2012 WNBA Western Conference Training Camp Rosters By Player Style

WNBA training camps open today and after a brief overview of the Eastern Conference rosters yesterday, today we do the same with the Western Conference rosters.

The same caveats that applied to yesterday's post apply here, though I might add a brief note about some of the things that stand out as anomalies, with Penny Taylor being particularly interesting here.

Most people wouldn't consider Taylor a "distributor", choosing instead to reserve that label for point guards. However what's interesting about Taylor is that she created assists at a higher rate than many players who filled the "point guard" slot and was by far one of the most efficient distributors in the league. She's a big loss, but without a proven point guard on the team her ability to facilitate scoring opportunities for others will be as big a loss as anything else.

At the other end of the distributor spectrum, it's interesting that the L.A. Sparks are currently without anyone who classified as a distributor last season (and Sharnee' Zoll didn't exactly qualify in her last season of play either, albeit in limited minutes). But what's interesting is that despite their lack of an experienced WNBA distributor, they have a number of versatile players who are capable of distributing the ball. The challenge for them this season will be whether they can overcome their lack of a true distributor (as the roster stands now) with their versatile set of players. That also obviously has major implications for clearing up what is a clear log jam on the perimeter - any of those rookies has an opportunity to make the roster if they prove they can fill that distributor spot.

Western Conference Rosters

Players in alphabetical order organized by player styles. Player names linked to WNBA.com profiles.

Update on May 16: strikethrough = cut, italics = last cut, *** = player absent for Olympics.

Rookies eligible for the 2012 WNBA Draft are indicated with an asterisk.

Los Angeles Sparks

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Sharnee' Zoll	Alana Beard	Nicky Anosike	Marissa Coleman
	Darxia Morris	Ebony Hoffman	DeLisha Milton-Jones
	Khadijah Rushdan *	Jantel Lavender	Jenna O'Hea ***
	Ashley Shields	Nneka Ogwumike *	Candace Parker
	April Sykes *
	Kristi Toliver
	Tyra White *

*** O'Hea is taking this season off for the Olympics.

Minnesota Lynx

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Nika Baric *	Seimone Augustus	Jessica Adair	Taj McWilliams-Franklin
Erin Thorn	Queralt Casas *	Rebekkah Brunson	Devereaux Peters *
Lindsay Whalen	Tavelyn James *	Amber Harris	Julie Wojta *
	Maya Moore	Jasmine Lee *
	Porsche Poole *	Kayla Standish *
	Brittany Rayburn *
	Candice Wiggins
	Monica Wright

Phoenix Mercury

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Alexis Gray-Lawson	C'eira Ricketts *	DeWanna Bonner	Alexis Hornbuckle
Samantha Prahalis *	Andrea Riley	Candice Dupree	Amanda Johnson *
Penny Taylor **	Dymond Simon	Christine Flores *	Chastity Reed
	Diana Taurasi	Charde Houston
	Brittney Thomas	Nakia Sanford
		Zane Tamane
		Krystal Thomas
		Avery Warley

** Taylor is injured and will miss the 2012 season.

San Antonio Silver Stars

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Tully Bevilaqua	Shameka Christon	Danielle Adams	Tangela Smith
Becky Hammon	Shenise Johnson *	Jayne Appel	Sophia Young
Loree Moore	Kalisha Keane	Cierra Bravard *
Danielle Robinson	Jia Perkins	Ify Ibekwe
		Ziomara Morrison
		Porsha Phillips
		Latoya Williams

Seattle Storm

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Sue Bird	Ashley Corral *	Rachel Allison	Camille Little
Silvia Dominguez ***	Dellena Criner	Alysha Clark	Allie Quigley
	Victoria Dunlap	Ashley Gayle *	Tina Thompson
	Katie Smith	Lauren Jackson
	Shekinna Stricklen *	Ewelina Kobryn
	Tanisha Wright	Lindsay Taylor
	Jacqua Williams	Ann Wauters

*** The Storm have placed Silvia Dominguez on the suspended list.

Tulsa Shock

Distributor	Perimeter	Interior	Mixed/Utility
Temeka Johnson	Shanna Crossley	Vicki Baugh *	Karima Christmas
	Lorin Dixon	Chante Black	Marshae Dotson
	Amber Holt	Elizabeth Cambage ***	Jennifer Lacy
	Ivory Latta	Tiffany Jackson ***	Kayla Pedersen
	Jene Morris	Glory Johnson *
	Scholanda Robinson	Lynetta Kizer *
	Riquna Williams *	Chanel Mokango **

** Mokango is injured and out for the season despite being signed by Tulsa.

*** Cambage is out at least until the Olympic break, Jackson will miss this season due to pregnancy.

What are your initial thoughts on each team's roster? Which teams do you think will have the most difficult decisions to make?

Leave your thoughts in the comments.