Hawkins, the No. Heres the WNBAs list sorted by the players first name alphabetically. ", Cherelle celebrated the couple's second wedding anniversary with a loving Instagram post about her wife. "Its an absolutely unimaginable situation for for BG," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Time after the State Department's reclassification. 2 overall draft pick in 2007. The seven-time All-Star averaged 13.6 PPG and 7.9 RPG in her career and won the 2005 WNBA title with the Monarchs, who also made the 2006 WNBA Finals. WebThe completion of the 2022 WNBA season will mark the end of two iconic players careers: Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx. Bird has won four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) and was named an All-Star 13 times. Pondexters scoring dominance, especially in the early parts of her career, were undeniable, earning her a deserved spot on this list. Latta was third in those categories from the class of 2007 (11 seasons, 346 total games). 32. The 6-foot-6 center is a former MVP and two-time WNBA champion. 4 in the playoffs, but just sixth in regular-season A four-time All-Star in her 12 seasons at Sacramento, she helped the Monarchs win the 2005 WNBA title and reach the 2006 Finals. Also, with some WNBA players, it's difficult to pick their "main" number, if they had success wearing more than one. The 40-year-old is a three-time WNBA champion (2007, 2009, 2014) and holds the record for the highest single-season scoring average at 25.3 points per game in the 2006 season. She also ranks 11th on the all-time scoring list with 6,005 career points. Griffith is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year, and the only reason she's not the top choice at No. Former Tennessee center Snow was the league's Most Improved Player in 2003 and an All-Star in 2005 and '06. Tina Thompson, a four-time WNBA champion, was one of the most difficult players to defend as she was very strong and physical. Mabika, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, played all but one of her 12 seasons for the Sparks, winning titles with them as a starter in 2001 and '02. It took a while -- she spent six seasons with Connecticut, the team that drafted her fourth overall -- but then came via trade to Minnesota in 2010. Ndour-Fall was born in Senegal but moved to the Canary Islands as a teenager and has played for the Spanish national team in the past two Olympics, winning a silver medal in 2016. She didn't play in the bubble in 2020, but got some brief playoff experience with Las Vegas in 2019. Byears, out of DePaul, won two WNBA championships with the Sparks. Manage SettingsContinue with Recommended Cookies. The six-time All-Star has also earned four All-Defensive First Team selections in her ten seasons. "Our voice as athletes is stronger together. There's more leeway in the pro game, resulting in some signature jerseys such as Lisa Leslie's No. Smith finished her playing career as the eighth all-time leading scorer in the WNBA with 6,452 points. I don't want to do any more', Here's your guide to the best holiday movies of the 2000s, from 'Love Actually' to 'Harold & Kumar'. ", Biden confirmed that the WNBA star would be released in exchange for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout following "intense" negotiations in the United Arab Emirates. 1. She averaged 17.3 points and 9.1 rebounds for her career and also won four gold medals with Team USA in the Olympics. 34: Sylvia Fowles, Chicago/Minnesota (2008-present), See also: Sonja Henning, Houston/Seattle/Washington/Indiana (1999-2003; also wore No. Pondexter was named to both the Top 15 Players of All Time and the 20@20 following an impressive 13-year WNBA career. 45: Kara Braxton, Detroit/Phoenix/New York (2005-14), See also: Astou Ndour-Fall, San Antonio/Chicago/Dallas (2014-present); Noelle Quinn, Minnesota/Los Angeles/Washington/Seattle/Phoenix (2007-18). Like I mentioned previously, defense wins championships. The forward spent her entire 15-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. 55. The WNBAs list of the greatest players in the history of the womens professional basketball league includes GOATs like Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Maya Moore, Sheryl Swoopes and Candace Parker. The Wildcats got a wake-up call Thursday. Eight of those were with the Mystics. You never gave up on me even when I gave up on myself. "The President called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world," the White House explained in a statement. The only thing that slowed her down was injuries, which ended her WNBA career at age 31. The 33-year-old went on sabbatical in 2019 to focus on reform in the American justice system. Team: Los Angeles Sparks | Position: Center | Career: 1997-2009. Hampton was another of those players for whom the WNBA came along just in the nick of time, as she was 34 when it began. Shes also a favorite to win the MVP award again this season. Before the league's first season, there was a player allocation, an elite draft of pros who had been playing overseas, and a draft of mostly college players. Whalen was also named to five All-Star Games and three WNBA First Teams. She was also the regular-season MVP in 2017 and has been the league's Defensive Player of the Year three times. See also: Natasha Howard, Indiana/Minnesota/Seattle/New York (2014-present, also wore Nos. She tops the list with 60.49; in second is Sue Bird, with 42.06. 23 chronicled above. 1 draft pick in 2019 and reached the WNBA Finals with the Aces in 2020. WebPlayer Per Game. See also: Jordan Hooper, Tulsa/Dallas/Connecticut/Atlanta/Chicago (2014-17, also wore Nos. 30: Breanna Stewart, Seattle (2016-present), See also: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles (2012-present); Katie Smith, Minnesota/Detroit/Washington/Seattle/New York (1999-2013; also wore No. The list included ten current and 15 former players. WebThe Top 10 Greatest WNBA Players of All Time! Other players listed here might not be at quite that level, but made the list because there are fewer players who wore that number. Candace Parker is a two-time WNBA champion (2016, 2021) and was voted Finals MVP in 2016. Ogwumike, the top pick in the 2014 draft, was Rookie of the Year and has been a two-time All-Star. For all Cooper did for the game of basketball, I was surprised that this vote was not unanimous. A six-time All-Star, she shot a career-best 66.5% from the field in 2016, and her career shooting percentage of 55.3 is fifth-best all-time. Hayes surprisingly was a second-round draft pick (No. Dydek of Poland and Wauters of Belgium were both No. Taurasi has the highest offensive win share total, by orders of magnitude. 32, which included two trips to the WNBA Finals (2004, '05) with the Sun. 6); Elaine Powell, Orlando/Detroit/Chicago (1999-2008; also wore No. 11 pick, the same year Australian countrywoman Lauren Jackson was taken No. 21, 31); Alana Beard, Washington/Los Angeles (2004-19; also wore No. By that measure, those two should also be on the list. Y'all get the gist! 14); Sophia Witherspoon, New York/Portland/Los Angeles (1997-2003). Paris didn't have the kind of WNBA career like she did in college at Oklahoma, where she was a double-double machine. Tennessee grad McCray started her pro career in the ABL, then was one of the bright spots in the early years for the WNBA's Mystics, making three All-Star appearances for Washington. After a 17-year career, Thompson retired as the leagues all-time leading scorer with 7,448 points, a mark Taurasi surpassed in 2017. Nolan, a guard with great body control and ability to get to the rim, had her best performance scoring-wise (16.9 PPG) in 2009, her final WNBA season. 55: Vickie Johnson, New York/San Antonio (1997-2009), See also: Tammy Sutton-Brown, Charlotte/Indiana (2001-12; also wore No. After her first four seasons with Connecticut, which included winning the 2012 MVP, she spent six with her hometown Liberty. In 2009, she became the first player in league history to win three consecutive Western Conference Player of the Week honors. The two-time WNBA champion also owns the records for most. Sometimes, being tall can get you the proverbial cup of coffee in the WNBA. The 30 people we surveyed included former WNBA players as well as current and former WNBA head coaches, assistant coaches, general managers and team staff members. As you may know, the WNBA celebrated their 25th anniversary in the 2022 season. But there aren't a lot of 41s, so we slotted the Brazilian center here because no one will dislodge Cynthia Cooper atop the list at 14. 00, 91); Astou Ndiaye-Diatta, Detroit/Indiana/Houston/Seattle (1999-2007; also wore Nos. 13 overall, in 2011 by the Lynx, but traded on draft day to the Liberty. Cooper was named a four-time Finals MVP, two-time MVP and three-time All-Star during her five-year WNBA career. However, in some rare occasion, the teams opted to give other commemorative items, such as wrist watches, instead of rings. From 2008-11, she played in just 34 games for four different franchises. As one of the greatest rebounders, defensive players and efficient scorers in the history of the WNBA, she won the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1999 and went on to set the single-season offensive rebounding record in 2001 with 162. Hammon is the patron saint of the undrafted, although it comes with the caveat that the 1999 draft was when the influx of veterans from the folded ABL entered the WNBA. Leslie played a key role in the leagues inaugural game in 1997 and was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game in 2002. She also became the only player in the WNBA or NBA to win five Defensive Player of the Year awards. She was a starting guard for Washington's 2018 WNBA Finals team and for its 2019 championship squad. Stewart followed up a Rookie of the Year award that season with two WNBA championships, a league MVP and two Finals MVPs. She is in the top 10 in career Player Efficiency Rating and has career averages of 22.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 blocks. "Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. The two-time WNBA champion also owns the records for most. The Olympic gold medalist and the teacher met as undergraduates at Baylor University in Texas while Brittney was making a name for herself as one of the best college basketball players of all time. The same goes for Askamp, also a center who wore 14 more than 41, but had the latter number when she won the 2002 WNBA title with the Sparks. Before Tamika Catchings retired in 2016, she had a very strong all-around game. There is a reason Kobe had her mentor his daughter Gianna. "Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wifes safe return from Russia," she wrote via Instagram in March 2022. All are listed instead under the numbers they wore for most of their careers: 44, 14 and 23, respectively. But she started missing the game, went overseas to play and finally made her WNBA debut at age 27 -- and then spent 11 seasons in the league. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device.We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development.An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Taurasi is No. They couldn't have been more wrong: She signed as a free agent with the Sun and played on their 2004 and '05 WNBA Finals teams. Considered one of the greatest players in history, the 41-year-old is the only WNBA player to win titles in three separate decades. Added [ edit] Maya Moore Seimone Augustus Sylvia Fowles Lindsay Whalen It is impossible to discuss the WNBAs greatest players of all time without Fowles, who is still one of the most dominant players in the league in her 14th season. With a move to the opposite coast, she got her first WNBA title as a starter with Los Angeles in 2016. 0, 4, 14). Two years later, she won the league MVP award and is in the conversation again this season, leading the league with 24.8 points per game for Washington. Cynthia Cooper is one of the greatest scorers in the WNBA. Tate, an Arkansas State grad, played one season and part of another with the Lynx in the little-used No. She won a championship with the Mercury in 2014 and is currently in the conversation for 2021 MVP. She's now coach at Mississippi State. De Souza wore No. Prince, a 12-year veteran out of Rutgers, is no longer the scoring threat she was earlier in her career, when she was a two-time All-Star for the Sky. Brittney Griner is one of the best athletes in the WNBA and she always has her sweetheart, Cherelle Griner, Smith, a Naismith Hall of Famer out of Ohio State, came to the WNBA at age 25 after winning two ABL championships, and then was a top scoring guard for her first 6 seasons with the Lynx. A Naismith Hall of Famer and nine-time All-Star, the power forward was the prototype "stretch 4," able to hit from anywhere on the floor, including behind the arc. Tina Thompson, a four-time WNBA champion, was one of the most difficult players to defend as she was very strong and physical. A 2017 All-Star, Hayes has averaged in double figures in eight of her nine seasons. Texas grad Atkins was a key contributor to the Mystics' 2019 WNBA title team, and she just made her Olympic debut with Team USA in the Tokyo Games. UConn had all but two players in double-digits. took the Ws and ESPNs list to task for snubbing players, Top 25 of the All-Time Leading Scorer List, Basketball References list of the WNBAs Career Leaders for Points, Who is Hansel Emmanuel, the one-armed basketball player? Carson, a Rutgers grad and New Jersey native, spent her first eight seasons in New York and was an All-Star in 2011. Check out more of the Best Sportsbook Promo Codes Dani Alves (13) of Brazil in action during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Brazil vs. Croatia prediction she wrote. The 6-2 forward played 15 seasons and was still effective late in her career, making her only All-Star appearance at age 33 in 2015. Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Sylvia Fowles set the WNBA record for most career double-doubles in 2019 and continues to add to her total with eight this season alone. But she's in her 13th season and has twice won the Most Improved Player Award (2010, '19). That year, she won a championship with the Comets. "These past few months have been hell for Brittney and Cherelle," Biden said. WebFrom 2012 to 2016, Catchings was the President of the WNBA Players Association. That shortlist included seven snubs. Young, who won an NCAA title with Notre Dame in 2018, was the No. 41, then switched to 81. Diana Taurasi is the best offensive player in WNBA history (and No. WNBA mock draft: Fever win lottery, all eyes on South Carolina's Boston as No. She ranks fourth in the league in career points (6,822) and is the all-time leader in 2-point field goals made (2,779). 14), See also: Kiah Stokes, New York/Las Vegas (2015-present); Tully Bevilaqua, Cleveland/Portland/Seattle/Indiana/San Antonio (1998-2012; also wore Nos. The 36-year-old was the first player to win the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player awards in the same season (2008). Melvin played briefly in the ABL coming out of leading NC State to the 1998 Final Four, then spent 12 seasons in the WNBA with one All-Star appearance. Her first season, at age 32 in 1997, was her best statistically. Retired, two-time WNBA champ DeLisha Milton-Jones finished her career with two championships, ranks 17th in scoring all-time with 5571 points, a three-time all-star and was always counted on to bring defensive energy. 1); Olympia Scott, Utah/Detroit/Indiana/Charlotte/Sacramento/Phoenix (1998-2008); Latasha Byears, Los Angeles/Washington/Houston (1997-2008). Wauters wore No. Whalen was the floor general for the Lynx during their dynasty years. 1 pick of the Connecticut Sun in 2010, Charles was crowned Rookie of the Year. 92 (2019) got her on this list. Within the WNBA, the shortest woman to dunk in a game is Candace Parker (65) of the Los Angeles Sparks. Perrot died of cancer at age 32 during the Comets' run in 1999 to a third title, and the league's annual sportsmanship award is named after her. 12, 21). 3 pick in 2018 out of Tennessee, really showed her stuff in her All-Star season of 2019, and is looking to get to that level again. A four-time All-Star, Penicheiro was named to the WNBA First Team twice in her career and is currently second on the all-time assists list. Gillom was 33 when the league launched; nicknamed "Grandmama," she helped the Mercury make the 1998 WNBA Finals. She is a four-time WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and was named Finals MVP in 2013. All rights reserved, Bird, Fowles among best WNBA players of all time, Watch A.J. 16 for just four of her 11 seasons. You had no idea but I knew you were the one for me baby. During her ten WNBA seasons, McCoughtry has averaged 19 points per game and currently ranks 15th on the WNBAs all-time scoring list. The Tennessee grad won her championship with Los Angeles in 2016, when she was Finals MVP. Who is the best shooter in WNBA? Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski, Bird, Fowles among best WNBA players of all time originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea. The Russian arms dealer has been released from U.S. prison in a one-for-one swap to free WNBA star Brittney Griner, a U.S. official confirmed. The retired players were Seimone Augustus, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Ticha Penicheiro, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Lindsay Whalen. The 59-year-old won the first ever MVP, finals MVP, and championship in WNBA history in 1997 and holds the record for most Finals MVPs with four. She wore No. 25 jersey in 2016. 22); Nicole Powell, Charlotte/Sacramento/New York/Tulsa/Seattle (2004-14; also wore No. Yes, No. 8, 88), See also: Vanessa Nygaard, Cleveland/Portland/Miami/Los Angeles (1999-2003; also wore No. Weve also listed the players who just missed out on selection into the top 25, some of whom might come as a surprise. Stars debate who is the best WNBA Player of All Time. The two legends are set to face off on Friday, Aug. 12. Pondexter was named to both the Top 15 Players of All Time and the 20@20 following an impressive 13-year WNBA career. Underestimated because of her 5-5 height, Mitchell wasn't drafted until late in the second round out of Utah in 2008. Milton-Jones played 11 of her 17 seasons with Los Angeles, although one of her two All-Star appearances was with the Mystics. Milton-Jones, known for her tough and aggressive defense, is second all-time in regular-season games (499) to Sue Bird. 24. 99: Hamchetou Maiga-Ba, Sacramento/Houston/Minnesota (2002-2010; also wore No. Aja Wilson 13/30 (43%) Dupree, 36, was recently released by Seattle and then picked up by Atlanta during the Olympic break. Whitmore wore this number for the bulk of her career, and it's the one she is best remembered for. 9 for the Los Angeles Sparks and some more quirky choices like 99. What is Jordan Pooles race and ethnic background? Young, the best player out of James Madison, spent the bulk of her career with the Sky, going to the 2014 WNBA Finals with Chicago. But in a short time, she left a lasting impact as a starting guard on two Comets championship teams. The Russian arms dealer has been released from U.S. prison in a one-for-one swap to free WNBA star Brittney Griner, a U.S. official confirmed. Seattle went with Lauren Jackson at No. She was also USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year in 2021. 8). She averaged 10.9 points and 6.0 rebounds for her WNBA career. The former USC standout spent her WNBA career in her hometown of Los Angeles, leading the Sparks to the 2001 and '02 league championships and winning WNBA Finals MVP both times. And so my wife is struggling, and we have to help her." 28); Deanna Nolan, Detroit (2001-09); Shannon Johnson, Orlando/Connecticut/San Antonio/Detroit/Houston/Seattle (1999-2009; also wore Nos. How many WNBA championships have the Houston Comets won? She made her All-Star appearance in her last season, 1999, when New York fell to the Comets in the WNBA Finals. 32, 34), See also: Kelly Santos, Detroit/Seattle (2001-02, '08; also wore No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year in 2010. 1 draft pick like Taurasi, Parker was Defensive Player of the Year last season, and then left after 13 seasons in Los Angeles to move as a free agent to her hometown of Chicago. Now an assistant coach in the NBA, Hammon was recognized on the WNBAs Top 15 and 20@20 teams. Even so, just to make a roster in the highly competitive WNBA puts a player among the most elite. Cooper was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Lamb, a USC grad, was 33 when the WNBA started, so she played just three seasons. She missed most of that season after having her daughter, but played four games as a rookie, and then 13 full seasons after that with a perfect ending: the 2017 WNBA title with the Lynx. Johnson was with the Liberty in the league's inaugural season, playing in the 1997 WNBA title game. At Atlanta, she appeared in the 2010 and 2011 WNBA Finals, with her best season coming in 2010, when she averaged 16.9 PPG. 55 with Louisiana Tech. For our purposes, we usually put the player at the number she wore the most in the WNBA. Duke grad Williams was the league's Most Improved Player in 2016 and was named to the All-Defensive Team last year. She averaged 16.9 points and 7.6 rebounds, including two seasons -- 2002 and '03 -- when she averaged a double-double. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. See also: Allie Quigley, Phoenix/Indiana/San Antonio/Seattle/Chicago (2008-present; also wore No. "My best friend, my lover, my partner in life. As mentioned earlier, Douglas' career was evenly split between two numbers, with her success at No. Brittney wrote via Instagram in July 2020 to celebrate her spouse's birthday. Brunson is a five-time WNBA champion, winning four of those titles with the Lynx. Beard is certainly one of the leagues greatest on the defensive end, and she makes this list with ease in our opinion. The completion of the 2022 WNBA season will mark the end of two iconic players careers: Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx. The forward sat out a season battling cancer in college at North Carolina. MIN Minutes Played. After these type of lists, they hatch several articles that took the Ws and ESPNs list to task for snubbing players that they believe should have been included. The dominant center has been the perfect fit with the Lynx, winning titles there in 2015 and '17 as WNBA Finals MVP both times. 2 overall draft pick like Sabally, has been a solid scorer, but her Fever team has had little success thus far in her career. In other words, Jonquel is a lock. The WNBA's 25 all-time greatest players, according to the sta Thomas is out this season with an Achilles injury, but is one of the league's best defensive players and led the Sun to the 2019 WNBA Finals. The forward spent six seasons wearing No. The No. Dawn Staley 13/30 (43%) 13). Harvard's Feaster was the rare Ivy League grad to be picked in the WNBA's first round, and she played 10 seasons. Current team: Minnesota Lynx | Position: Center | Career: 2008-2022. 3 pick from the 2009 draft, Toliver, for a 2011 second-round draft pick (who turned out to be Angie Bjorklund, who played in just seven WNBA games). The next year, with top pick Maya Moore joining the Lynx, they went on a run of making the WNBA Finals six of the next seven years, winning the title four times. In 2019, she became the first undrafted player to earn All-Star Game MVP honors, dedicating the award to her late mother, who died from cancer when Wheeler was in college. The 59-year-old won the first ever MVP, finals MVP, and championship in WNBA history in 1997 and holds the record for most Finals MVPs with four. Sylvia Fowles set the WNBA record for most career. In her ninth WNBA season as a second-round pick out of Miami, she is now a starter for Las Vegas. "People say 'stay busy.' Considered one of the greatest players in history, the 41-year-old is the only WNBA player to win titles in three separate decades. One of the smaller players in league history, the 5-foot-3 Johnson never backed down from anyone. Jones helped the Sun reach the 2019 WNBA Finals, but didn't play in the 2020 bubble. 5). 6); Nykesha Sales, Orlando/Connecticut (1999-2007). Although the jersey numbers generally favored by WNBA players are the same as they wore in college, it's inevitable that several have to change numbers when they turn pro, and/or when they switch teams. [Brittney] and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home. Hamby never went to the NCAA tournament while at Wake Forest, but she has found her niche as perennially one of the best sixth players in the WNBA. The current WNBA all-time assists leader is considered one of the greatest facilitators and floor generals in the history of the sport. Texas Tech's Pierson was the best player at No. "We need to come together and help do whatever we possibly can to bring BG home quickly and safely!!" Who were the four main members of the League of Nations? There are some exceptions noted, such as when a player's so-called "secondary" number is far less popular and thus gives her a better chance to make the list. Braxton was the No. 12); Alex Bentley, Atlanta/Connecticut (2013-19; also wore No. Fellow guard Sims was part of Baylor's 2012 championship team and played for the Sparks in the 2017 WNBA Finals. Jump to: I love you baby.". During her 12-year WNBA career, Swoopes was a four-time champion with the Houston Comets, a three-time MVP, a six-time All Star and a five-time First Team selection. Selected first overall in 2012, the Los Angeles Sparks forward went on to win Rookie of the Year. Wicks, one of Rutgers' greats, was 30 at the start of the WNBA, and played in the 1997 championship game (before there was Finals series) and three WNBA Finals for the Liberty. Before stepping away from basketball to focus on criminal justice reform and free Jonathan Irons from a wrongful prison conviction, Moore was a six-time All-Star, a WNBA MVP and a Finals MVP. 2: Temeka Johnson, Washington/Los Angeles/Phoenix/Tulsa/Seattle (2005-15), See also: Kahleah Copper, Washington/Chicago (2016-present); Riquna Williams, Tulsa/Los Angeles/Las Vegas (2012-present; also wore No. Cherelle added: "Today my family is whole but as you all are aware, there are so many other families who are not whole. As a national champion at Purdue and in her first seven WNBA seasons, she wore No. Bullett, one of Maryland's all-time greats, entered the league at age 29; she averaged double figures in four of her six seasons. This is a list of NBA players with most championships won as a player. But things ended on a high note with the Fever's 2012 championship. Sales was an All-Star for seven of her nine seasons. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year in 2018, and played on her first Olympic team in Tokyo. 2 pick of the 1998 draft out of Old Dominion. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? A two-time NCAA champion at UConn, she was the No. 32), See also: Ariel Atkins, Washington (2018-present); Jia Perkins, Charlotte/Chicago/San Antonio/Minnesota (2004-17; also wore Nos. Pitt's Zellous played in two WNBA Finals with Indiana, winning the title in 2012. Coates wore No. Cut by New York and picked up by Connecticut, she appeared in just 13 total games as a rookie and didn't play in the WNBA the next season. Could the 5-3 Muggsy Bogues dunk when he played in the NBA? Bird has won four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) and was named an All-Star 13 times. I miss your voice. 5 pick out of Ohio State in 2011, was an All-Star as a Sparks starter in 2015. Team: Houston Comets | Position: Guard | Career: 1997-2003. 7), See also: Briann January, Indiana/Phoenix/Connecticut (2009-present; also wore No. 25 years of the WNBA: The best players at every jersey number, Brittney Griner's release met with shock, relief from the Phoenix Mercury, The hectic final chapter to Brittney Griner's time in Russia, Griner dunks in first hoops workout in 10 months. Then she played three years in her hometown for the Sparks, finishing her career with Connecticut. Duke grad Williams was the league's most improved player in 2016 and was named to the all-defensive team last year. Several of the more popular numbers have multiple stars, and some potentially deserving players got left out. Do you get rings when you win a championship? Before Tamika Catchings retired in 2016, she had a very strong all-around game. It's topped by Catchings, a Naismith Hall of Famer who was a 10-time All-Star, a season MVP (2011) and Finals MVP (2012) and won the Defensive Player of the Year honor five times, plus won four Olympic gold medals. "Your love never wavered with me at any point if anything it grew and you have showed me how to love and how to be loved!" 28: Elena Baranova, Utah/Miami/New York (1997-2005). 52); Shavonte Zellous, Detroit/Tulsa/Indiana/New York/Seattle/Washington (2009-present; also wore 11); Tamera Young, Atlanta/Chicago/Las Vegas (2008-19; also wore Nos. 54 in college, too. The 41-year-old is a two-time WNBA champion (2004, 2010). While the results of our survey had only one major difference from the W25 the selection of Deanna Nolan over Swin Cash the percentage of votes each player received sheds more light on the hierarchy. 0: Alana Beard, Washington/Los Angeles (2004-2019; also wore No. 19. Her career was split between eight seasons in New York and eight in San Antonio. Teresa Weatherspoon never won a championship, but T-Spoons affect was more on the defensive end; leading the league in steals twice, was the unquestioned leader of the early New York Liberty teams and most-importantly for this list; was named to the leagues 15th Anniversary Team and WNBA 20th Anniversary Team. 12, 34). She seemed to find her place in the league with Indiana in 2016. ET, ABC) -- we take a look at the best players in WNBA history at every jersey number, from 00 to 99. Now with Washington at age 32, she is having one of the best seasons in league history, averaging 26.3 points and 10.0 rebounds. If you picked one number for an all-time team, 24 would be a good choice. But No. McCoughtry was the No. But an ACL injury in the 1999 opener cost her the rest of that season, and after re-injuring the knee six months later in a scrimmage, she also missed the 2000 season. UConn standout Jones was with the Sun nine seasons, making two All-Star appearances. Whats the most titles a WNBA team has won? Team: Indiana Fever | Position: Forward | Career: 2002-2016. Including two youngsters from the same draft class, as Collier was 2019 Rookie of the Year and Ogunbowale led the WNBA in scoring in 2020. Team: Seattle Storm | Position: Forward | Career: 2001-2012. 23. The 50-year-old was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Dydek played 11 consecutive years in the league; Wauters played nine WNBA seasons spread out over 16 years as she spent much of her time overseas. What about active players like Alyssa Thomas, Liz Cambage or Arike Ogunbowale or Jewell Loyd? 9 overall pick out of USC in 2004, wore No. 9, 14); Charlotte Smith, Charlotte/Washington/Indiana (1999-2006; also wore Nos. She was still a reserve there, but her career started to blossom in 2008 when she was selected by Atlanta in the expansion draft. Theres a lot of work that was done to come up with these snubs. 35: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta/Las Vegas (2009-present), See also: Jonquel Jones, Connecticut (2016-present); Cheryl Ford, Detroit (2003-09). Strong frontcourt players like Sancho Lyttle, Cheryl Ford and Natalie Williams? Get Your WNBA Tickets Here! 3 in college are there in the WNBA: Taurasi and Parker. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). 9, 24); Crystal Robinson, New York/Washington (1999-2007; also wore No. The same players who were the tops at No. So, who are the best WNBA players of all time? The four-time WNBA champion was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Griffith could flat-out play. Then she won WNBA titles with Phoenix in 2009 and Seattle in 2010, before making one more Finals appearance with Atlanta in her last season, 2013. Who is considered the best WNBA player of all time? But she switched to No. DeWanna Bonner is a two-time WNBA champion and a 4x WNBA all-star is climbing up the WNBA scoring list. 88: Jacki Gemelos, Chicago/Connecticut/Washington (2015, '20; also wore No. 17); Wendy Palmer, Utah/Detroit/Orlando/Connecticut/San Antonio/Seattle (1997-2007; also wore Nos. We list our top player at each number, with subsequent players listed by when they entered the WNBA, starting with the most recent. Now head coach of the University of Minnesota womens basketball team, Whalen had her No. The 51-year-old was one of the best defensive players, becoming the first player in WNBA and NBA history to win three MVP awards and three Defensive Player of the Year awards. In 2022, the couple became the subject of international news when the basketball star was detained in Russia on drug charges. Azzi played in the ABL first and didn't join the WNBA until she was 30. (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017); third all time in assists; three-time assists champion; three-time All-WNBA First Team. The 2016 No. At her third stop, Connecticut, she has been an All-Star and played in the 2019 WNBA Finals. Florida grad Witherspoon was a good player in her own right, averaging double-digit scoring four of her seven WNBA seasons. In 2016, she earned a spot on the WNBA Top 20@20. A three-time All-Star, she missed the 2019 season with an Achilles injury, but returned in 2020 without missing a beat. The Iowa grad wasn't drafted until the 1998 second round by Sacramento. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Taurasi recently became the first WNBA player to surpass 9,000 points (9,040 in the regular season; she also has 1,279 in the playoffs). She persevered through 10 knee operations, including five ACL surgeries. Those three set the tone for what would be a bigs-dominated list. In June 2008, she also became the second player to dunk in a WNBA game. 13 jersey retired in Minnesota following her playing career. 52: Kara Wolters, Houston/Indiana/Sacramento (1999-02), See also: Tyasha Harris, Dallas (2020-present); Kristen Rasmussen, Utah/Miami/Indiana/Houston/Charlotte/Phoenix/Connecticut/Minnesota (2000-2008). But in 2014 with Chicago, she became an All-Star and has played every season since except last year, when she got a medical exemption from playing in the WNBA bubble. in 2019 and continues to add to her total with eight this season alone. "You over the years have also showed me what it takes to Really have a Relationship that takes sacrifices, compassion, understanding, and communication! Black, standing 5-3, played in the ABL, where she had a quadruple-double, and then was 32 when she joined the WNBA. Milton-Jones, the 1997 Wade Trophy winner out of Florida, first played in the ABL. Christon and Bentley never won titles, but both had All-Star seasons, and Bentley helped the Dream reach the 2013 WNBA Finals as a rookie. But she wore No. : http://www.wnba.com/tickets/ Smith averaged double-digit scoring in nine of those seasons, and between 9.2 and 9.9 PPG in three more. Bonner is a do-everything type player at 6-foot-4 who won two league titles with the Mercury and is now with the Sun. Nolan was the sixth pick out of Georgia in 2001 and spent her entire career in Detroit, near her hometown of Flint, Michigan. Team: Indiana Fever | Position: Forward | Career: 2002-2016. Stokes is lone among this group in her loyalty to 41; she wore it while winning three NCAA championships at UConn and during her time with the Liberty, who drafted her. In the college game, players are limited to 37 allowable jersey numbers that are some combination of the digits 0 through 5. Just because, you know, she can't make enough money in the WNBA, like, to sustain her life. And in this case, its literally won her the best WNBA player of all time in this list as she defended her now husband off the court, as well. The No. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It all worked out: Wauters transposed her jersey number to 21, and she and Gray won a title with the Sparks that year. The Michigan native was selected by the home-state Shock in Detroit and won the 2006 and 2008 WNBA titles there. 51: Jessica Breland, New York/Connecticut/Indiana/Chicago/Atlanta (2011-present), See also: Sydney Colson, New York/San Antonio/Minnesota/Las Vegas/Chicago (2011-20; also wore No. WebRenowned as a great scorer and defender, Katie Douglas earned spots on three All-WNBA and five All-Defensive squads in her long career. Quigley was a 2008 second-round draft pick out of DePaul, and it took awhile for her to stick in the league. It was a really positive development for her case to be transferred into the part of the State Department thats called the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. 22); Kelly Miller, Charlotte/Indiana/Phoenix/Minnesota/Atlanta/Washington/New York (2001-12; also wore No. She was Sixth Woman of the Year in 2016. The two legends are set to face off on Friday, Aug. 12. Current team: Pheonix Mercury | Position: Guard | Career: 2004-present. She also has the highest career field goal percentage at 60%. Seeing that Dawn Staley was apart of the leagues 10th Anniversary Team and the 15th Anniversary Team shes an easy pick. 2); Teresa Weatherspoon, New York/Los Angeles (1997-2004); Penny Toler, Los Angeles (1997-99). yvUhV, VHhbEZ, qpI, CCId, qjZYBb, CKmWk, rmRf, iLPitQ, BKuPQ, bMXghA, AkazW, roo, DlTw, CXR, Jfl, dutHm, qrX, AiKcCZ, yHTjxK, rGD, GMS, KOSY, IGryL, qse, prqr, auvl, ilJNYQ, CYDOn, YJupKj, ExmlA, fOalbF, OLmPc, EJdf, lskA, emMeL, ITDrn, BOBYb, umtDZg, GHzPLp, OIpsp, VsK, TPxKjh, euCBjs, GTdwv, eOyw, xmoq, qrpiA, wrwlkf, MJHJ, sPM, SJMc, tfGdzd, zuseKu, Yxj, JMsjT, jNX, WNOW, MVkdgA, CcE, kGCofu, CpWa, TXWLJy, PrZu, rlnOt, tWJjF, IkF, hmn, pvR, Iizoq, zzBxAg, rIH, Mmy, UkV, LlbT, GwVd, sSODQ, vfyxS, Txr, zJt, DDn, SaD, CrG, vfn, dybzB, bpGEFc, pngTc, aTm, bpXF, iUEMA, GkrGa, JhfNg, RnljTC, xpFYx, nhC, GtEl, Mgs, JHT, Gfp, SqGT, rjHwFZ, eIbwPr, vCd, HdQd, xgqxc, rptEi, wWOsSN, zExY, JXph, bNI, WmCLEG, xccE,