Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The 2007 Detroit Shock featured a balanced attack led by Deanna Nolan, whose scoring and playmaking set the tone offensively. Katie Smith supplied consistent perimeter scoring and outside shooting, while Cheryl Ford dominated the glass and Plenette Pierson added efficient frontcourt production. Detroit’s physical defense, strong rebounding, balanced scoring, and disciplined ball movement reflected a deep veteran roster capable of contributing effectively on both ends of the floor.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | BIRTH DATE | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayana Walker | F | 6-3 | 143 | September 10, 1979 | Louisiana Tech |
| 3 | Tyresa Smith | F | 6-0 | April 21, 1985 | University of Delaware | |
| 5 | Elaine Powell | G | 5-8 | 150 | August 9, 1975 | LSU |
| 7 | Shannon Johnson | G | 5-7 | 152 | August 18, 1974 | South Carolina |
| 8 | Tausha Mills | C | 6-3 | 232 | February 29, 1976 | Alabama |
| 12 | Ivory Latta | G | 5-6 | 138 | September 25, 1984 | UNC |
| 13 | Amy Sanders | G | 5-11 | 156 | June 5, 1983 | Hawaii |
| 14 | Deanna Nolan | G-F | 5-9 | 147 | August 25, 1979 | Georgia |
| 23 | Plenette Pierson | F | 6-2 | 195 | August 31, 1981 | Texas Tech |
| 30 | Katie Smith | G | 5-11 | 175 | June 4, 1974 | Ohio State |
| 32 | Swin Cash | F | 6-1 | 171 | September 22, 1979 | UConn |
| 33 | Iciss Tillis | F-C | 6-5 | 165 | December 6, 1981 | Duke |
| 35 | Cheryl Ford | F | 6-3 | 195 | June 6, 1981 | Louisiana Tech |
| 44 | Katie Mattera | C | 6-8 | 240 | November 17, 1982 | Liberty |
| 45 | Kara Braxton | C-F | 6-6 | 225 | February 18, 1983 | Georgia |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanna Nolan | — | 27 | 34 | 34 | 34.6 | 16.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 14.1 | 6.5 | .460 | 3.4 | 1.4 | .393 | 2.3 | 1.9 | .823 |
| Katie Smith | — | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34.3 | 13.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 10.4 | 3.8 | .361 | 5.8 | 1.8 | .311 | 4.6 | 3.9 | .847 |
| Plenette Pierson | — | 25 | 34 | 0 | 25.2 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 9.2 | 4.4 | .478 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.8 | 2.9 | .754 |
| Swin Cash | — | 27 | 31 | 31 | 30.9 | 11.1 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 9.9 | 4.1 | .410 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.9 | 3.0 | .760 |
| Kara Braxton | — | 24 | 31 | 20 | 17.6 | 6.7 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 6.1 | 2.7 | .447 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.3 | .672 | |
| Cheryl Ford | — | 26 | 15 | 15 | 30.7 | 13.0 | 11.2 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 4.7 | .497 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 3.5 | .639 | |
| Shannon Johnson | — | 32 | 33 | 8 | 16.9 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 5.0 | 1.7 | .343 | 2.1 | 0.9 | .414 | 1.8 | 1.5 | .820 |
| Katie Mattera | — | 24 | 34 | 12 | 13.1 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 2.0 | .527 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .736 | |
| Elaine Powell | — | 31 | 32 | 12 | 10.1 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | .407 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | .696 | |
| Ivory Latta | — | 22 | 31 | 1 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 1.1 | .391 | 1.6 | 0.7 | .449 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .429 |
| Ayana Walker | — | 27 | 2 | 1 | 21.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 1.5 | .429 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .333 | |
| Tausha Mills | — | 31 | 5 | 1 | 10.2 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 4.2 | 1.2 | .286 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | .750 | |
| Tyresa Smith | — | 22 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .500 | |
| Iciss Tillis | — | 25 | 8 | 1 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | .333 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Amy Sanders | — | 24 | 6 | 0 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | .500 |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanna Nolan | — | 27 | 11 | 11 | 37.5 | 18.9 | 6.3 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 17.1 | 7.3 | .426 | 4.3 | 1.9 | .447 | 2.7 | 2.5 | .900 |
| Katie Smith | — | 33 | 11 | 11 | 35.7 | 12.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 12.0 | 4.1 | .341 | 6.6 | 2.3 | .342 | 2.3 | 1.7 | .760 |
| Plenette Pierson | — | 25 | 11 | 1 | 25.5 | 11.2 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 9.9 | 4.2 | .422 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .500 | 3.7 | 2.7 | .732 |
| Swin Cash | — | 27 | 11 | 11 | 25.2 | 8.6 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 8.3 | 3.7 | .451 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.1 | 1.2 | .565 |
| Kara Braxton | — | 24 | 11 | 0 | 15.5 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 5.8 | 2.7 | .469 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.2 | 1.5 | .708 |
| Cheryl Ford | — | 26 | 10 | 8 | 22.8 | 6.9 | 9.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 6.5 | 2.7 | .415 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.3 | 1.5 | .455 |
| Shannon Johnson | — | 32 | 11 | 1 | 16.9 | 5.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 4.8 | 1.7 | .358 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .346 | 1.2 | 0.9 | .769 |
| Ivory Latta | — | 22 | 10 | 0 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 0.5 | .263 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .333 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .667 |
| Elaine Powell | — | 31 | 11 | 3 | 8.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | .333 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.000 | |
| Ayana Walker | — | 27 | 5 | 0 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .667 | |
| Tyresa Smith | — | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanna Nolan | Starter/Star (1.1) | 34.6 | High (1.2) | 16.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 69.17 | Primary perimeter creator who handled difficult scoring assignments while also initiating offense. Bill Laimbeer consistently relied on her to generate late-clock offense, and contemporary coverage highlighted her shot-making and ability to change momentum with explosive scoring bursts during Detroit’s title defense. (Chron) | All-Star (2007), All-WNBA First Team (2007) |
| Cheryl Ford | Starter/Star (1.1) | 30.7 | High (1.2) | 13.0 | 11.2 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 74.45 | Detroit’s interior anchor before knee injuries interrupted her season. Reporters repeatedly emphasized how much the Shock missed her rebounding, physical screens and defensive presence whenever she was unavailable, reflecting her importance beyond the box score. (FIBA Basketball) | All-Star (2007) |
| Katie Smith | Starter/Star (1.1) | 34.3 | High (1.2) | 13.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 57.55 | Functioned as the veteran floor spacer and secondary playmaker, often stretching defenses with high-volume perimeter shooting despite inconsistent percentages. Coaches trusted her decision-making in pressure possessions and leadership within Detroit’s experienced backcourt. (Chron) | All-Star (2007) |
| Swin Cash | Starter/Star (1.1) | 30.9 | Medium (1.1) | 11.1 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 49.13 | Filled a versatile two-way forward role, defending multiple positions while attacking the paint and the glass. Coverage frequently praised her energy, toughness and willingness to do the physical work that balanced Detroit’s perimeter-heavy attack. (Chron) | All-Star (2007), All-Star Game MVP (2007) |
| Plenette Pierson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 25.2 | Medium (1.1) | 11.6 | 5.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 48.05 | Instant offense off the bench who gave Detroit reliable post scoring and physical interior play against reserve units. Independent previews regularly mentioned her as one of the league’s strongest Sixth Woman candidates because of the stability she brought every night. (Plainview Herald) | Sixth Woman of the Year (2007) |
| Kara Braxton | Key Contributor (1.05) | 17.6 | Low (1.0) | 6.7 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 28.14 | Physical reserve center who provided size, rebounding and fouls in short bursts. Her role revolved around matching opposing frontcourts rather than offensive volume, giving Detroit valuable depth behind Cheryl Ford. | — |
| Shannon Johnson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 16.9 | Low (1.0) | 5.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 20.58 | Veteran backup guard who steadied the second unit with experience and ball handling. Detroit leaned on her to organize possessions and keep the offense composed whenever the starting backcourt rested. | — |
| Katie Mattera | Bench (1.0) | 13.1 | Low (1.0) | 5.2 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 22.40 | Reserve post whose primary value came through size around the rim and efficient finishing in limited touches. Contemporary coverage of the Shock focused more on her depth role than offensive production. | — |
| Ayana Walker | Bench (1.0) | 21.5 | Low (1.0) | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 17.00 | Appeared only briefly because of injuries and roster circumstances. Limited contemporary coverage was available, with most reporting simply noting her spot-duty frontcourt role. | — |
| Ivory Latta | Bench (1.0) | 7.1 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 9.20 | Rookie guard used sparingly behind Detroit’s veteran backcourt. Her quickness and perimeter shooting flashed in limited minutes while the coaching staff prioritized gradual development. | WNBA All-Rookie Team (2007) |
| Tausha Mills | Bench (1.0) | 10.2 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 14.00 | End-of-rotation center whose appearances were matchup dependent. Limited independent reporting was available beyond her providing emergency frontcourt depth. | — |
| Elaine Powell | Bench (1.0) | 10.1 | Low (1.0) | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 9.80 | Defensive-minded reserve point guard who prioritized ball movement and veteran stability over scoring. Her value was tied to organizing the second unit and protecting leads. | — |
| Tyresa Smith | Bench (1.0) | 7.0 | Low (1.0) | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 8.00 | Saw only a brief appearance, leaving very little contemporary independent coverage. Her role remained developmental within Detroit’s deep frontcourt rotation. | — |
| Iciss Tillis | Bench (1.0) | 3.3 | Low (1.0) | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3.00 | Played limited reserve minutes and was rarely featured in season reporting. Available coverage identified her primarily as end-of-bench frontcourt depth. | — |
| Amy Sanders | Bench (1.0) | 1.5 | Low (1.0) | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.20 | Rookie guard who made only brief appearances. Independent season coverage was limited because she remained outside the regular rotation. | — |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 294.8 | — | 118.2 | 58.7 | 21.9 | 15.4 | 431.87 | Detroit Shock regular-season rotation built around veteran perimeter creators, elite interior rebounding and experienced championship depth. | WNBA Champion (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deanna Nolan | Starter/Star (1.1) | 37.5 | High (1.2) | 18.9 | 6.3 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 79.46 | Detroit’s offensive engine throughout the playoffs, Nolan shouldered the toughest perimeter creation duties while still defending elite guards. Independent postseason coverage consistently pointed to her ability to manufacture offense against set defenses and keep the Shock competitive against Phoenix’s pace. (Seattle Pi) | All-WNBA First Team (2007), All-Star (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Katie Smith | Starter/Star (1.1) | 35.7 | High (1.2) | 12.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 52.43 | Operating as Detroit’s veteran floor spacer, Smith balanced perimeter shooting with secondary playmaking and routinely defended opposing guards. Playoff reporting highlighted her experience and poise as Bill Laimbeer leaned heavily on her in half-court possessions. (Seattle Pi) | All-Star (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Plenette Pierson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 25.5 | Medium (1.1) | 11.2 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 50.59 | Detroit’s sixth woman frequently changed games with physical post scoring and relentless work on the offensive glass. Game 1 of the Finals was the clearest example, as national coverage credited Pierson and the Shock bench with overwhelming Phoenix inside while Cheryl Ford was unavailable. (Seattle Pi) | Sixth Woman of the Year (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Swin Cash | Starter/Star (1.1) | 25.2 | Medium (1.1) | 8.6 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 35.82 | Cash filled the glue-player role, defending multiple positions and supplying toughness rather than high-volume scoring. Coverage throughout the postseason emphasized her versatility and willingness to handle whichever matchup Detroit needed most. (WNBA) | All-Star (2007), All-Star Game MVP (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Cheryl Ford | Starter/Star (1.1) | 22.8 | Medium (1.1) | 6.9 | 9.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 41.38 | Even while limited by knee problems, Ford remained Detroit’s interior tone-setter whenever available. Independent Finals reporting repeatedly noted how her absence reshaped the series, forcing the Shock to rely on committee rebounding and reserve frontcourt production. | All-Star (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Kara Braxton | Key Contributor (1.05) | 15.5 | Low (1.0) | 7.0 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 29.40 | Braxton embraced an energy role off the bench, bringing size, interior scoring and rebounding whenever Detroit needed more physicality. Her standout Finals opener earned widespread attention after combining with Plenette Pierson to dominate Phoenix’s frontcourt. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Shannon Johnson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 16.9 | Low (1.0) | 5.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 22.47 | Johnson stabilized the second unit with veteran decision-making and calm ball handling. Rather than hunting shots, she focused on organizing possessions and helping Detroit maintain its structure whenever the starters rested. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Elaine Powell | Bench (1.0) | 8.5 | Low (1.0) | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 7.00 | Powell’s minutes were almost entirely about defensive reliability and protecting possessions. Limited contemporary playoff coverage was available, but her appearances reflected Detroit’s preference for experienced guards in short stretches. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Ivory Latta | Bench (1.0) | 4.7 | Low (1.0) | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 5.40 | The rookie remained outside the regular playoff rotation, serving mainly as emergency backcourt depth. Limited independent postseason reporting was available because Detroit relied heavily on its veteran guards. | WNBA All-Rookie Team (2007), Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Ayana Walker | Bench (1.0) | 1.8 | Low (1.0) | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.80 | Walker saw only brief reserve action during the postseason. Independent coverage was limited, with most reports simply listing her among Detroit’s available frontcourt depth behind the primary rotation. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| Tyresa Smith | Bench (1.0) | 0.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Smith did not factor into Detroit’s playoff rotation, and independent contemporary coverage discussing her postseason role was extremely limited. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007) |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 193.9 | — | 74.1 | 41.6 | 15.5 | 6.9 | 328.75 | Detroit reached the 2007 WNBA Finals behind its trademark physical defense, rebounding depth and veteran backcourt, ultimately finishing as Eastern Conference champions before falling to Phoenix in a five-game Finals. | Eastern Conference Champion (2007), WNBA Finals Runner-up (2007) |