Former UConn stars Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Maya Moore were rather popular picks in a poll of WNBA General Managers.

Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury was the top pick (early 33 percent of the votes) to be named the league's MVP and tied former teammate Cappie Pondexter for top honors for player they'd most like to take the last shot (27 percent each) and was the overwhelming choice as the WNBA's top shooting guard garnering 66 percent of the votes.

Moore, heading into her rookie season with the Minnesota Lynx, received 83 percent of the votes for rookie of the year, topped the charts again as 33 percent of the GM said she is the player they would sign first if they were starting a franchise (Taurasi and Candace Parker were second with 17 percent) and Minnesota's drafting of her edged out Seattle's trade for Katie Smith (33 to 24 percent) as the acquisition who will make the biggest impact in 2011. Moore also picked up 58 percent of the votes when GMs were asked which rookie would become the best player first years from now.

Bird, a perennial All-Star guard with the defending champion Seattle Storm, received all by one vote as the league's best point guard and half of the votes in the category of the player who makes her teammates better.

Also, Tina Charles received eight of the 12 votes as the top rebounder, Bird edged out Kara Lawson under the category of which player has the best basketball IQ and picked up 42 percent of the votes as being the best leader.

The WNBA season begins on Friday when Minnesota plays Los Angeles.

The Connecticut Sun made its final cut to get down to the maximum of 11 players by waiving undrafted rookie free agent forward/center Stefanie Murphy.

Murphy had a strong training camp, outlasting a pair of third-round picks (Adrienne Johnson and Tahnee Robinson) but did not play in the team's final exhibition game against San Antonio.

The Sun will open the season with nine of the same 11 players it had to begin last season as the only new additions are Kalana Greene and Danielle McCray, who will be fighting for playing time at small forward.

Also, Indiana got down to its final 11-play squad by cutting former UConn star Jessica Moore. By my count, there are still 10 UConn grads on WNBA rosters all playing for four teams.

Connecticut: Tina Charles, Kalana Greene, Asjha Jones and Renee Montgomery
Minnesota: Charde Houston and Maya Moore
Phoenix: Ketia Swanier and Diana Taurasi
Seattle: Sue Bird and Swin Cash