Shock Eyeing Local Talent in the Draft

Originally Published: Apr 3, 2010 4:57 PM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Shock has a chance to add some home-grown talent to its team next week. Two high-profile state players could be available when Tulsa spends its No. 7 overall pick in the April 8th WNBA Draft.

Former OSU Cowgirl Andrea Riley and Oklahoma Sooner Amanda Thompson have both been invited to New York City for this week’s draft. New head coach Nolan Richardson has a chance to select a sure-fire fan favorite in the first round.

“I have a job and that job is to produce,” Richardson said last week at the team’s jersey unveiling. “We have to be prepared to go out and get the right players to be in our system.”

That system is a fast-paced style of play that seems to favor agile guards like the Shock’s newest member, former Olympic sprinter Marion Jones. Riley and Thompson proved themselves against tough Big 12 competition all season. Riley, the Lieberman award winner, led the nation in scoring and Thompson anchored a strong Sooner frontcourt. The team may even bypass both Riley and Thompson in favor of a player who fits Richardson’s scheme a little better.

“I’m going to leave all the basketball decisions up to (the coaches),” said team president Steve Swetoha. “Our goal is certainly to wear teams out. We know (they’ll) pick the right players.”

There is no guarantee that the Shock will hold on to that seventh pick. Richardson hinted that his team may try to trade away that selection if the price is right.
“We’ve got a lot of things to go through over the next three or four days to find out ‘can we get something for a higher trade’,” said the head coach.

The team needs are clear. Size is limited on the current roster, made up of former players from the Detroit Shock and one from the league dispersal draft. Only three players on the roster are 6-foot-3 or taller. Thompson could fill a need there.

The drawback to adding size would be that it tends to make for a slower pace of play, something Richardson is against. He lives for speed, something that Riley could help add.

The last three drafts for the franchise have been hit-and-miss. Then in Detroit, the team selected Ivory Latta with the first pick in 2007. She is no longer with the organization. Detroit’s fourth overall selection a year later was sharp-shooting Tennessee guard Alexis Hornbuckle, who Richardson believes will be a big factor in his offensive scheme this season. The team chose Shavonte Zellos with the 11th overall pick in 2009 and she performed very well in her rookie season, averaging 15.6 points and five assists per game.

Whoever joins the current squad will need to mesh well on the floor in order for them to succeed in Richardson’s game plan.

“We’re actually looking for someone who can run the floor,” said Richardson. “Watching their tapes is one thing but you can’t see instincts on a tape.”