No Clear Choices for No. 1 Pick

The question has been circulating throughout the WNBA for months, and even on the eve of today’s draft, there doesn’t seem to be an answer.

Who will be the No. 1 pick?

Last year, every team did its best to charm Phoenix out of the top pick. But the Mercury did not let Diana Taurasi go anywhere else.

The 2004 draft was also rich beyond Taurasi in college seniors. Alana Beard, Lindsay Whalen, Nichole Ohlde and Christi Thomas all had an immediate impact on their teams.

This year Charlotte has the first choice, but there is no clear-cut No. 1 the way Taurasi was. And the first round -- on the surface -- doesn’t seem to offer impact players beyond the sixth or seventh pick.

“When you compare this year’s draft to last year, it pales,” said San Antonio Coach Dan Hughes. “But so would have nearly every draft I’ve been involved in the past six years.

“Relatively speaking, there will still be a number of players who will help teams in this draft. And I think that number has grown during the year. It may go a little deeper than we thought.”

That leaves the Sting officials, who are thought to be considering Minnesota center Janel McCarville, Mississippi State guard Tan White and trade options.

If Charlotte wants an inside presence, it may choose the 6-foot-5 McCarville. If it wants a scorer, the 5-7 White led the NCAA last season with a 23.5-point average. Or the Sting can pick a player another team wants and announce a trade when the draft is complete at Secaucus, N.J.

Besides McCarville and White, other players expected to go in the first round include Kendra Wecker (Kansas State), Katie Feenstra (Liberty), Sandora Irvin (Texas Christian), Kristin Haynie (Michigan State) and Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame).

The Sparks traded their first-round pick and forward DeLisha Milton Jones to Washington for forward Chamique Holdsclaw.

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In other WNBA news, Michael Adams resigned as the Washington Mystic coach to become an assistant for the men’s team at Maryland. The Mystics also traded their first-round pick for Detroit Shock forward Iciss Tillis.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.