Lawson: intangible asset

Sun sign winning-first guard to three-year deal

Mohegan - The numbers show that Kara Lawson has averaged a modest 9.3 points per game during her seven-year WNBA career.

But numbers have never been a part of Lawson's value. Her ability to rise to the occasion has.

"I've always been a player that's been concerned with winning," Lawson said. "Numbers aren't really an issue for me. Does your team win games? And when it comes to that point in the game where your team is going to win or your team is going to lose, what are you doing to make losing not an option?

"For me, I've always been a player that, if you look at my numbers in the playoffs, there's not nine points a game. I enjoy helping my team win."

Lawson's intangibles and big-play ability helped the Sacramento Monarchs win the 2005 WNBA championship and USA Basketball capture gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Lawson signed a three-year contract with the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. And they're sure glad she's on their side.

"It seems like every year for the last five years I would pick up the phone two or three times and call (former Sacramento general manager and coach) John Whisenant," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "And as soon as he saw who it was, he would answer the phone and say, 'No, I'm not trading Kara. What else do you want to talk about?'

"So the conversation was usually over."

Lawson, a 5-foot-8 guard from Tennessee, was an unrestricted free agent without a home. Sacramento, where she played her entire career, folded in November, and she had several suitors.

Lawson chose Connecticut.

"I really approached this decision," Lawson said, "as where I wanted to end my career. … I want to be here as long as I can play.

"To me what was important was the stability of an organization. You look at this group, and for seven years it's been the same people. The same staff … that was really appealing to me. The continuity of that."

Winning was another factor.

"We have a chance to be a team that for the next four, five years that's going to contend every year," Lawson said. "And that's what I was looking for. I was looking for a group of players that are committed to improving and are committed to being a championship-level team."

Lawson has been one of Thibault's favorite WNBA players. He's admired her toughness, leadership and the chemistry she brings to a team. He's also loved how she responds in the clutch.

Some criticized USA Basketball when it chose Lawson to play for its 2008 Olympic team. She shot 5-for-5 and had a team-high 15 points in USA's gold-medal win over Australia.

"She always has a knack for coming up with a play at the right time," Thibault said. "Those are intangibles that you can't coach. They either have it or they don't, and she has them."

Lawson had been a player whom Sun fans loved to boo.

When asked what kind of reception she now expected from them, Lawson laughed: "I guess I hope they cheer. I didn't mind the booing, to be honest. I just figured you want to elicit some kind of reaction as a player. If you're getting no reaction, I think that's a problem."

Connecticut also announced Tuesday that it had re-signed Anete Jekabsone-Zogota to a two-year deal. The Latvian guard averaged 9.4 points as a rookie last season.

Thibault said that forward Kerri Gardin had sent back her contract and would be signed this week. The Sun have also reached a verbal agreement with guard Tan White.

White made another commitment to Connecticut - she gave up her No. 20 to Lawson.