April 9th, 2009: WNBA draft

Strange picks, but good times are had by all in Secaucus.


And the "oh, wow" just keeps on coming. Seriously, you guys, you have no idea how awesome things are until you're there.

We got to the offices earlier than we anticipated, since there was no traffic, and everyone at the league office treated us really well- probably better than they were supposed to, but you're not going to hear me complain. They let us up into the reception in what would normally be the viewing room, which was decked out half in NBA pictures and half in WNBA pictures. They also had some memorabilia on display- signed balls, ASG tickets, bobble-heads, that sort of thing. (The offices are actually covered in it, but in this case, it was specifically WNBA.) They served sandwiches and finger foods, including some nummy chocolate-coated things. Families started drifting in- Januarys, Bonners, McCantses, and a few other folk (didn't see everyone's nametag). There was an absolutely adorable sapling from the McCants family tree wandering around. So cute.

Somewhere around quarter to three, the room started clearing out. The folks at my table looked up and everyone else was gone. I was starting to wonder if we'd somehow offended them, but then someone official came over to the table and said that we could watch the draft in the studio, live. I may have set a land speed record for getting out of a chair.

We ended up in two seats in the back row, right by the aisle where everyone was coming in and out, which became very cool because we could congratulate everyone as they came back as official WNBA players. We could also see Rebecca Lobo working with her index cards, which meant that we could actually note the early picks before Orender's official announcement, since she was getting the word the same time Orender was backstage so that she could be prepared for the interviews. That was handy for Tweeting and texting my mom (who threatened my life if I didn't give her the picks), because I could start before the official announcement and be done as soon as Madam President finished her line. (Official type people, relax- I did my best not to Tweet names, and I never got a pick out before it was officially announced.)

I tried to applaud, but with a phone in one hand and a camera in the other, it was a bit difficult, even without factoring in the large handbag, and the, um, teddy bear. (It's a long and, considering my recent draft posts, ironic story.) Sometime in the middle of the first round, our wonderful escort came to fetch petrel for his photo op with Angel McCoughtry, and I tried to take pictures for him, but I don't know how well they came out. Then, in the beginning of the second round, our charming escort brought petrel back and came for me to do my photo op with Kia Vaughn. While I can't say that was the pick I would have made for the Liberty, I was still pumped up for the chance, because, hey, Libkid and a Scarlet Knight to boot. Also, see above re: teddy bear. We got to do one standing shot and then one where we were both holding the jersey- yes, even though the Liberty traded their third-round pick, I made the "local flyer in the third round" joke. I got back to the studio just in time for Brown to come to the podium and announce the pick of Waner.

Lots of movement behind the scenes- not the exciting kind of player movement, the "people going from place to place" kind of movement. I was impressed that Coleman and Toliver stuck around for the second and third rounds. Angel wandered out for a while, but went back in before either of us could work up our nerve to say hi.

The board went really wonky near the end of the third round- it got players' schools mixed up and spat up Anna McLean for triple fail (she's from Iona, not Kansas State, and is taking an extra year of eligibility due to missing a season with a womb, and therefore wasn't being drafted at all, unless San Antonio was considering her, but changed their mind before making it official when someone realized Jesus Christ, Candyce Bingham is still on the board, you guys! and snapped her up).

And then there was more nattering from the commentators, and petrel and I decided we'd heard quite enough of that. Siberia, Nancy? Siberia? So we headed out and met up with our excellent escort to put the capper on a great day and a fabulous week.

So here I gotta give the NBA event people their props- things went smoothly, beautifully, and better than I could ever have imagined. Special thanks to Christine, who was our guide, escort, shepherd, negotiator, and all-around miracle worker, with the patience to put up with us both yesterday and today. This was amazing.