They believe they did exactly that, selecting guard Monique Currie and center Tye’sha Fluker with the No.3 and No. 10 overall picks in the first round of the 2006 WNBA Draft and adding point guard LaToya Bond with the 27th overall pick.

“It was an exciting draft,” Lacey said. “The first two picks went as we anticipated and Monique Currie was there for us at number three. We felt that we needed some perimeter scoring, and she’s a very versatile player who sees the floor well and passes well. She’s a good rebounder at the perimeter spot and has the ability to get to the free throw line often. She’ll be a nice fit with the core players we already have.”

For Currie, the 6-0, 177-pound guard from Duke, it has been an emotional 12 hours or so. Coming off a 78-75 overtime loss to Maryland in the Women’s National Championship game on Tuesday night, the next stop was the 2006 WNBA Draft at the Boston Convention Center, where she quickly became the Sting's top pick.

“I had a pretty tough loss last night so a lot of emotions are going on with me and mixed feelings, but I’m a pro now and it feels great,” Currie said. “I’m looking forward to getting started with everything.”

Currie averaged 15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in her five-year career with the Blue Devils after redshirting with an ACL injury in the 2002-03 season. She finished her career as the only player in ACC history to register over 2,000 points, 800 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals.

In 2005-06, Currie averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting .475 (202-425) and a career-best .420 (42-100) from three-point range as a fifth-year senior. She posted the only triple double in the ACC this season with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against Florida State on January 5, 2006.

Selected as a Kodak All-American for the second straight year in 2005-06, Currie is only the second player in Duke history, joining Alana Beard, as a repeat honoree. During the course of her career, she helped lead the Blue Devils to three NCAA Final Four appearances including a trip to the Championship game in 2006. In 2004-05, she averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists as she was named the 2005 ACC Player of the Year.

“We felt that Monique (Currie) was the best fit for our team with the players we have coming back,” Bogues said. “We think her upside is tremendous, and she’s coming from a great program. The things that she can do will work well with our system.

“She’s a versatile player who can go at the one, two or possibly three, so we’re going to let her grow. We’re not going to go out and put a lot of pressure on her. She has great veterans in front of her right now that will be a great compliment to her.”

With their second pick in the first round, Charlotte took the player many analysts believe to be the best post player in the draft in Fluker, the 6-5 center from Tennessee.

“The one thing this draft lacked was quality post players and big bodies, and Tye’sha Fluker is exactly that,” ESPN analyst Doris Burke said.

“She was the best post player in this draft,” added ESPN analyst Anne Meyers. “She’s strong and has great footwork inside.”

Fluker is coming off her best collegiate season for the Volunteers, averaging 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 54.7 percent from the field as a senior. She finished her career ranked seventh in games played with 140 and 12th in career blocks with 88.

A three-time All-SEC Academic selection, Fluker helped lead Tennessee to three Final Four appearances, two regular season SEC titles, two SEC Tournament crowns and an overall record of 125-19 in her four-year career. Now, she is ready to take that next step.

“I had no clue (when I would be drafted),” Fluker said. “I was shaking waiting for my name to be called. When they called my name I was so excited. I’m ready to work hard and do whatever it is the coaching staff needs me to do.

“I’m a physical post player who likes to get in on the low block and bang and post up. I’m just a physical player who is aggressive to the boards. I think I just bring that physical presence to the game.”

While Fluker was shaking in anticipation, Bogues was surprised when Charlotte’s 10th pick rolled around and she was still on the board.

“We were definitely surprised that Tye’sha Fluker was still there,” he said. “We wanted to address the need that we had for our post and she was the best post player out there, so it was a bonus to get her on board.”

With Currie and Fluker in the fold, the Sting turned their attention to the point with their final pick, taking Bond, the 5-7 guard out of Missouri. She averaged 10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in her four-year career with the Tigers, but put up 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists her senior season. An All-Big 12 First Team selection, she was also named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team.

“We’ve got a good mixture coming into camp now,” Bogues said. “We filled some voids we needed to with a perimeter player, a post player and a back-up point guard, so it was exciting today the way everything ended.”