WNBA Season Preview 2019: Every team's best case scenario

WNBA Season Preview 2019: Every team’s best case scenario

By Miles Wray | May 21, 2019

UNCASVILLE, CT - MAY 14: Kia Nurse #5 of the New York Liberty shares a laugh with Teresa Weatherspoon before the game against the Atlanta Dream on May 14, 2019 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: Teaira McCowan speaks with the media during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Indiana Fever: Intimidating center Teaira McCowan lifts Indiana out of the basement and into ninth place or better for field goal percentage, blocked shots, and opponent rebounds

Given the increased continuity in the WNBA, it can make much more sense for a team to draft for positional need, compared to the more-transient NBA. Even though the Fever’s scorched-earth rebuild only landed them the third overall pick in this spring’s draft, the board fell so that they could fill the direst positional need in the league, locking in the 6-foot-7 McCowan. The rest of Indiana’s starting lineup has been difficult to evaluate with the Fever finishing a clear league-worst in all interior-based statistics, such as 2-point field goal percentage. The addition of McCowan could very well have been the moment when the Fever’s ambitious rebuild turned from painful to hopeful.