth.

The Mystics open the season with three home games and five of their first seven games are at home. The bad news is that for a team that is going to have to come together quickly and win at home, those games includes Minnesota, Connecticut, Chicago, New York and Indiana. Can they get off to a fast start? It will determine the rest of the season.

Player to Watch

Ashley Robinson has played for several teams, but when Lauren Jackson was out last year she really proved to be a valuable contributor for the Storm. She will get the opportunity to anchor the defense of the Mystics this season, and will need to protect the paint from the Eastern Conference’s dominant centers. If the Mystics can hold down the offense of their opponents, they will have a shot to steal some wins.

The Pressure is On

Sheila Johnson. The owner of the Mystics has changed team management, almost turned over the roster twice in two years, and has watched attendance decline. In the fifteenth year of existence, the Mystics face more questions perhaps than they ever have before. She needs to hope her faith in Trudi Lacey as both coach and general manager is rewarded with success on the court. Back to Top

Sylvia Fowles put up 12 points and grabbed seven boards in just 17 minutes of action against China. Photo: USA Basketball (Neil Enns/Dane Creek Photography)

Five USA players scored in double digits in a 100-62 win over China Saturday night in Seattle. Tamika Catchings led the team with 19 points, Maya Moore finished with 15 and Sylvia Fowles added 12 points and seven rebounds. Swin Cash and Candace Parker had 10 points each.

The USA had only one practice, the night before, prior to the game. They outrebouned China 35-17 and shot 60.9 percent from the field (42-69 field goals). At the half, the USA led 52-33.

“When you’ve only had one practice with the team and this is our first game, it’s not going to look great,” said Geno Auriemma , USA and Connecticut head coach. “(China) is disciplined and (they) do their thing and make it difficult for us”

Zengyu Ma led China with 20 points while Gao Song and Li Shanshan had 10 points each.

“I think both teams played great tonight,” said China Coach Sun Fengwu. “We tried really hard, with 100 percent effort and it will definitely be a great help for us.”

Even with the win Auriemma sees room for improvement for the national team.

“We gave up too many points in the first half,” he said. “But we talked about this in the locker room – not one player on this team was picked because they’re a great defensive player. We have all of these good offensive players that are going to moan when we make them play defense. Defense is going to be the last thing that we get right, but as the weeks go on, we’re going to get it right.”

The USA has a scrimmage against Japan Sunday morning at Seattle Pacific University. They continue their training schedule in mid-July in Washington, D.C. at American University.

Quotes

Geno Auriemma

On the 2nd quarter:
We were shuffling guys in and out, trying different things. We could’ve played eight players and looked really good doing it, but that’s not the intent of today. It took us a while to find our stride and find the right combinations that play well together.

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm

Opening comments:
For me especially, it’s been great to have this training camp in Seattle. From a basketball standpoint, obviously we don’t have a lot of time so it’s really important to start making our identity. I think we did that. We’re definitely going to get better, but it was a great start.

On the identities of the national teams:
I think back to 2004, I don’t know that we were as deep. This team and 2008 … the talent is so deep. You can go out there and exert all your energy because you know that with the next person coming in, there’s going to be no dropoff. This team is very deep, a lot of lineups, a variety of things you can throw at teams and it’ll probably work because the talent is there. The one thing that never changes is how selfless everyone is. Very unselfish, only want to win a gold medal, will do whatever it takes – that part will always remain the same.

Swin Cash, Chicago Sky

Opening comments:
I thought it was a great start for us. Everyone came out with a lot of focus on what we wanted to get done and that was to try and build some chemistry. I thought we achieved that. We understand we have a ways to go, but this is a great first step.

On being back in Seattle:
It was good to come back and have the training camp here in Seattle. I think the fans have proven that they truly support not only the WNBA, but women’s basketball in general. For me, it was definitely a treat to be back and to play in front of all the Seattle fans.

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever

On the game:
I thought it was a great game to get our feet wet and see where we’re at. We did good at certain times and our chemistry was definitely there, but just like with any team, we need a little time to get used to playing with each other. The potential is definitely there.

The exciting part about it is it’s the beginning. This is the first time this 12-player roster has been together practicing then to play a game against a great Chinese team, and to pull away like we did, every single person on this team brought something different. When you look at going to the Olympics and getting to London, that’s something positive. If we can continue to build off of that and continue to get better, that’ll only make what we do in the end that much more memorable.

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

On the game:
We did a lot of good things. We haven’t been together in two years, and after one day of practice, obviously there’s a lot to work on, but you also saw glimpses of when we were very focused and sure of ourselves. That’s when a lot of good things were happening for us.

On what she looks forward to most about London:
It really is special the minute you get there. It’s the biggest stage, opening ceremonies, everything is just on a grand scale. To be able to play basketball and represent our country, it really means a lot to all of us every time we get an opportunity to do that.

China Coach Sun Fengwu

How much time do you have to prepare together?
We roughly get together for 40 days of practice. Most of the girls are young girls, around 20 years old, and some of the older players are in the process of recovery and getting in shape.

In what way is your team better than four years ago?
Our team is a pretty young team. We have good size, height, and we are body conditions are pretty good. We have good shooting and our players can shoot the ball very well. But compared to the European teams our disadvantages are strength, speed, and physical contact.

What do you see from this team?
In the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games there was a great compilation of basketball talent from about 12 years. After 2008 there was a transition from old to young so this bunch of girls have great bodies, great size, but their skills in transition have to be polished more and improved. These games will be a great help to our team.

After last year’s USA trip we went back to Asia and won the Asian Championship so we have the tickets for London. These games will be a great help for our team.

Some of your players didn’t play tonight. Are they injured or are you just giving the younger girls more experience?
The reason could be both. For the seniors, they need time to have their bodies recover and make sure their bodies will be in shape so it was very important for them, but at the same time the young girls it’s very important to get them in the game for game experience. Some of the young girls are panicky in big games.