Finally back home after a long day in Secaucus, N.J. and have plenty of thoughts.

First, Renee Montgomery looked emotionally drained when I left her and her parents (which Renee was nice enough to summon from the studio at NBA Entertainment headquarters so I could speak to them. I can't see why she would be tired. She only led UConn to the culmination of a 39-0 season Tuesday night, Wednesday morning she had to join her team at a press conference in St. Louis before boarding a flight home and be front and center for a welcome-home bash at Bradley Airport. Then the team climbed on a bus and made their way to Gampel Pavilion for a pep rally where she was once again in the spotlight. Then at 4:45 a.m., she climbed into a car with UConn coach Geno Auriemma and her parents to drive to the draft. I thought it was funny that by the time I spoke to Renee's parents, she had already figured out flights to Minnesota would be $400 and it was a 14 1/2 drive so it is likely they will be watching the games on TV. Speaking of TV, expect ESPN's TV schedule to come out next week.

In the hours before the draft, she was on the phone with other UConn greats who made the jump to the WNBA.

"Pretty much all of the alumni who ever went UConn I talked to today," Montgomery sadi. "They all said the same thing 'it is a big day for you, enjoy it. We'll be watching.'"

Perhaps the biggest compliment she received today came from her future teammate Rashanda McCants, who was taken in the second round by the Lynx.

"I played with her before in the McDonald's All-American game and it is going to be great," McCants said. "I think she is a great person and an even better point guard.

"Without a doubt the best point guard in the nation as far as not being selfish, knowing how to distribute the ball and knowing the game of basketball. It is a blessing that I have somebody like that on my team."

Switching gears to the Connecticut Sun picks, in my brief dealings with Chante Black and Lyndra Littles, they struck me as typical, high-quality people the Sun look for. Black made me laugh when I asked her about playing for the Connecticut fans.

"Luckily I am not from Tennessee so Duke and Connecticut been's in it but I don't see any hostilities going in there," Black said.

If you close your eyes when you speak to Littles, her voice bears an eerie resemblence to Maya Moore's.

Both Black Littles had engaging personalities which should play well in the Connecticut locker room if they make the team.

On a less than positive note, I remember one thing that used to annoy me the other times I covered the draft in Secaucus, the ESPN talent is tipped off who the pick is going to be but tries to act like they have no previous knowledge of the impending selection.

I knew Marissa Coleman was going No. 2 overall to Washington when the ESPN cameraman began to take footage of the former Maryland star before WNBA president Donna Orender announced the pick. The part that irked me the most was Carolyn Peck saying Montgomery is the best point guard in the draft and should be taken first overall. But when Chicago, which was in need of a point guard, was on the clock with the third pick with Montgomery yet to be picked, she said they should take Kristi Toliver of Maryland. Excuse me, but 10 minutes earlier you practically had Montgomery going straight into the Naismith Hall of Fame without passing go. Did she suddenly become a lesser talent in the time between the Atlanta and Chicago picks? OK, rant over.