NEW YORK – WNBA general managers are predicting the Phoenix Mercury, with a healthy returning roster and the addition of No. 1 draft pick Brittney Griner, to win the championship, and Los Angeles' Candace Parker as the top choice to earn the MVP award.
Griner is also the overwhelming favorite for Rookie of the Year, picked by 75 percent of the respondents in the annual WNBA.com GM survey released Tuesday. The Mercury were the top choice to win the title, with 33 percent of the votes.
Parker, the 2008 rookie of the year and MVP received 42 percent of the MVP vote. Phoenix's Diana Taurasi, who won the award in 2009, was picked by 25 percent.
Also, defending champion Indiana's Lin Dunn received the most votes for the best head coach (33 percent) and the best motivator (42 percent).
___
Online: http://on.nba.com/166g8pF
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.