WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time
The Women's National Basketball Association's Top 15 Players of All Time were chosen in 2011 on the occasion of the fifteenth season of the WNBA from amongst 30 nominees compiled by the league by fan, media, coach, and player voting. The group was to comprise the 15 best and most influential players of the first fifteen years of the WNBA, with consideration also accorded to sportsmanship, community service, leadership, and contribution to the growth of women's basketball; only players to have competed in the WNBA were eligible, but extra-league achievements were considered.
| Women's National Basketball Association awards and honors |
|---|
| Championship |
| Individual awards |
| Honors |
The Top 15 players were announced at halftime of the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game.[1]
Players selected
- Note: all information only pertains to the first fifteen years of the league's existence.
| Player | Nationality | Position | Team(s) | College(s) attended | Olympic medals |
League titles | League awards | All-Star Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sue Bird |  | PG | Seattle Storm (2002–) | Connecticut | 2004 gold 2008 gold | 2004, 2010 | KPSA (2011) | 2002–2007, 2009–2011 |
| Tamika Catchings | | SF | Indiana Fever (2002–2016) | Tennessee | 2004 gold 2008 gold | 2012 | MVP (2011) Finals MVP (2012) ROY (2002) DPOY (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) KPSA (2010) | 2002–2007, 2009–2011 |
| Cynthia Cooper | | SG | Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2003) | USC | 1988 gold 1992 bronze | 1997–2000 | MVP (1997, 1998) Finals MVP (1997–2000) | 1999, 2000, 2003 |
| Yolanda Griffith | | C | Sacramento Monarchs (1997–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Indiana Fever (2009) | Florida Atlantic | 2000 gold 2004 gold | 2005 | MVP (1999) Finals MVP (2005) DPOY (1999) ASG MVP (2004) | 1999–2001, 2003–2007 |
| Becky Hammon |  | PG | New York Liberty (1999–2006) San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2007–2014) | Colorado State | 2008 bronze (RUS) | None | None | 2003–2007, 2009–2011 |
| Lauren Jackson | .svg.png){kind=small} | C | Seattle Storm (2001–2012) | N/A | 2000 silver 2004 silver 2008 silver (AUS) | 2004, 2010 | MVP (2003, 2007, 2010) Finals MVP (2010) DPOY (2007) | 2001–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2010 |
| Lisa Leslie | | C | Los Angeles Sparks (1997–2009) | USC | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold 2008 gold | 2001, 2002 | MVP (2001, 2004, 2006) Finals MVP (2001, 2002) ASG MVP (1999, 2001, 2002) DPOY (2004, 2008) | 1999–2006, 2009 |
| Ticha Penicheiro |  | PG | Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011) Chicago Sky (2012) | Old Dominion | None | 2005 | None | 1999–2002 |
| Cappie Pondexter | | SG | Phoenix Mercury (2006–2009) New York Liberty (2010–2014) Chicago Sky (2015-) | Rutgers | 2008 gold | 2007, 2009 | Finals MVP (2007) | 2006, 2007, 2009–2011 |
| Katie Smith | | SF | Minnesota Lynx (1999–2005) Detroit Shock (2006–2009) Washington Mystics (2010) Seattle Storm (2011–2012) New York Liberty (2013) | Ohio State | 2000 gold 2004 gold 2008 gold | 2006, 2008 | Finals MVP (2008) | 2000–2006, 2009 |
| Dawn Staley | | PG | Charlotte Sting (1999–2005) Houston Comets (2005–2006) | Virginia | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold | None | KPSA (1999, 2006) | 2002–2006 |
| Sheryl Swoopes | | SF | Houston Comets (1997–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Tulsa Shock (2011) | Texas Tech | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold | 1997–2000 | MVP (2000, 2002, 2005) DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003) ASG MVP (2005) | 1999, 2000, 2002–2006 |
| Diana Taurasi | | SG | Phoenix Mercury (2004– ) | Connecticut | 2004 gold 2008 gold | 2007, 2009 | MVP (2009) Finals MVP (2009) ROY (2004) | 2004–2007, 2009–2011 |
| Tina Thompson | | SF | Houston Comets (1997–2008) Los Angeles Sparks (2009–2011) Seattle Storm (2012-2013) | USC | 2004 gold 2008 gold | 1997–2000 | ASG MVP (2000) | 1999–2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
| Teresa Weatherspoon | | PG | New York Liberty (1997–2003) Los Angeles Sparks (2004) | Louisiana Tech | 1988 gold 1992 bronze | None | DPOY (1997, 1998) | 1999–2003 |
- The inaugural WNBA All-Star Game took place during the 1999 season, and the game has been contested yearly since, although the 2004 edition was supplanted by a game between WNBA players from both conferences and the 2004 United States Olympic team and the 2010 edition was a game between WNBA players from both conferences and the USA National Team. For the purposes of this article, appearances in the 2004 and 2010 games for both participating teams are considered All-Star appearances. This differs from the WNBA's practice, which does not count Team USA players in 2004 and 2010 as All-Stars, even though all members of Team USA except for Maya Moore in 2010 were WNBA players at the time of the two games. There was no All-Star Game held in 2008.
- Players who were voted to start in all-star games but were unable to play due to injury are nevertheless considered to have been starters; players voted as reserves who started in place of other injured players are nevertheless considered to have been reserves.
Other finalists
1 Retired at time of Top 15 Team announcement.
2 Not playing in the league at time of Top 15 Team announcement.
Top 15 Players vs. All-Decade Team
All ten members of the WNBA's All-Decade Team were included in the Top 15 Team. There were some players that were nominated for the Top 15 Team that were not nominated for the All-Decade Team and vice versa. Below are lists of players that were either added to or omitted from the Top 15 Team nominations, in respect to the All-Decade Team nominations.
References
- Voepel, Mechelle (July 22, 2011). "Dreams realized in 'Top 15' celebration". ESPN.
External links
- Official announcement on WNBA.com