Looking At The College Years Of Mercury's Shaw

Mercury find talent in later rounds

Phoenix did not have a first-round pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft, which hindered its chances of improving. However, the Mercury had late picks, and they selected some talented players in hopes of recovering from the previous year.

Tootie Shaw was their second-round pick, and she attended Wichita State. She got off to a good start in her college years, and she averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and an assist. Wichita State had a solid season, as Shaw and her teammates had a record of 17-10.

The following year, her stats improved, as she averaged 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and an assist. The Shockers finished the season with a record of 16-12, and Shaw helped them pick up wins.

Shaw continued to shine, and her stats improved even more. She averaged 11.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals. Wichita State had a poor season that time around, as Shaw and her teammates finished the season with a record of 8-20. Despite that record, the Mercury draft pick still had a solid year.

In her final season, the forward averaged 12.5 points and 7.7 rebounds. Wichita State bounced back from the previous season, as the Shockers finished with a record of 17-12. Overall, Shaw averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 rebound. Those are solid stats, and a few years later, she was drafted by the Mercury.

After drafting her, the Mercury drafted Kayte Christensen in the third round and Amba Kongolo in the fourth. Christensen played some games with them, but Kongolo did not. Phoenix finished the 2002 season with a record of 11-21. They regressed once again, and the 2003 season was even worse.

Eventually, the Mercury turned things around, and it took a few years, but they made the playoffs. Phoenix was trying to rebuild, and sometimes teams in that position find a hidden gem. In other cases, they find great players, but the timing may be off. A player does not suit up for the team that drafted them, but their college stats serve as a reminder of what they could bring to the table. Shaw was a talented player, and during her college years, her stats continued to climb.

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