2009 WNBA Season: Who's Playing and Who's Not

With roster cut downs to only an 11-player team opposed to previously 13 player rosters, a lot of good players are being left out of this WNBA season. During the 2008-2009 collegiate basketball season, we saw a lot of teams with good players make a run for the Women's NCAA Championship title. Knowing that once you're placed in a bracket, games will begin to be televised nationally were more people, especially pro basketball recruiters can see the various talents the 64 teams have to display.

This past season Women's NCAA "march to the arch" was especially thrilling to watch; as we saw the best collegiate players battle it out. Once the "sweet 16" began, it was on! The University of Maryland versus Vanderbilt University game will more than likely go down as one of the best games in women's college basketball history; as Maryland's senior star players Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver battled Vanderbilt's senior star players Christina Wirth and Jennifer Risper, with Maryland coming out on top. All four highly skilled seniors would be chosen in the 2009 WNBA draft.

Once the "elite 8" was set for the 2009 NCAA Women's Tournament, the only teams left to display their talent was the undefeated University of Connecticut with dynamite senior Renee Montgomery, versus Stanford University and the University of Louisville with their leading senior Angel McCountry, versus the University of Oklahoma and their senior powerhouse twins Courtney and Ashley Paris. Again, all four excellent senior players mentioned would be a part of the WNBA 2009 draft once the tournament concluded.

In the end, the championship game was between still undefeated UConn versus Louisville, with UConn capping off an amazing and perfect season winning the NCAA Women's Championship title. Nice story? It's just the beginning; now that college play was over, it was time to decide who would be invited to the 2009 WNBA draft.

The WNBA draft consists of three rounds with each of the thirteen teams picking one player each round. However, as mentioned above, this year there could only be 11 players per team instead of 13 which would make battling for a spot even tougher. Those who were chosen in the drafts were none other than the names that I previously mentioned; with University of Louisville's Angel McCountry being selected first overall by the Atlanta Dream. Maryland's duo Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver selected 2^nd and 3^rd respectfully, Coleman chosen by the Washington Mystics while Toliver headed for the Chicago Sky. Even though she lead her team to an undefeated season and another National title for the University of Connecticut, outstanding guard Renee Montgomery slipped to the 4^th overall selection, picked up by the Minnesota Lynx.

University of Oklahoma center Courtney Paris who finished her collegiate career with numbers that won't soon be forgotten was picked in the first round as well, chosen 7^th overall by the Sacramento Monarchs. Twin sister Ashley Paris would be selected in the second round, 22^nd overall by the Los Angeles Sparks. So what happened with Vanderbilt's amazing superstar seniors? Well, Christina Wirth was selected in the second round, 19th overall by the Indiana Fever, while her teammate and best friend Jennifer Risper would finally be chosen in the third round, 29^th overall by my hometown team, the Chicago Sky. A shocker being picked so low in the draft.

The draft completes, picking 39 of the best women's basketball collegiate players we've seen in a long time. But wait, each of the 13 teams can only keep 11 players after training camps conclude for their final roster, and many of them are bringing back most of their previous players, as well as bringing in overseas players. So, which of the mentioned star collegiate players made a final roster spot? You might be surprised. Although few did, including Vanderbilt's Christina Wirth, chances are, if you weren't chosen in the first round; you won't be playing this year in the WNBA. Many good players did not make a roster spot for the 2009 WNBA season.

Although there were many who I felt were cheated out of a spot, I have to say that the following two players who were cut before the season began left me completely baffled. First up, the University of Oklahoma's forward Ashley Paris who helped lead her team to the final four. Although some may say, she wasn't as good of a collegiate player as her twin sister Courtney; she was definitely a great collegiate player in her own right. The6'3 forward averaged 12.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, helping to lead her college team to this year's final four. During her 2008-2009 college season, she collected 17 double doubles, made first team All-Big 12, and is one of only four players in Oklahoma history to score more than 1,000 points as well as having 1,000 rebounds in her collegiate career. Coming into draft day, Paris was expected by many to be one of the top 15 players chosen. However, she would be selected 22^nd and cut before the season began, not making a WNBA team roster.

The next young lady, who wouldn't make a final roster spot, absolutely stunned me; that would be Vanderbilt's guard, Jennifer Risper, who lead her team to the "sweet 16" this past year in the NCAA Women's tournament. Allow me to just run off a few awards by the toughest and most explosive defensive guard coming out of college I've ever seen. In her final college year, Risper played much of the season in the post, due to a teammate's injury. The 5'9 guard was able to keep much taller players in check while guarding them and holding the normally high point's scorers to just a few; including Auburn's 6'4 guard DeWanna Bonner, who was selected 6^th overall in the WNBA draft. Risper earned second-team All-SEC honors for the consecutive year, named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and honored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association as the 2009 National Defensive Player of the Year. She also finished her collegiate career with 221 steals, good enough for 8^th all team at Vanderbilt. I could go on and on about this amazing player and name more of her accolades but the bottom line is, if you have never watched Risper play basketball, your eyes have truly missed out on a treat. Someone with this type of caliber, versatility and talent deserved to be on a roster this WNBA season.

Needless to say, such an explosive, defensive minded player (although she can score too) that can cause so much trouble for an opposing teams offense, was cut by the Chicago Sky and wasn't picked up by another WNBA team. These two cases alone have left many, including myself, scratching their heads and wondering why such high potential players aren't on a current WNBA roster, even with it being cut down to just 11 players. Ashley Paris and Jennifer Risper are just two of the many awesome players coming out of college, looking to begin their rightfully deserved professional basketball careers that were cut. I wish each WNBA team a strong and prosperous season, especially the Chicago Sky (even though they let a true gem go), but looking at each team's final roster, I can't help but think of who's playing and who's not.

Sources:

Oklahoma Sooners, http://www.soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/paris_ashley00.html

ESPN Women's NCAA Tournament 2009, http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/tournament/bracket

2009 WNBA Draft Board, http://www.wnba.com/draft2009/draft_board.html

Jennifer Risper Senior Video - 2009 Banquet, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd5qmXuX4Eg

Murry Evans, Slimmed-down Ashley Paris steps out of her sister's shadow.

http://www.redraiders.com/2009/04/04/slimmed-down-ashley-paris-steps-out-of-her-sisters-shadow/