PHOENIX -- Marion Jones hasn't played basketball in six years. That didn't stop the Phoenix Mercury from selecting the track superstar in the WNBA draft Friday.

	Marion Jones won three golds and two bronzes at the 2000 Olympics.

Jones was picked in the third round even though she hasn't played hoops since her junior year at North Carolina in the 1996-97 season. She instead has made a name for herself in track, where she won three gold medals and two others at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Jones is pregnant and has put her track career on hold, but promises to be ready for the Athens Olympics. The father is Olympic champion and boyfriend Tim Montgomery, and the baby is due in July.

"We needed some athleticism on the perimeter, and I believe that with Marion Jones we got the best athlete in the world,'' Mercury general manager Seth Sulka said.

"When you have a chance to take a player that, besides her world-class sprinting job, is a great basketball player, why not?''

Phoenix did not say whether Jones will juggle both sports.

The 5-foot-11 Jones started as a freshman guard on North Carolina's NCAA championship team in 1994, but skipped her senior season to concentrate on track. She earned third-team All-America honors as a junior and averaged 18.9 points while shooting 54 percent.

Jones was not available for comment. But two years ago, she said she might consider a career in the WNBA.

"It would be wonderful if I could play in a pro league ... whether this body could take it, I don't know,'' she said at the time, laughing. "Maybe I could play two or three years.''

A receptionist for Lewis Kay, Jones' publicist, said he was overseas, and Charles Wells, her agent, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Sulka, who was unable to reach Wells before the draft, said the team was willing to work through any snags to get the 5-foot-11 former point guard under contract.

	Plenette Pierson led Texas Tech to the Sweet 16 this past March.

The Mercury drafted Texas Tech forward Plenette Pierson in the first round. Pierson was suspended for all but four games her junior year for unspecified violation of team rules. But she came back strong her senior year, hitting 51 percent of her shots to help lead the Lady Raiders to the Sweet 16. Pierson averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds and was a third-team All-American, leading the Mercury to take the 6-foot-2 forward fourth overall.

"(She) is probably the most intense player in this year's college draft,'' coach John Shumate said. "She has great footwork and will be a great defensive player. There are some things that we will have to do to help her offensively, but clearly I think she will have an outstanding career at this level."

In the second round, the Mercury selected 6-4 Petra Ujhelyi of South Carolina, and also picked up guard Telisha Quarles of Virginia in the third round.

Ujhelyi led the SEC in rebounding last season (9.3) and set a school record for defensive rebounds in a season (198).

Quarles, 5-8, averaged 10.8 points in her career.

Phoenix was a franchise-worst 11-21 last season after center Maria Stepanova returned to Russia to have her first child. Stepanova recently told the team she wouldn't return this season either.

Another center, Slobodanka Tuvic, suffered an injury during EuroLeague play.