20 Things to Know About the WNBA’s 20th Season: Page 4


15. It’s Sunny in Connecticut.

Three straight seasons without a Playoff berth prompted change for the Connecticut Sun, who hired Sparks assistant Curt Miller as head coach to fill the void left by Anne Donovan’s resignation.

Then Connecticut added three promising rookies in the top six picks of the Draft: UConn forward Morgan Tuck, Minnesota shooting guard Rachel Banham and George Washington forward Jonquel Jones. (Jones was acquired from L.A. in a Draft night trade.)

They join star Chiney Ogwumike – the 2014 Rookie of the Year who missed last season due to injury – and much-improved fourth-year pros Alex Bentley and Kelsey Bone to form a team that could very much be on the rise.

MORE: Sun Shine on Draft Night

16. Longtime contenders are retooling in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Dream were a fixture in the East playoff race until last season, when their string of six straight postseason appearances came to an end. That run of success – which included three Eastern Conference titles – coincided with the drafting of unstoppable guard Angel McCoughtry.

Now Atlanta is rebuilding around their four-time All-Star. Laker legend Michael Cooper continues to steer the ship as head coach, having won two WNBA titles with the Sparks.

17. Faces young and old lead the Stars into a year of transition.

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For years, the Stars could count on two constants: head coach Dan Hughes and point guard Becky Hammon. Hammon, of course, retired and took a role as a Spurs assistant coach. In April, the Stars announced that 2016 will be Hughes’ last as head coach and former player Ruth Riley would assume his role as general manager beginning this season.

The two vets will preside over a roster highlighted by a young backcourt. Third-year shooting guard Kayla McBride has developed into a bona fide go-to scorer. Rookie point guard and Dallas-area native Moriah Jefferson – the second overall pick in the Draft out of UConn – arrives in San Antonio as a proven winner to say the least; she’s won nine straight titles dating back to eighth grade. Jefferson will look to make an immediate impact with Danielle Robinson potentially out for the season after undergoing Achilles surgery.

MORE: Ruth Riley’s Second Act

18. ESPN networks will air up to 33 games this season.

The WNBA steps into the national spotlight from the opening tip when the Lynx and Mercury start the season with an ESPN showdown in Minneapolis.

Thirteen other games will air on ESPN2 during the regular season, and the reconfigured postseason will – for the first time – feature live telecasts by ESPN networks of every playoff and Finals game.

Click here to view the full national TV schedule

19. Even the uniforms were given a facelift.

When the WNBA’s best do take the national stage, the 20th season shakeup will be readily apparent. The league unveiled new uniforms during the offseason, and all 12 teams will feature a special “WNBA 20th” commemorative logo on the back neckline of their jerseys.

Most noticeable will be the colored home uniforms that have replaced the home whites league-wide.

MORE: Uniforms Unveiled for 2016 Season

20. #WatchMeWork

“20 years ago, I was just a little girl,” begins the WNBA’s 20th season campaign spot, titled “Watch Me Work,” which features Moore, Bird, Griner, Taurasi, Diggins and Parker.

The six stars are the perfect representatives of a season all about recognizing the past while looking forward toward the future. They are just six of the many reasons to tune in over the months ahead.

Watch them work.