Wnba Glance

Team capsules of the WNBA, which begins its inaugural season Saturday:

Eastern Conference

Charlotte Sting

Coach: Marynell Meadors

Key players: 6-3 C-F Vicky Bullett (Maryland ‘89); 6-2 C-F Rhonda Mapp (N.C. State ‘92); 6-3 C-F Sharon Manning (N.C. State ‘91); 5-10 G Andrea Stinson (N.C. State ‘91); 5-7 G Tora Suber (Virginia ‘97).

Strengths: Built-in chemistry among Mapp, Manning and Stinson, who played together at North Carolina State. A two-time Olympian, Bullett played seven seasons in Italy and will anchor the middle. Suber is a 3-point threat.

Weakness: Bullett is prone to injury.

Cleveland Rockers

Coach: Linda Hill-MacDonald

Key players: 5-9 G Michelle Edwards (Iowa ‘88); 6-3 C Janice Lawrence-Braxton (Louisiana Tech ‘84); 6-5 C Isabelle Fijalkowski (Colorado ‘95); 6-3 F Eva Nemcova (turned pro after high school); 6-0 G Lynette Woodard (Kansas ‘81).

Strengths: Edwards, who spent nine seasons in Italy, is an excellent perimeter shooter who can run the court. Fijalkowski and Nemcova were teammates in France. 1984 Olympic gold medalists Woodard and Lawrence-Braxton add leadership.

Weakness: Fijalkowski, while a presence at 6-5, is slow getting upcourt.

Houston Comets

Coach: Van Chancellor

Key players: 5-10 G Cynthia Cooper (USC ‘86); 6-2 F Tina Thompson (USC ‘97); 6-2 C Racquel Spurlock (Louisiana Tech ‘96); 6-1 F Wanda Guyton (South Florida ‘89); 6-2 F Tammy Jackson (Florida ‘85).

Strengths: Cooper, a two-time Olympian, played 11 seasons in Italy and Spain. A versatile forward, Thompson can hit from 3-point range. Guyton averaged 14 rebounds in Italy last year. Should be defense-minded team.

Weakness: Minus Sheryl Swoopes, who is on maternity leave.

New York Liberty

Coach: Nancy Darsch

Key players: 5-8 G Teresa Weatherspoon (Louisiana Tech ‘88); 6-4 C-F Rebecca Lobo (Connecticut ‘95); 6-2 F Kym Hampton (Arizona State ‘84); 5-10 G Sophia Witherspoon (Florida ‘91); 5-9 G-F Vickie Johnson (Louisiana Tech ‘96).

Strengths: Quick backcourt in two-time Olympian Weatherspoon and Witherspoon. Lobo has added left-handed turnaround shot to inside-outside game. Team is aggressive on boards; defense creates steals.

Weakness: Not much bulk in post position.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Sparks

Coach: Linda Sharp

Key players: 6-5 C Lisa Leslie (USC ‘94); 6-8 C Zheng Haixia (China); C-F Daedra Charles (Tennessee ‘91); 5-8 G Penny Toler (Long Beach State ‘89); 5-6 G Jamila Wideman (Stanford ‘97).

Strengths: Leslie led U.S. Olympic team with 19-point average. Haixia, who played for China in Atlanta, is intimidating inside (250 pounds) and the league’s tallest player. Wideman, whose Stanford team was runner-up at the 1997 NCAA championship, and Toler, who played in Israel, will help lead the offense.

Weakness: Haixia and Wideman joined training camp late.

Phoenix Mercury

Coach: Cheryl Miller

Key players: 5-10 G Nancy Lieberman-Cline (Old Dominion 1980); 5-7 G Michele Timms (Australia); 6-3 F-C Jennifer Gillom (Mississippi ‘86); 5-9 G Bridget Pettis (Florida ‘93); F-C 6-1 Toni Foster (Iowa ‘93).

Strengths: Veteran Lieberman-Cline brings leadership to guard-heavy team. Should run the floor well. Timms, a bronze medal winner on the 1996 Australian team, is a deadly 3-point shooter (49 percent).

Weakness: Not much bulk or depth at post.

Sacramento Monarchs

Coach: Mary Murphy

Key players: 5-9 G Ruthie Bolton-Holifield (Auburn ‘89); 6-3 F-C Pam McGee (USC ‘84); 6-0 F Bridgette Gordon (Tennessee ‘89); 6-1 F Judy Mosley-McAfee (Hawaii ‘90); 5-9 G Mikiko Hagiwara (Japan).

Strengths: 1996 Olympic gold medalist Bolton-Holifield runs the floor, rebounds and provides leadership. McGee led USC to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1983 and 1984, won gold in 1984 Olympics and played in Europe. Hagiwara is a 3-point threat.

Weakness: Depth at point guard.

Utah Starzz

Coach: Denise Taylor

Key players: 5-10 G Dena Head (Tennessee ‘94); 5-10 G Lady Hardmon (Georgia ‘92); 6-2 F Wendy Palmer (Virginia ‘96); 6-5 C Elena Baranova (Russia); 5-6 G Tammi Reiss (Virginia ‘92).

Strengths: Head averaged 17 points and seven rebounds in France last season. Baranova played for Russia in 1996 Olympics and was the Games’ top rebounder (13.1) and second-leading scorer (20.3). Reiss is floor general and a 3-point threat.

Weakness: Young team (average age 24).

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