For the first time, there were no changes in the WNBA draft lottery as teams finished in the order they came into the blind draw for the draft order featuring non-playoff teams. As a result, Atlanta, Washington and Chicago will have the first three picks followed by Minnesota and Phoenix.

How does this impact Renee Montgomery's stock? That's an interesting question.

Louisville's Angel McCoughtry seems to be a perfect fit in Atlanta which needs a rebounding presence at forward as well as a third scoring option to go with the backcourt of Betty Lennox and Ivory Latta. McCoughtry would fill both needs and combining with Sancho Lyttle, who was taken first overall by Atlanta in Monday's dispersal draft, Atlanta could be significantly more rugged in the front court in the 2009 season than it was in the franchise's inaugural season. This is pure speculation on my part, but could Washington look to make a splash by bringing McCoughtry, a Baltimore native, back to the area? It will be interesting to see.

If Washington stands pat, point guard would seem to be a need unless they plan to have newly acquired Matee Ajavon play the point. Ajavon seems to be a better fit at the off guard but now it gets interesting. If Ajavon moves to the off guard and Washington uses the No. 2 pick either on Maryland's Kristi Toliver or UConn's Montgomery, what happens with Alana Beard and Monique Currie. Certainly a lineup of Montgomery/Toliver, Ajavon, Beard, Currie and Tasha Humphrey would be athletic but it would also be on a small side. I just can't see how Washington could contemplate starting former Duke teammates Beard and Currie as bookend forwards. With Humphrey, acquired in a trade for Taj McWilliams-Frankin, and Crystal Langhorne, taken in the first round in the '08 draft, it makes more sense to address the point guard situation rather than add another low-post player in Courtney Paris. But who knows?

Personally, I think Chicago would be the perfect fit for Montgomery as she would be an upgrade over 10-year veteran Dominique Canty at the point and with Sylvia Fowles, Candice Dupree and Jia Perkins on the floor, Montgomery would be a perfect complimentary player.

Without the star power of a year ago when Candace Parker, Fowles and Candice Wiggins were franchise players available at the top of the draft, I would not be the least bit surprised to see some movement at the top of the draft. Where Oklahoma's double-double machine Courtney Paris goes in the draft could ultimately decide how the first round plays out. I'm not sure the Connecticut Sun, who pick 10th, have enough to entice Atlanta or Washington to give up one of the top two picks. I can't see the Sun parting with Lindsay Whalen, Asjha Jones, Sandrine Gruda ot Tamika Whitmore. I'm not sure what combination of players and/or draft picks would be enough to go flying up the draft board in an attempt to land either McCoughtry or Montgomery. With the No. 10 and 17 picks in the draft, the Sun should be able to get two players with a chance to help them.

GETTING SOME LOVE
It shouldn't come as a shock that UConn received all the first-place votes in the latest coaches' poll but it may be a bit surprising to some that three Connecticut teams received votes. Hartford picked up four points and Quinnipiac got one. Quinnipiac (7-1) received a vote in the USA Today/ESPN poll for the second time in school history (Jan. 15, 2008 was the other).

HEADING HOME?
haven't heard the whole story, but the Rutgers took suffered a big loss when highly-touted freshman Jasmine Dixon left the team. A star at California power Long Beach Poly, Dixon is a special talent. When I attended the USA Basketball Under-18 trials, Dixon was a force especially on the defensive end, stepping into passing lanes, wreaking havoc on every possession. I thought she would be a natural in Rutgers' vaunted "55" press. Perhaps she will be heading home to California to continue her basketball career but she won't be playing for Rutgers.