Favorite Arenas to Play In

Whether it is the overall ambience, the local flavor, the enthusiasm of the fans, the proximity to family and friends or even the plush, comfy locker rooms, WNBA players talk about their favorite arenas to play in while on the road and away from home during the WNBA season.

Sue Bird loves playing at home at Madison Square Garden. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
"The Garden. Because its home for me. The Garden was also a place growing up where I watched the Knicks play and it was always considered the most famous arena in the world."

Becky Hammon, New York Liberty
"Los Angeles. The Staples Center is obviously a very nice arena. I like Phoenix's arena, Washington's arena, anywhere you get fans in the building to make it lots of loud and fun."

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Connecticut Sun
"I love our arena. You can enjoy the fans and soak in what you've been missing away. I like Chicago arena because we just got there, Phoenix, Seattle. You like arenas where you go where fans appreciate the game and appreciate you without going over the top."

Rebekkah Brunson, Sacramento Monarchs
"Seattle's one of the tougher arenas to play in, so you really have to get motivated to go there and play. Their fans are really intense. If you can win their, you're looking good. In the East, it'd have to be Washington because you get the element of going home. And I think Washington has pretty good fans too. It's not as tough, but they do have great fan support. It's always a good thing to walk into an arena and see the stands filled and see fans who really support the league."

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
"The Garden, the Garden's always fun."

Ruthie Bolton, WNBA legend
"I really like Phoenix. I always played well there and I liked their fans. They probably didn't like me much cause I always beat them. Houston's always good too. Even though the fans wouldn't be rooting for us, they always motivated us."

Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx
"I guess it's always good to go to Houston, it's close to my hometown, people drive out to come see me, and there's great malls in Houston."

Tamika Catchings and Michelle Snow both love playing in Houston. Bill Baptist/NBAE/Getty Images

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
"I like Houston, and more I think my family is down there as well, so knowing I'm going to see my mom and my dad helps."

Michelle Snow, Houston Comets
"My bed, being at home I just like to play in the Toyota Center just because I can sleep in my bed in my home at night and be around my family and friends."

Scholanda Dorrell, Sacramento Monarchs
"I think it's a toss up between L.A. and Houston just because they have really good fans too and the support is so great. And you just love to play in front of that when you're a competitor and It's kind of a good feeling to hear everybody showing that kind of support for the home team then you score a point or do something great and hear everybody get quiet, so that's just a fun feeling."

Cheryl Ford, Detroit Shock
"I don't have one, I'm just there to get the win and go home."

Kayte Christensen, Phoenix Mercury
"You know I love the Mohegan Sun because of the size of the arena, and they do such a good job, maybe it's because of Diana when we play, but they always have a great crowd and you feel like they are really on top of you, and they are extremely dedicated basketball fans, so it's great to play there."

Asjha Jones, Connecticut Sun
"I mean every time you play in the Garden, it's a pretty good experience, there's so much history that every time you go there you're like wow I'm playing in the Garden."

The crowds always come out to support Taurasi in Connecticut. Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE/Getty Images

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
"I'd have to say the Mohegan Sun. I really like playing there, I feel like your on a stage and everyone's just focused on you."

Candice Dupree, Chicago Sky
"I've been to the Mohegan Sun, I don't know if I could live there but it's a pretty neat place."

Ticha Penicheiro, Sacramento Monarchs
"I would probably say Madison Square Garden, it's the World's Most Famous Arena, I've been in the league nine years now but I remember when I first started in the league it was a great experience to get to play in an arena like that."

Katie Smith, Detroit Shock
"I like Indiana's arena, I kind of like the quaintness of it, it has an old school feel to it, obviously the new arenas like the Toyota Center have awesome locker rooms, but I like Indiana, I like the old feel to things. But I also like Chicago, because you are playing in a college arena."

Tangela Smith, Charlotte Sting
"I love playing in Houston, that's just arena wise, but shopping wise I can go about anywhere. Also I got to play at home (Chicago) for the first time this year, which was great."

Lindsay Whalen, Connecticut Sun
"The Garden. There's so much going on there and every game always seems like a big game."

Tamika Whitmore, Indiana Fever
"Madison Square Garden, it's just the energy that that arena has, and then when you walk through the halls and see all the pictures, you actually think, wow, Muhammad Ali fought here, it's just a great feeling."