Joe Faraoni/ESPNTop draft pick Maya Moore, left, will team up with No. 4 pick Amber Harris to lead Minnesota into the WNBA's 15th season.How I've been looking forward to the month of May. You see, for the last several months, my house has really only been a temporary laundromat and bed-and-breakfast. I go there to unpack, repack, sleep, have breakfast and get going again. After the college season and WNBA draft, I've been on the road -- to Purdue to speak to the student-athletes there, to Vegas for a trip with my closest girlfriends and to Chicago, to speak at an assistant coach symposium.
So, long story short, I'm looking forward to a little downtime. As of right now I have no trips, no flights and no assignments. My main job for the month: to stay abreast of WNBA news as I prepare for the upcoming 15th season of the league. I spend about two or three hours a day reading articles about the WNBA teams and I also follow some teams and players on Twitter, which gives me an inside look at how everyone is preparing for the season. I have some games I recorded from last year that I am in the process of reviewing, too.
It will be interesting to see how some of the changes teams made in the offseason will affect their progress this year -- most notably, Minnesota's No. 1 draft pick Maya Moore and No. 4 pick Amber Harris. The changes that were made across the board should make it a little more challenging for the Seattle Storm, who waltzed through the West last season. Also, Tulsa acquired an Australian standout, Elizabeth Cambage, who is 6 feet 8, agile and likes to play physical. It will no longer be thought of as just an expansion team.
From the East, I expect the Chicago Sky to make their first appearance in the WNBA playoffs. Pokey Chatman is the new coach and she drafted Courtney Vandersloot. Vandersloot is the point guard the Sky need to get the ball in the right place at the right time. It should be a great season.
Finally, this month will also allow me to get back in a workout routine. I am ashamed to say that it has been two months. Should I admit I've put on a few pounds? It's back to the treadmill and stair climber, and I confess that I do love Zumba, too. Trust me, when you see me in June, it is my goal to represent a healthy individual, not this temporarily out-of-shape woman about to go pass out on an airplane.
