Sparks Fortify Bench With Picks

Even with a WNBA draft bursting with new talent, the Sparks weren’t expecting to pick up any players with the potential to play right away.

But after Saturday’s three-round draft was completed, the Sparks, who had the 12th and 25th picks, seemed happy with their selections of 6-foot-3 forward Christi Thomas and 5-9 guard Doneeka Hodges.

Thomas, 21, was a 2004 All-American honorable mention and a Southeastern Conference first-team selection at Georgia. She is the Bulldogs’ 10th all-time scorer and fifth all-time rebounder. Last season, in 35 games, she averaged 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds.

Hodges, 21, was a member of Louisiana State’s Final Four team that lost to Tennessee two weeks ago in New Orleans. She averaged 14 points and 3.2 assists this season for the Tigers, and shot 35.6% from the three-point line (178 for 500).

“I think we got the steal of the draft,” Spark Coach Michael Cooper said. “We got two players we did not expect to be there at either position. I think we did a very good job of shoring up our bench.

“Christi brings good size, a big body player who is fundamentally sound. I see her as a female Tim Duncan; she’s a good defensive player who comes from a great program. And in Doneeka, we’ve got a younger Tamecka Dixon, a player who can slash to the basket and create shots for herself, as well as catch and shoot the three.”

Echoing Cooper’s optimism was team President Johnny Buss.

“I think we were very, very lucky,” Buss said. “We were trying to maneuver a few things to try and get a better draft choice, and that didn’t work. But Thomas fell right into our laps; we didn’t expect it.

“In the second round we were wondering if we wanted to do a last-minute trade, but we said let’s see how lucky we can get. And sure enough, there was Doneeka.”

Thomas was spending the day with her family in Buford, Ga., when she got the news. She said Los Angeles would be a big change from the small town in which she was raised.

“I graduated [from high school] with 80 people,” said Thomas, who spoke to reporters by telephone. “Buford’s like a drop in the bucket compared to Los Angeles. To go to a team as good as the Sparks are is a real honor. I’m having a hard time taking it all in right now.

“Whether I can play alongside or behind Lisa Leslie, I think I can contribute to the team. I can shoot from further than 10 feet, and even step behind the [three-point line] and be a bit of a threat that way. Also to be a big body, be physical and bang on the boards -- that’s what I’m there for.”

Hodges, a native of New Orleans, was also thrilled to be picked by the Sparks and said she believed that she would get a fair chance to make the 11-player roster that is already full of guards.

“I’ve watched the Sparks and the WNBA ever since I started playing basketball,” said Hodges, also by telephone. “In talking with [the coaches] it was obvious they had confidence in my ability. If they give me a chance, what happens will be up to me.”

Saturday’s draft started predictably, as Phoenix made Connecticut guard and Chino native Diana Taurasi the first overall pick. Washington followed by taking Duke guard Alana Beard, and Charlotte selected Stanford forward Nicole Powell with the third pick.

After that, the draft took a few turns:

Minnesota had hoped to select hometown star Lindsay Whalen. But Connecticut took the University of Minnesota guard with the fourth pick, so the Lynx, with the sixth and seventh picks, picked Kansas State forward Nicole Ohlde and Florida center Vanessa Hayden, who has a broken foot and won’t be ready to begin training camp April 25.

USC forward Ebony Hoffman, projected to go in the late first round or early second round, was taken ninth by Indiana.

“Indianapolis had been calling all week saying they wanted me, but it depended on how the chips fell, and they fell in my favor,” Hoffman said. “It’s great to see somebody wanted me that much.”

Cathy Joens, who played at Irvine Woodbridge and Santa Ana Calvary Chapel highs, was taken in the third round by the New York Liberty. Joens was a two-time Atlantic 10 Conference player of the year at George Washington.

In the only draft-day trade, Phoenix sent Houston guard Chandi Jones, the eighth pick, to Detroit in exchange for Purdue forward Shereka Wright, the 13th pick, and second-round pick Erika Valek, a Purdue guard.

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Sparks Picks

CHRISTI THOMAS

Selected: First round, No. 12 overall

School: Georgia

Pos., Ht.: C, 6-3

In 2003-04: Averaged 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, helped Georgia to regional title game.

DONEEKA HODGES

Selected: Second round, No. 25 overall

School: Louisiana State

Pos., Ht.: G, 5-9

In 2003-04: Averaged 14.0 points, 3.2 assists, sparked LSU to NCAA Final Four

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WNBA Draft

*--* FIRST ROUND Team Player Pos. Hgt. College 1. Phoenix Diana Taurasi G 6-0 Connecticut 2. Washington Alana Beard G 5-11 Duke 3. Charlotte Nicole Powell G/F 6-1 Stanford 4. Connecticut Lindsay Whalen G 5-8 Minnesota 5. New York Shameka G/F 6-1 Arkansas Christon 6. Minnesota Nicole Ohlde C 6-4 Kansas State 7. Minnesota Vanessa Hayden C 6-4 Florida 8. Phoenix Chandi Jones * G/F 5-11 Houston 9. Indiana Ebony Hoffman C 6-2 USC 10. Sacramento Rebekkah F 6-3 Georgetown Brunson 11. Detroit Iciss Tillis C/F 6-5 Duke 12. Sparks Christi Thomas F 6-3 Georgia 13. Detroit Shereka F 5-10 Purdue Wright * SECOND ROUND 14. Phoenix Ashley C 6-4 Tennessee Robinson 15. Washington Kaayla Chones C 6-3 North Carolina State 16. Connecticut Jessica Brungo F 6-1 Penn State 17. New York Amisha Carter C 6-2 Louisiana Tech 18. Charlotte Kelly Mazzante F 5-11 Penn State 19. Seattle Catrina F 6-2 Louisiana Tech Frierson 20. Minnesota Tasha Butts F 5-11 Tennessee 21. San Antonio Cindy Dallas F 6-2 Illinois 22. Charlotte Jenni F 6-3 Vanderbilt Benningfield 23. Detroit Erika Valek * G 5-6 Purdue 24. Connecticut Ugo Oha C 6-4 George Washington 25. Sparks Doneeka Hodges G 5-9 Louisiana State 26. Houston Lindsay Taylor C 6-8 UC Santa Barbara THIRD ROUND 27. Phoenix Maria G 5-8 Oklahoma Villarroel 28. Washington Evan Unrau F 6-1 Missouri 29. Connecticut Candace G 5-10 Duquesne Futrell 30. New York Cathy Joens G 5-11 George Washington 31. Indiana Ieva Kublina F/C 6-4 Virginia Tech 32. Detroit Jennifer Smith C 6-3 Michigan 33. Minnesota Amber Jacobs G 5-8 Boston College 34. San Antonio Toccara G 5-9 Texas A&M; Williams 35. Charlotte Jia Perkins G 5-8 Texas Tech 36. Sacramento Nuria Martinez G 5-7 Spain 37. Houston Stacy Stephens C 6-4 Texas 38. Minnesota Kate Bulger G 5-11 West Virginia

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* Phoenix traded the rights to Chandi Jones to Detroit for Sheila Lambert and the rights to Shereka Wright and Erika Valek.