Dishin & Swishin 04/17/14 Podcast: Anne Donovan & Fred Williams discuss Connecticut and Tulsa’s draft picks and offseason moves

By David Siegel

With the first pick in the 2014 #WNBADraft presented by @StateFarm, the @ConnecticutSun selects @Chiney321. pic.twitter.com/wOj9pDIKxZ

— WNBA (@WNBA) April 15, 2014

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It sure has been an exciting start to the WNBA season. With draft picks, trades and free agent signings, we have had it all and camps have not even come close to opening yet.

The big news this week, of course, revolved around the draft on Monday night, and the trades associated with the draft.

On today’s Dishin & Swishin we have two guests that were both front and center as the action went down Monday night, Anne Donovan and Fred Williams, the head coaches of the Connecticut Sun and Tulsa Shock, respectively.

The Sun made the most waves, drafting Stanford’s Wooden Award-winning forward Chiney Ogwumike with the first overall pick, then trading former-MVP Tina Charles to the New York Liberty in exchange for Kelsey Bone, number four pick Alyssa Thomas from Maryland, and a first round pick next year. The Sun added injured guard Chelsea Gray from Duke with the No. 11 pick, and Kentucky forward DeNesha Stallworth later on.

The Shock were in the somewhat enviable position of getting “the other” of the generally acknowledged top two picks, Wade Trophy-winning Odyssey Sims from Baylor. Sims is exceptionally talented and brings a cache Big 12 fans to the Tulsa-based franchise. The Shock added sharp-shooting forward Jordan Hooper from Nebraska to add some size and youth to the frontcourt and LSU center Theresa Plaisance, a skilled post who can be considered “Elizabeth Cambage insurance.”

Topics covered with Donovan include:

• What went wrong last season, and the trading of Kara Lawson and Tina Charles
• The rookies, the expectations, and goals for each
• What the addition of Ogwumike means to the roster
• The addition of Katie Douglas, and what that means to the team
• Will this be the year Spanish star Alba Torrens comes to play in the WNBA?
• What needs to be done to make the roster this season for the returning players, including last year’s first round pick Kelly Faris
• Expectations for the 2014 season

Topics covered with Williams include:

• The addition of Sims, what she brings to the team, and what expectations are for her rookie year
• Year two for Skylar Diggins, playing with Sims, and expected development
• Will Elizabeth Cambage return to the WNBA season?
• Planning around the uncertainty each season that goes with Cambage
• Roles expected for Riquna Williams, Angel Goodrich, Courtney Paris and the rest of the returning Shock players
• Expectations for the 2014 season

Enjoy the podcast!

Tags: 2014 WNBA Draft, Alyssa Thomas, Anne Donovan, Chelsea Gray, Chiney Ogwumike, Elizabeth Cambage, Fred Williams, Odyssey Sims, Skylar Diggins, Tina Charles