Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The Utah Starzz 2000 were led by Natalie Williams, whose scoring and rebounding established her as the team’s primary interior force, while Margo Dydek provided elite rim protection and strong rebounding in the frontcourt. Adrienne Goodson added consistent scoring support, and Jennifer Azzi organized the offense with steady playmaking from the backcourt. Utah’s statistical profile reflected a defense-oriented team built around size, rebounding, and interior play, with balanced but modest offensive production.
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natalie Williams | Starter/Star (1.1) | 35.8 | High (1.2) | 18.7 | 11.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 89.50 | Worked as Utah’s unquestioned focal point, overwhelming defenders with strength on the block while dominating the glass. Independent coverage credited her 19 double-doubles with driving the Starzz to their first winning season, and she remained one of the league’s premier interior players throughout the year. (deseret.com) | All-WNBA First Team (2000); WNBA All-Star (2000); WNBA Rebounding Leader (2000); USA Olympic Gold Medal (2000) |
| Adrienne Goodson | Starter/Star (1.1) | 32.0 | High (1.2) | 17.2 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 70.75 | Played beside Williams as a physical scoring forward, creating offense from the mid-post and attacking mismatches. Local reporting regularly pointed to her veteran consistency as a major reason Utah closed the season so strongly after another roster overhaul. (deseret.com) | WNBA All-Star (2000) |
| Margo Dydek | Starter/Star (1.1) | 24.2 | Medium (1.1) | 9.2 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 48.40 | Anchored the defense with elite rim protection, altering far more shots than the box score captured. Season coverage highlighted another dominant shot-blocking campaign as the foundation of Utah’s interior defense. (deseret.com) | WNBA Blocks Leader (2000); WNBA Blocks Per Game Leader (2000) |
| Jennifer Azzi | Starter/Star (1.1) | 37.3 | Medium (1.1) | 9.6 | 2.7 | 6.1 | 1.1 | 46.95 | Directed the offense with poise after returning from a broken hand that cost her roughly half the season. Even in limited appearances, reporters emphasized how her passing and decision-making transformed Utah’s offensive flow. (deseret.com) | |
| Korie Hlede | Starter/Star (1.1) | 28.0 | Medium (1.1) | 10.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 42.11 | Filled the starting shooting guard role by spacing the floor and giving Utah another dependable perimeter scorer. Her timely outside shooting became especially valuable during the Starzz’s late-season surge above .500. (deseret.com) | |
| LaTonya Johnson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 16.6 | Low (1.0) | 5.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 17.22 | Supplied defensive intensity off the bench, often matching up against opposing perimeter scorers while providing occasional spot-up shooting. Coaches valued her versatility more than raw production. (deseret.com) | |
| Dalma Ivanyi | Key Contributor (1.05) | 18.1 | Low (1.0) | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 18.27 | Developed into a reliable secondary ball-handler, with local game coverage frequently noting her ability to keep the offense organized when Azzi was unavailable. Her confidence as a passer noticeably improved during the season. (Wikipedia) | |
| Naomi Mulitauaopele | Bench (1.0) | 13.2 | Low (1.0) | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 13.60 | Brought efficient finishing and physical interior play in limited minutes, giving Utah productive depth behind its veteran frontcourt. Independent player-specific coverage was limited. (deseret.com) | |
| Kate Starbird | Bench (1.0) | 11.7 | Low (1.0) | 4.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 13.80 | Continued adjusting to a reserve role after arriving from Sacramento, supplying floor spacing and secondary scoring whenever called upon. Independent reporting viewed her as a useful complementary piece rather than a featured option. | |
| Amy Herrig | Bench (1.0) | 13.6 | Low (1.0) | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 14.60 | Provided dependable frontcourt depth through rebounding and interior effort while backing up Utah’s established post rotation. Limited contemporary independent coverage was available. | |
| Stacy Frese | Bench (1.0) | 10.6 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 9.80 | Filled a reserve guard role built around perimeter shooting and steady ball movement. Most contemporary coverage focused on her adapting to professional competition. | |
| Katryna Gaither | Bench (1.0) | 6.0 | Low (1.0) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 8.60 | Appeared in a limited reserve role, supplying physical minutes around the basket whenever Utah needed additional size. Contemporary independent reporting on her season was limited. | |
| Kristen Rasmussen | Bench (1.0) | 9.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 8.00 | Saw only a brief appearance during the season. Limited contemporary independent coverage was available regarding her on-court role. | |
| Kym Hope | Bench (1.0) | 1.3 | Low (1.0) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.80 | Played only sparingly as developmental frontcourt depth, with little independent reporting available beyond roster updates. | |
| TOTALS | — | 303.5 | — | 105.5 | 43.2 | 24.0 | 14.9 | 404.40 | Utah finished 18-14 for the franchise’s first winning season, winning six of its final eight games behind Natalie Williams’ dominant interior play, Jennifer Azzi’s return from injury and one of the WNBA’s strongest defensive frontcourts. | All-WNBA First Team (2000); WNBA All-Star (2000) ×2; WNBA Rebounding Leader (2000); WNBA Blocks Leader (2000); WNBA Blocks Per Game Leader (2000); USA Olympic Gold Medal (2000) |