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, 1111leadership, 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.
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.
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 TeamEdit
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.
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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 1111leadership 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 The Top 15 players were announced at halftime of the 2011 WNBA All Star Game 1 Contents 1 Players selected 2 Other finalists 3 Top 15 Players vs All Decade Team 3 1 Added 3 2 Omitted 4 References 5 External linksPlayers selected EditNote all information only pertains to the first fifteen years of the league s existence Denotes player who was still active in the WNBA at this time Inducted into the Women s Basketball Hall of FameInducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of FamePlayer Nationality Position Team s College s attended Olympic medals League titles League awards All Star GamesSue Bird United States PG Seattle Storm 2002 2022 Connecticut 2004 gold2008 gold2012 gold 2016 gold 2020 gold 2004 2010 2018 2020 KPSA 2011 2017 2018 2002 2007 2009 2011 2014 2015 2017 2018Tamika Catchings United States SF Indiana Fever 2002 2016 Tennessee 2004 gold2008 gold 2012 MVP 2011 Finals MVP 2012 ROY 2002 DPOY 2005 2006 2009 2010 KPSA 2010 2002 2007 2009 2011Cynthia Cooper United States SG Houston Comets 1997 2000 2003 USC 1988 gold1992 bronze 1997 2000 MVP 1997 1998 Finals MVP 1997 2000 1999 2000 2003Yolanda Griffith United States C Sacramento Monarchs 1997 2007 Seattle Storm 2008 Indiana Fever 2009 Florida Atlantic 2000 gold2004 gold 2005 MVP 1999 Finals MVP 2005 DPOY 1999 ASG MVP 2004 1999 2001 2003 2007Becky Hammon United States Russia PG New York Liberty 1999 2006 San Antonio Silver Stars Stars 2007 2014 Colorado State 2008 bronze RUS None None 2003 2007 2009 2011Lauren Jackson Australia C Seattle Storm 2001 2012 N A 2000 silver2004 silver2008 silver AUS 2004 2010 MVP 2003 2007 2010 Finals MVP 2010 DPOY 2007 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2010Lisa Leslie United States C Los Angeles Sparks 1997 2009 USC 1996 gold2000 gold2004 gold2008 gold 2001 2002 MVP 2001 2004 2006 Finals MVP 2001 2002 ASG MVP 1999 2001 2002 DPOY 2004 2008 1999 2006 2009Ticha Penicheiro Portugal PG Sacramento Monarchs 1998 2009 Los Angeles Sparks 2010 2011 Chicago Sky 2012 Old Dominion None 2005 None 1999 2002Cappie Pondexter United States SG Phoenix Mercury 2006 2009 New York Liberty 2010 2014 Chicago Sky 2015 2017 Los Angeles Sparks 2018 Indiana Fever 2018 Rutgers 2008 gold 2007 2009 Finals MVP 2007 2006 2007 2009 2011Katie Smith United States SF Minnesota Lynx 1999 2005 Detroit Shock 2006 2009 Washington Mystics 2010 Seattle Storm 2011 2012 New York Liberty 2013 Ohio State 2000 gold2004 gold2008 gold 2006 2008 Finals MVP 2008 2000 2006 2009Dawn Staley United States PG Charlotte Sting 1999 2005 Houston Comets 2005 2006 Virginia 1996 gold2000 gold2004 gold None KPSA 1999 2006 2002 2006Sheryl Swoopes United States SF Houston Comets 1997 2007 Seattle Storm 2008 Tulsa Shock 2011 Texas Tech 1996 gold2000 gold2004 gold 1997 2000 MVP 2000 2002 2005 DPOY 2000 2002 2003 ASG MVP 2005 1999 2000 2002 2006Diana Taurasi United States SG Phoenix Mercury 2004 Connecticut 2004 gold2008 gold 2012 gold 2016 gold 2020 gold 2007 2009 MVP 2009 Finals MVP 2009 2014 ROY 2004 2004 2007 2009 2011Tina Thompson United States SF Houston Comets 1997 2008 Los Angeles Sparks 2009 2011 Seattle Storm 2012 2013 USC 2004 gold2008 gold 1997 2000 ASG MVP 2000 1999 2004 2006 2007 2009Teresa Weatherspoon United States PG New York Liberty 1997 2003 Los Angeles Sparks 2004 Louisiana Tech 1988 gold1992 bronze None DPOY 1997 1998 1999 2003The 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 EditSeimone Augustus Ruthie Bolton1 Swin Cash Katie Douglas Cheryl Ford2 Chamique Holdsclaw1 Shannon Johnson1 Taj McWilliams Franklin DeLisha Milton Jones Deanna Nolan2 Candace Parker Nykesha Sales1 Tangela Smith Penny Taylor Natalie Williams1 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 EditAll 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 Added Edit Maya Moore Seimone Augustus Sylvia Fowles Lindsay Whalen Cappie Pondexter Tangela SmithOmitted Edit Janeth Arcain Tamecka Dixon Jennifer Gillom Vickie Johnson Rebecca Lobo Mwadi Mabika Andrea StinsonReferences Edit Voepel Mechelle July 22 2011 Dreams realized in Top 15 celebration ESPN External links EditOfficial announcement on WNBA com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title WNBA 27s Top 15 Players of All Time amp oldid 1145623864, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
