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While the Sky failed to receive its first playoff appearance in franchise history, the good news is that it moved up to the 2nd pick for the 2013 Draft, despite having the worst - or fourth best - odds of winning the number one pick.
As early as last Thursday, the team put out a new cover picture on its Facebook page marketing that the team will have its top draft pick host a meet and greet with season ticket holders if they renew by October 12. Also, from looking at the Facebook page itself, there is now a debate on which of the remaining "big three" players to pick among the team's fans.
Should the Sky pick Notre Dame point guard Skylar Diggins, she would provide a franchise point guard for the team, and she will also be one of the most marketable players in the WNBA. In addition, she is from relatively nearby South Bend, IN and the University of Notre Dame, which adds regional appeal. However, would picking her mean that current starting point guard Courtney Vandersloot (she is pictured above) is now expendable? She has been developing over her first two seasons though possibly not as quickly as general manager and head coach Pokey Chatman would have hoped.
Conversely, should the Sky pick Delaware forward Elena Delle Donne, she would be a power forward presence that the Sky doesn't really have right now from what I see on the current roster - she is a stretch forward who can make long range shots, almost at will, which would limit concerns that having both her and Sky center Sylvia Fowles may just eat too much space in the lane for guards like Epiphanny Prince. The question around Elena is whether she wants to play in a non-east coast city, considering that she is very close to her older sister who has cerebral palsy and that her home is in Delaware. Though this may really not be an issue at all for her, the perception is certainly there.
So, the Sky had a disappointing 2012 season and missed the playoffs yet again, but caught a nice break by getting the #2 pick in the Lottery. Regardless of who it picks, the 2013 #2 pick would not only have a high chance of being a high impact player on the team, but also would have a good selection of younger talent around her to help this team become a serious perennial contender in the WNBA for years to come.
A poll is below. Assuming the Sky keeps the #2 pick (and I think the team will even with the Mystics pieces I wrote AND even if it didn't market the #2 pick this early), who should it pick? I haven't heard too much from Sky fans, so I think it's time for them to show some fandom here! Like the title above indicates, the Sky has choices, choices, and choices as it heads to the 2012-2013 offseason to improve its team.