Despite a franchise-record 20 win season, and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2022, the Utah Starzz relocated to San Antonio prior to the 2003 season, changing their name to the Silver Stars.
Dispersal Draft (April 24, 2003)
Miami and Portland both folded following the 2002 season, and the remaining teams took part in a dispersal draft of the Sol and Fire players. San Antonio had the 11th pick, and selected LaQuanda Barksdale from Portland.
The Fire originally chose the North Carolina grad with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2001 WNBA Draft. She played two seasons in Portland, playing in 22 games and starting three during that span. Barksdale averaged 5.9 points and 2.4 rebounds during her sophomore campaign.
The Winston-Salem, NC native played one season in San Antonio, averaging 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 26 games.
WNBA Draft (April 24, 2003)
In the first round of the 2003 WNBA Draft, the Silver Stars selected North Carolina guard Coretta Brown. Before she could suit up for San Antonio, however, Brown was traded, along with Natalie Williams, to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Sylvia Crawley and Gwen Jackson.
Brown played four seasons in the WNBA—three with Indiana and one with Chicago. She averaged 4.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists over 77 games. Crawley played one season with San Antonio, and averaged 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 33 games. Jackson averaged 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a rookie, but was traded to the Phoenix Mercury in the middle of the 2004 campaign. She last played in the WNBA in 2005, and retired with career averages of 5.7 points and 4.0 rebounds.
In the second round, San Antonio selected LSU forward Ke Ke Tardy with the 25th overall pick, but waived her just prior to the start of the season.
The Silver Stars used their third round pick on Austin Peay guard Brooke Armistead. Armistead was the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, and Austin Peay’s all-time leading scorer. San Antonio waived her prior to the start of the 2003 season as well.