Who helped the Mercury veterans when they were rookies?
By Alex Simon
![SEATTLE - MAY 27: Sancho Lyttle #21, Michelle Snow #2 and Sheryl Swoopes #22 of the Houston Comets talk things over as they return to the court after a timeout in their WNBA game with the Seattle Storm on May 27, 2005 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User Expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE. (Photo by Jeff Reinking/NBAE via Getty Images) SEATTLE - MAY 27: Sancho Lyttle #21, Michelle Snow #2 and Sheryl Swoopes #22 of the Houston Comets talk things over as they return to the court after a timeout in their WNBA game with the Seattle Storm on May 27, 2005 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User Expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE. (Photo by Jeff Reinking/NBAE via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/25069622372735fe7bdf1a4e950d3abad0368d6b708723f6626030c99db995a9.jpg)
Essence Carson (Rookie season/team: 2008 New York Liberty)
Coach C. Vivian Stringer
“The way she ran her program, she always taught us how to be a professional at all times, so by the time I got there and became a real professional, everything made sense,” Carson said. “She just taught us about life in general — she’s an amazing basketball coach, but she’s an amazing life coach, too.”