All-Star

free

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T-Spoon x Cynthia Cooper ASW Mix

mvp-moments-cynthia-cooper-dyke-1997

MVP Moments: Cynthia Cooper (1997)

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We&#8217;re now a week into the 2023 WNBA free agency, and there&#8217;s already been plenty of fireworks. We have former MVPs on the move, a pair of super teams formed, and a few under-the-radar moves that could pay big dividends next season.
Here is a look at the five biggest takeaways from the past seven days.
1. Breanna Stewart is NYC bound
In the two weeks leading into the official opening of WNBA free agency on Feb. 1, Breanna Stewart had WNBA fans breaking their brains trying to decipher her cryptic tweets full of emojis and find clues as to where she would decide to play in 2023.
The biggest free agent available this offseason had the entire women&#8217;s hoops community hanging on her every emoji until the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 1.
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🗽 <a href="https://t.co/6Sg28YnCPz">pic.twitter.com/6Sg28YnCPz</a>
&mdash; Stewie (@breannastewart) <a href="https://twitter.com/breannastewart/status/1620829634349928450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The magnitude of this move can&#8217;t be overstated. This is a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP, one-time league MVP, four-time All-WNBA First Team selection, and reigning scoring champion changing teams in her absolute prime at 28 years old.
Stewart becomes only the fourth MVP winner to sign with another team as a free agent, joining Sheryl Swoopes (2008 to Seattle), Yolanda Griffith (2008 to Seattle), and Candace Parker (2021 to Chicago, 2023 to Las Vegas – more on that shortly). Swoopes (37) and Griffith (38) were both at the tail end of their careers when they signed with the Storm. Parker (34) still had plenty left in the tank when she joined her hometown team and led them to their first title in 2021.
Three other former MVPs have changed teams via trade: Tina Charles (Connecticut to New York in 2014), Elena Delle Donne (Chicago to Washington in 2017), and Jonquel Jones (Connecticut to New York in 2023).
That&#8217;s right; the Liberty didn&#8217;t just add one former MVP this off-season. They added two, with the 2021 MVP (Jones) joining the 2018 winner (Stewart) to give the Liberty a devastating frontline. And in case that wasn&#8217;t enough, the day after Stewart announced her decision to join Liberty, so did All-Star point guard and six-time league assist leader Courtney Vandersloot.
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LFG!!!🗽🗽🗽🗽 <a href="https://t.co/bsqCZ6VsGG">https://t.co/bsqCZ6VsGG</a>
&mdash; Stewie (@breannastewart) <a href="https://twitter.com/breannastewart/status/1621237294714830850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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That makes three 2022 All-Stars joining the Liberty in the span of 18 days. And remember that the Liberty already have All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu getting set to begin her fourth WNBA season. With Stewart, Jones, and Ionescu, the Liberty boasts three of the ten players selected to the 2022 All-WNBA teams.
2. Candace Parker heads to Sin City
Breanna Stewart wasn&#8217;t the only former MVP to shake up the league last week. While Stewie was dropping emoji-laden tweets, Candace Parker moved more quietly until announcing on Instagram that she intended to leave her hometown Chicago Sky to join the Las Vegas Aces this summer for her 16th WNBA season.
Parker joins the defending WNBA champions Aces and gives Las Vegas a pair of two-time league MVPs on its frontline, as the 2008 and 2013 winner (Parker) joins the 2020 and 2022 winner (A’ja Wilson). Parker also reunites with former teammate Chelsea Gray, with whom she won the 2016 Los Angeles Sparks WNBA title. Gray (2022), Wilson (2020), and Parker (2016) have each won Finals MVP honors; Wilson (2022) and Parker (2020) have won two of the last three Defensive Player of the Year honors.
And don&#8217;t forget about 2022 All-Star MVP Kelsey Plum and 2022 Most Improved Player Jackie Young, all playing under the tutelage of 2022 Coach of the Year Becky Hammon. Similar to the Liberty, the Aces now have three 2022 All-WNBA selections on its roster – only Vegas&#8217; were all First Team selections in Wilson, Plum, and Parker.
Also, similar to New York, Las Vegas wasn&#8217;t done when adding a former MVP in free agency. Along with Parker, the franchise was able to add veteran wing Alysha Clark – a two-time champion and two-time All-Defensive Team selection – as well as four-time Australian league (WNBL) champion Cayla George to the roster. Las Vegas also re-signed Sydney Colson and Kiah Stokes from last year&#8217;s championship squad.
The Aces will enter 2023 looking to accomplish something that has yet to be done in the WNBA for more than two decades: successfully defend the WNBA title. The last team to do it was the 2001 and 2002 Sparks; can the Aces join them this fall?
&gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/instant-analysis-assessing-candace-parkers-fit-in-las-vegas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more on the impact of Parker&#8217;s addition to Las Vegas</a>
3. Welcome to the WNBA super-team era
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
There&#39;s a new superteam era in the WNBA 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/LVAces?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LVAces</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyliberty</a> <a href="https://t.co/v6lTt5f31Y">pic.twitter.com/v6lTt5f31Y</a>
&mdash; espnW (@espnW) <a href="https://twitter.com/espnW/status/1621256798920491010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The WNBA has seen many dominant teams throughout its history:
<ul>
<li>The Houston Comets won the first four WNBA titles from 1997-2000 behind the big three of Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes, and Tina Thompson</li>
<li>The Lisa Leslie-led, Los Angeles Sparks, won back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002 before falling in the Finals to Detroit</li>
<li>The Detroit Shock won three titles in the span of six seasons with stars like Cash, Katie Smith, and Deanna Nolan</li>
<li>The Minnesota Lynx won four championships and played in six WNBA Finals in a seven-year span from 2011-2017 behind the core of Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, and Rebekkah Brunson</li>
</ul>
The Comets and Lynx both featured two MVP winners – Cooper and Swoopes in Houston; Moore and Fowles in Minnesota – but they won those MVPs while playing for those dynasties. Swoopes was the only one of the four to play for another team after winning MVP, and as discussed earlier, she did so at the end of her career.
What we&#8217;re seeing now is just different. With the most recent collective bargaining agreement allowing for additional player movement, the amount of change is growing yearly.
The Aces and Liberty have assembled rosters that have them considered – almost universally – as the co-title favorites entering 2023. Of course, these rosters are currently only on paper, and we&#8217;ll have to see how all the pieces fit together as well as we all think they will.
With that being said, go ahead and circle these dates on your WNBA calendars now and get your popcorn ready.
<ul>
<li>Thursday, June 29, 10 ET: New York at Las Vegas</li>
<li>Sunday, Aug. 6, 3 ET: Las Vegas at New York</li>
<li>Thursday, Aug. 17, 10 ET: New York at Las Vegas</li>
<li>Monday, Aug. 28, 7 ET: Las Vegas at New York</li>
</ul>
4. Storm, Sky, and Sun bolster rosters after losing MVPs
There were five former league MVPs on the free agent market this season: Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, and Nneka Ogwumike. So far, two of those five have changed teams, with Stewart leaving Seattle for New York and Parker leaving Chicago for Las Vegas, while the other three remain unsigned. And, just prior to free agency tipping off, we saw another former MVP on the move as Jonquel Jones was traded from Connecticut to New York.
That leaves the Storm, Sky, and Sun with the unenviable task of trying to replace a former MVP.
In Chicago, the Sky not only lost Parker but also lost their starting backcourt of Courtney Vandersloot (also to NY) and Allie Quigley (taking the season off) along with forward/center Azurá Stevens &#8212; that&#8217;s four of their top six players in minutes played. The Sky have started to rebuild their roster through free agency, signing Elizabeth Williams (from Washington) and Isabelle Harrison (from Dallas) on the frontline and Courtney Williams (from Connecticut) in the backcourt. The Sky still have 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper under contract, while 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman remains an unrestricted free agent.
In Seattle, the Storm re-signed Ezi Magbegor, who finished second in the WNBA in blocks last season (1.8 per game) and was named to the All-Defensive Second Team following her third season in Seattle. The Storm brought Sami Whitcomb back to the Pacific Northwest; the former University of Washington star played her first four WNBA seasons in Seattle before playing the last two in New York. Whitcomb ranked 14th in 3-pointers made (59) last season. Seattle also signed former Phoenix guards Kia Nurse and Yvonne Turner. Nurse missed all of last season due to a torn ACL but ranked 10th in 3-pointers made (59) in 2021.
In Connecticut, the Sun not only lost Jones but longtime starting point guard Jasmine Thomas, who was traded to Los Angeles to join former Sun coach Curt Miller. While Thomas was out last season, Natisha Hiedeman stepped up to fill the void at the point. The Sun have re-signed Hiedeman, which has been their lone key move in free agency so far.
5. More moves to keep an eye on
Washington: The Mystics opened free agency by adding the top wing defender on the open market in Brittney Sykes, who&#8217;s led the WNBA in steals the past two seasons and is a three-time All-Defensive team selection. Washington also brings back veteran point guard Kristi Toliver, who has two WNBA titles on her resume, including one in Washington in 2019. The Mystics also made a trade with Las Vegas to acquire the negotiating rights with versatile center Amanda Zahui B, who they signed two days later to a one-year deal.
Los Angeles: This is an offseason of major change in Los Angeles, with a new coach in Curt Miller and two key additions via trade: point guard Jasmine Thomas from Connecticut and wing Dearica Hamby from Las Vegas. As mentioned above, the Sparks added versatile forward Azurá Stevens from Chicago as well as Stephanie Talbot from Seattle as free agents. Los Angeles also brought back guards Jordin Canada (who led L.A. in assists at 5.5 per game, 8th in WNBA) and Lexie Brown. With Brown (39.8%) and Talbot (39.7%), the Sparks have the ninth and 10th-ranked 3-point shooters from last season.
Dallas: The Wings opened free agency by re-signing center Teaira McCowan, who was a breakout star for Dallas in the second half of the 2022 season. In addition to locking down their center, the Wings also signed guard Crystal Dangerfield – whose reserved rights they acquired as part of the three-team trade with New York and Connecticut last month – to a multi-year deal.
Indiana: The Fever brought back guard Erica Wheeler – who played in Indiana from 2016 to 2019, winning All-Star Game MVP honors in her final season with the Fever before signing with Los Angeles in 2021 and playing last season in Atlanta. The Fever also signed Maya Caldwell, who the Fever drafted 33rd overall in 2021, but played last season in Atlanta. Keep in mind the Fever also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft this April.
Phoenix: The Mercury have re-signed guards Sophie Cunningham and Jennie Simms, while guards Kia Nurse (a full-time starter for the Mercury in 2021 but missed all of 2022 due to an ACL tear) and Yvonne Turner both signed with Seattle as free agents. However, there is one legendary guard that remains an unrestricted free agent &#8212; Diana Taurasi &#8212; who has spent her entire 18-year career in Phoenix.
Atlanta: The Dream has re-signed forwards Monique Billings and Nia Coffey and guard AD Durr. Both Coffey and Durr missed more than half of last season due to injuries but worked with the Dream&#8217;s medical team on rehab this offseason. The free-agent signings come after the Dream acquired Allisha Gray and Danielle Robinson in a pair of trades last month.
Minnesota: The Lynx signed free agent guard Tiffany Mitchell, who spent the first seven seasons of her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever and brings career averages of 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. The Lynx also re-signed four players: forwards Bridget Carleton, Damiris Dantas, Nikolina Milic, and guard Lindsay Allen.
&gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/2023-free-agency-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Agent Tracker: Follow all the latest moves</a>
Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

wnba-free-agency-2023-five-early-takeaways

WNBA Free Agency 2023: Five Early Takeaways

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				The Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time players present at Game 1 line up during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				 WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				 WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Swin Cash as a Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm shows off her custom W25 Jacket.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Becky Hammon as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Ticha Penicheiro as a Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Cynthia Cooper as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Cappie Pondexter as a Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend and Minnesota Lynx Assistant Coach Katie Smith as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				 WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend and Minnesota Lynx Assistant Coach Katie Smith as a Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				 WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces Breanna Stewart #30 of the Seattle Storm as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury as one of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time Players during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				The Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time players lined up during the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Los Angeles Sparks and Alumni, Lisa Leslie attend the game between the Chicago Sky and the Phoenix Mercury during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Legend Ticha Penicheiro attends the game between the Chicago Sky and the Phoenix Mercury during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				Members of the Top 25 WNBA Greatest of All Time players attend the game between the Chicago Sky and the Phoenix Mercury during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				WNBA Legends Swin Cash, Ticha Penicheiro, Lisa Leslie, and Cynthia Cooper attend the Phoenix Mercury game against the Chicago Sky during Game One of the 2021 WNBA Finals on October 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
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w25-ceremony

W25 Ceremony

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With the 2021 regular season nearly over, most of the playoffs spots secured and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-continues-celebration-of-landmark-25th-season-names-greatest-players-in-league-history-the-w25/">The W25</a> team revealed, the big question of the moment &#8211; which will soon give way to title talk &#8211; is the question of “The GOAT”.
Who is the Greatest of All Time in the WNBA?
It’s a question that begs more questions. What makes a player the GOAT? Is it scoring? Championships? Longevity? All-around play? MVP Awards?
My answer: yes.
The WNBA’s GOAT conversation, in my mind, is one about a body of work. And let’s make no mistake, the players who occupy this short list, have incredible bodies of work. And the margins between them will be slim. And some bodies of work might be left out entirely.
But let’s start this conversation with a list of names, accolades, and the pros and cons arguments.
In alphabetical order:
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Sue Bird
The Resume: The only player who played in the league with or against every player on the WNBA 25 list.
<ul>
<li>4 time WNBA Champion with Seattle.</li>
<li>12-time WNBA All-Star (league record).</li>
<li>5-time All-WNBA First-Team.</li>
<li>WNBA All-Time Assists Leader.</li>
</ul>
The Pros: In her 18th season, no one in league history has played at such a high level over a sustained period of time, and having played her entire career with one team &#8211; Seattle &#8211; Bird will go down as the league’s all-time most accomplished and respected floor general with a mix of steadiness and flair that is unmatched. The only player in league history to win a title in three different decades, Bird is a shoo-in Hall of Famer.
The Cons: Bird’s scoring numbers, a career average of 12.0, isn’t eye-popping compared to the other players in the conversation.
Is she the GOAT?: Bird will be known as the greatest point guard in league history and one of its most influential players. It’s hard to imagine a season starting without her. But just short of GOAT status.
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Tamika Catchings
The resume:
<ul>
<li>WNBA All-Time leader in steals</li>
<li>WNBA Champion: 2011</li>
<li>Third All-Time leading scorer</li>
<li>5-time Defensive Player of the Year</li>
<li>10-time All-Star</li>
<li>Naismith Hall of Fame</li>
</ul>
The Pros: Catchings is the essence of across-the-board impact, the most well-rounded talent in this bunch when you consider that she ranks among the league’s top 10 in games, minutes, field goals, free throws, rebounds, assists, and points and that the Indiana Fever made the playoffs in each of her last 12 seasons in the league. When she retired, she ranked 1st all-time in career playoff scoring, and 1st all-time in career playoff rebounds. She will go down in history as perhaps the most tenacious defensive player in the game’s history.
The Cons: One championship in a 15-year career is the lowest on this short list even if it doesn’t diminish a Hall of Fame career.
Is she the GOAT? She is the most complete player on this list and her presence in the league is still missed. She has to be considered.
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Cynthia Cooper
The resume:
<ul>
<li>4-time WNBA Champion</li>
<li>3-time league scoring champion</li>
<li>Only 4-time Finals MVP in league history</li>
<li>Only Back-to-Back MVP in league history</li>
<li>Naismith Hall of Fame</li>
</ul>
The Pros: Cooper came to the WNBA a bit unknown to the majority of fans and five years later, she left a legend and a champion. She led Houston to four titles as their thrilling heart-and-soul player, she put together a 92-game double-figure scoring streak from 1997 to 2000 and when she retired in 2000, Cooper became the first player in WNBA history to score 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 2,500 career points.
The Cons: She came into the league at 34 years old and used her five years incredibly well to make her mark on WNBA history, but her shortened career limited her impact over a longer stretch. Additionally, Coop was never known as a lockdown defender. She was a scorer.
Is she the GOAT? Cooper was literally and figuratively a Comet in the WNBA. Longevity is the deciding factor here.
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Lisa Leslie
The resume: 
<ul>
<li>2-time WNBA Champion</li>
<li>2-time WNBA Finals MVP</li>
<li>8-time WNBA All-Star</li>
<li>3-time WNBA MVP</li>
<li>2-time Defensive POY</li>
<li>Naismith Hall of Fame</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
The Pros: A pioneer in every way, Lisa Leslie set the standard for play in the WNBA that would model the way for players such as Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, and Elena Delle Donne. She was the league’s first dominant post player, and widely regarded as the best player in the world because of her versatility and toughness. Leslie was a nightmare of a matchup for players at both ends of the floor because of her length and athleticism. She ended her 12-year career as the league’s leading scorer and rebounder.
The Cons: Both Leslie’s scoring and rebounding records ended up in other hands in the years after her retirement and her two titles come up a bit short when compared to some of her compatriots with more championship rings.
Is she the GOAT? If you asked this question 10 years ago, the answer would have been a definite yes.
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Maya Moore
The resume:
<ul>
<li>4-time WNBA Champion</li>
<li>6-time All-Star</li>
<li>3-time All-Star Game MVP</li>
<li>WNBA MVP: 2014</li>
</ul>
The Pros: A player who leads her team to four WNBA Championships in eight years as a pro has to be considered on this list. Moore’s career average of 18.4 points per game, matched with her big-game moments in Minnesota and her versatility and leadership comprises one of the greatest individual runs in league history.
The Cons: Moore’s decision to halt her career &#8211; albeit for noble, world-changing reasons &#8211; leaves a lot of ‘what-if’ wonderings about how much more she could have added to her basketball resume.
Is she the GOAT? She might have been. Without a return to the court to add to her legacy, Moore leaves us all wanting more.
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Sheryl Swoopes
The resume:
<ul>
<li>4-time WNBA champion with Houston</li>
<li>3-time MVP</li>
<li>3-time Defensive POY</li>
<li>Naismith Hall of Fame</li>
<li>6-time All-Star</li>
</ul>
The Pros: Swoopes is one of the league’s founding players, the first women’s player to have her own shoe, and one of the most recognizable names in the history of the game. And she backed up all of that hype with an extraordinary WNBA career that included four titles with the Houston Comets in the league’s first four seasons. Swoopes twice won the league’s scoring title, averaging 15.0 points a game over her career, and was the first player to post a triple-double in both the regular season and the playoffs. Her multi-dimensional game &#8211; as both an offensive and defensive standout &#8211; elevates her GOAT candidacy.
The Cons: Swoopes played nine WNBA seasons and didn’t win another title after Cooper was out of the league.
Is she the GOAT? Swoopes moves on to the final list
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Diana Taurasi
The resume:
<ul>
<li>WNBA All-Time Leading Scorer</li>
<li>3-time WNBA Champion</li>
<li>10-time All-Star</li>
<li>10-time All WNBA First Team (most in league history)</li>
<li>1-time WNBA MVP</li>
<li>2-time WNBA Finals MVP</li>
<li>5-time WNBA scoring champion</li>
</ul>
The Pros: Taurasi already has plenty of people’s GOAT vote heading into this competition as the league’s all-time leading scorer, a record she will hold by a wide margin by the time her career comes to an end. She leads the league in playoff scoring (in 61 postseason games), 3-point field goals, and is the only player in league history ​​with at least 8,000 career points, 1,500 rebounds, 1,500 assists, 1,000 3-pointers, and 300 blocks. And beyond all of Taurasi’s accolades, she brings a heavy load of intangibles, the toughness, the swagger, the innate ability to meet a big moment.
The Cons: It seems nearly impossible to process that Taurasi has only won the WNBA MVP once, and while her offensive accolades are never in question, she’s never been considered a standout defensive player. Her five Olympic gold medals and her international success make her a definitive front-runner for the sport’s greatest player ever, but does she have the best WNBA body of work?
Is she the GOAT? It’s pretty hard to argue that she’s not.
<h3>THE VERDICT</h3>
Final Three: Swoopes, Catchings, and Taurasi
My GOAT vote: Taurasi by a hair over Catchings because she is the league’s most feared and admired player to this day.
<hr />
Longtime WNBA reporter Michelle Smith writes a weekly column on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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Inside the W with Michelle Smith: Who's My GOAT?

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League Champion: Minnesota Lynx (first title in franchise history)
<a href="https://www.wnba.com/draft2011/">Top Draft Pick: Maya Moore (MIN; University of Connecticut)</a>
<a href="https://www.wnba.com/awards2011/">Awards</a>
<ul>
<li>Most Valuable Player: <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/tamika-catchings-named-2011-wnba-most-valuable-player/">Tamika Catchings (IND), 1st MVP</a></li>
<li>Rookie of the Year: Maya Moore (MIN)</li>
<li>Defensive Player of the Year: Sylvia Fowles (CHI), 1st DPOY</li>
<li>Sixth Woman of the Year: DeWanna Bonner (PHX), 3rd Sixth</li>
<li>Most Improved Player: Kia Vaughn (NYL)</li>
<li>Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve (MIN), 1st COY</li>
</ul>
Top Players
<ul>
<li>All-WNBA First Team: Tamika Catchings (IND), Tina Charles (CON), Angel McCoughtry (ATL), Diana Taurasi (PHX), Lindsay Whalen (MIN)</li>
<li>All-WNBA Second Team: Seimone Augustus (MIN), Sue Bird (SEA), Sylvia Fowles (CHI), Cappie Pondexter (NYL), Penny Taylor (PHX)</li>
<li>All-Rookie Team: Danielle Adams (SAS), Liz Cambage (TUL), Maya Moore (MIN), Danielle Robinson (SAS), Courtney Vandersloot (CHI)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>All-Defense First Team: Rebekkah Brunson (MIN), Tamika Catchings (IND), Sylvia Fowles (CHI), Angel McCoughtry (ATL), Tanisha Wright (SEA)</li>
<li>All-Defense Second Team: Swin Cash (SEA), Tina Charles (CON), Katie Douglas (IND), Armintie Price Herrington (ATL), Sancho Lyttle (ATL)</li>
</ul>
Stats Leaders
<ul>
<li>Points Per Game: Diana Taurasi (PHX): 21.6</li>
<li>Rebounds Per Game: Tina Charles (CON): 11.0</li>
<li>Assists Per Game: Lindsay Whalen (MIN): 5.9</li>
<li>Steals Per Game: Sancho Lyttle (ATL): 2.4</li>
<li>Blocks Per Game: Sylvia Fowles (CHI): 2.0</li>
</ul>
Regular Season
The 2011 season marked the 15th anniversary of the WNBA, and the history of the league was celebrated throughout the season. But in addition to looking back, 2011 also offered a glimpse of the future as it marked the beginning of a new dynasty in the WNBA – the Minnesota Lynx.
Heading into the 2010 season, the Lynx hired Cheryl Reeve as head coach and <a href="https://lynx.wnba.com/news/lynx-bring-lindsay-whalen-back-home/">traded for hometown hero Lindsay Whalen</a> as the team’s point guard. However, injuries robbed the Lynx of reaching their potential in 2010 as they finished 13-21 and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
But there was a silver lining – the draft lottery – which the Lynx won to give them the top pick in the 2011 Draft. And sitting atop every draft board was an absolute game-changer in <a href="https://www.wnba.com/draft2011/">Maya Moore from the University of Connecticut</a>.
Adding a player of Moore’s caliber to a team that already had Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson and now a healthy Seimone Augustus was like adding gasoline to a small fire. The Lynx burned the rest of the league down in 2011 as they finished with a franchise-best 27-7 record. It was the first 20-win season in team history and started a streak of seven straight in Minnesota.
Moore would win Rookie of the Year honors, but it was a veteran in the Eastern Conference that took home Most Valuable Player. In her 10th season, Tamika Catchings captured her first MVP after finishing among the top three five times and among the top five in eight different seasons. She was the runner-up in 2003, 2009 and 2010.
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Catchings led the Indiana Fever to the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 21-13 record by excelling on both ends of the floor. She already had four Defensive Player of the Year awards to her credit (she would win a fifth in 2012 to extend her own record) and now added the top individual honor the league awards.
The 2011 season also saw the return of three-time MVP and three-time DPOY Sheryl Swoopes. After a two-year absence, Swoopes returned to the league at the age of 40 as a member of the Tulsa Shock. The 2016 Naismith Hall of Famer finished her final WNBA season averaging 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.7 steals in 33 games.
As part of the celebration of the WNBA’s 15th season, on June 21, the Los Angeles Sparks hosted the New York Liberty at Staples Center in the WNBA’s 15th Anniversary Game, played 15 years to the day of the league inaugural matchup between the same two teams in Los Angeles.
This was the first season under new WNBA President Laurel Richie, who joined the league on April 21, 2011 and served as President for four-and-a-half years before departing on Nov. 4, 2015.
All-Star
The San Antonio Silver Stars hosted their first WNBA All-Star Game in 2011. It marked only the second time the contest was played in a Western Conference venue and the first since the 2000 game was held in Phoenix.
In a tightly contested game, that saw 28 ties, 25 lead changes and neither team leading by more than five points, the East All-Stars prevailed 118-113 for their third All-Star win in 10 games. Seattle’s Swin Cash was named All-Star MVP after finishing with game-highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort. Cash became the first player to win All-Star MVP from the losing team and joined Lisa Leslie as the only multi-time winners as Cash also won in 2009.
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During the All-Star Game halftime ceremony, the WNBA unveiled <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-honors-top-15-players-league-history-halftime-ceremony-2011-wnba-star-game-presented-adidas/">the Top 15 Players of All-Time.</a> With consideration given to on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship, and community service, as well as to contributions to team success and women’s basketball, voting was conducted by fans, select national and WNBA-market media, and by current players and coaches.
The players named were: Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Ticha Penicheiro, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Smith, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes, Diana Taurasi, Tina Thompson, and Teresa Weatherspoon.
Playoffs
<ul>
<li>West Semifinals: Minnesota Lynx def. San Antonio Silver Stars, 2-1</li>
<li>West Semifinals: Phoenix Mercury def. Seattle Storm, 2-1</li>
<li>East Semifinals: Atlanta Dream def. Connecticut Sun, 2-0</li>
<li>East Semifinals: Indiana Fever def. New York Liberty, 2-1</li>
<li>West Finals: Minnesota Lynx def. Phoenix Mercury, 2-0</li>
<li>East Finals: Atlanta Dream def. Indiana Fever, 2-1</li>
<li>Finals: Minnesota Lynx def. Atlanta Dream, 3-0</li>
</ul>
After finishing with six more wins than any other team during the regular season, the Minnesota Lynx carried their dominance over to the postseason. After dropping Game 2 of their West Semifinal series with San Antonio, the Lynx would not lose again. They won the decisive Gamtichae 3 over the Silver Stars by 18 points, then swept the Phoenix Mercury in the West Finals in two games and swept the Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals to claim their first championship in franchise history.
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A year after her famous playoff duel with Cappie Pondexter, Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry faced off in a Finals scoring duel with Minnesota’s Seimone Augustus in Game 2 of the 2011 Finals. McCoughtry topped her own Finals scoring record (35 points back in 2010) with a 38-point performance, but it came in a losing effort as Augustus scored 36 points to lead the Lynx to a 101-95 win and a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Augustus would win Finals MVP honors after the Lynx completed the sweep on Oct. 7. That same day, the WNBA unveiled the Top 15 Moments in league history as voted by fans. The top moment was Teresa Weatherspoon’s half-court shot at the buzzer to win Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals for the New York Liberty and send that series to a decisive third game. Ranking second was the WNBA’s first-ever game (NY Liberty at LA Sparks, June 21, 1997). Third was Sparks’ center Lisa Leslie throwing down the first dunk in WNBA history in the first half of a game vs. the Miami Sol.

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WNBA Decade In Review: 2011

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When the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks tip off on Sunday at 3:30 P.M. ET on ABC, it will be just the second time in WNBA history that two teams will meet in consecutive WNBA Finals.
The last, and only other time it happened was in 1999 and 2000 when the Houston Comets and the New York Liberty faced off in a matchup that the Comets had won two seasons prior, during the inaugural WNBA Finals. Let’s press the rewind button and look back to those memorable meetings.
1999 Season
After winning the first two WNBA Finals in league history, the Houston Comets, led by two-time defending league and WNBA Finals MVP, Cynthia Cooper, were poised for a run at a three-peat. But months before the WNBA season tipped off, Houston received devastating news. Point guard Kim Perrot, who played a key role in the Comets&#8217; two championships, was diagnosed with lung cancer in February of 1999. The cancer spread quickly and on August 19, just a few weeks before the WNBA Playoffs were set to begin, Perrot passed away at the age of 32. Perrot&#8217;s fight through her final days was considered to be a source of inspiration for the team during the season, as they finished 26-6. Cooper and teammate Sheryl Swoopes would be named to the All-WNBA First Team, while Tina Thompson earned All-WNBA Second Team honors. Coach Van Chancellor also won his third WNBA Coach of the Year Award, but the goal for the season was simple: win title #3 for #10.
The Comets would go on to face the Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference Finals after earning a bye in the single-elimination first round. In Game 1, the Comets lost to Los Angeles on the road 75-60, but once the series shifted back to Houston, the Comets regained control, winning the next two games for their third WNBA Finals berth in a row.
In New York, the Liberty looked to bounce back from a heartbreaking 1998 season where they missed the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker to the Charlotte Sting. Led by Vickie Johnson&#8217;s team-leading 13.7 PPG and Teresa Weatherspoon&#8217;s (1999 All-WNBA Second Team) 6.4 APG, the Liberty found themselves back in the postseason and ready to exact revenge on Charlotte for the way 1998 ended.
Having also earned a bye in the first round, the Liberty dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Charlotte, but took the next two games in New York to set up the rematch of the 1997 Finals.
Cynthia Cooper showed that the WNBA Finals was still her stage as she opened Game 1 with 29 points, six assists and four steals, to go along with a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw stripe in a 73-60 victory over New York. The Liberty had strong bench play from Sophia Witherspoon, who scored a team-high 18 points off the bench, but it wasn&#8217;t enough to give New York the edge at Madison Square Garden.
The only goal on New York&#8217;s mind heading into Game 2 was to force a Game 3 in this best-of-three series. After finding themselves down 37-23 at halftime, the Liberty stormed back after the break. Led by Crystal Robinson, who finished the game with a game high 21 points, coupled along with a 10-point off-the-bench performance by a rookie named Becky Hammon, New York found themselves down 67-65 with 2.4 seconds remaining. The Comets had strong team play, with five players scoring 10 or more points, and Houston was ready to celebrate its third straight title.
Weatherspoon had other ideas.
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In what would be known today as &#8220;The Shot&#8221;, Weatherspoon converted a half-court shot to force Game 3 for the 1999 WNBA Finals. To this day, &#8220;The Shot&#8221; is considered one of the greatest plays in WNBA history.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="September 4, 1999: Teresa Weatherspoon Drains &quot;The Shot&quot;" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X7RbYxYw3hw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
However, despite Weatherspoon&#8217;s heroics, the magic would run out on the Liberty&#8217;s season as Houston took the title and won Game 3 by a score of 59-47. Cynthia Cooper earned herself a hat trick, winning series MVP honors with a 24 point, six rebound, three steal performance in the clincher. With the win, Houston officially cemented its WNBA dominance by earning a hat trick of its own, the first three Finals in WNBA history.
2000 Season
The Comets would be led by an MVP performance yet again in 2000, as they sought the Finals four-peat. However, this time the MVP wasn&#8217;t Cynthia Cooper. The outstanding player for the Comets in the 2000 season was Sheryl Swoopes, who led the way with a league high 20.7 PPG, 50.6% FG, 37.4% 3P and 2.8 SPG, on the way both the MVP, as well as Defensive Player of the Year honors. Cooper&#8217;s reign as MVP wasn&#8217;t the only thing to come to an end as Houston&#8217;s run of three straight best conference regular season records was halted as they finished a game behind the Los Angeles Sparks.
The second place finish didn&#8217;t stop the Comets from coming alive in the playoffs, sweeping the first two rounds with 2-0 series victories over both the Sacramento Monarchs in the Conference Semifinals, as well as the Sparks in the Conference Finals to seal their return.
Meanwhile in the East, the Liberty improved on their 1999 season and finished the season at 20-12 for another first seed finish in the Eastern Conference. Tari Phillips led the way for the Liberty on the season, as she put up a team-high 13.8 PPG and 8.0 RPG on 46.7% FG.
New York had a similarly strong playoff run, sweeping Washington Mystics in the Conference Semifinals and defeating the Cleveland Rockers two games to one in the Conference Finals.
Despite New York&#8217;s strong season, it would be more of the same Houston dominance that shaped the league&#8217;s early history.
In Game 1, Phillips finished with a game-high 24 points, but Houston&#8217;s &#8220;big three&#8221; of Swoopes (12 PTS, 8 REB), Cooper (20 PTS, 5 AST), and Thompson (15 PTS, 8 REB) led the way for Houston in a win at Madison Square Garden.
Looking to finish off a perfect 6-0 playoff run, the Comets wrapped up the 2000 WNBA Finals in Game 2, winning 79-73 in overtime. Cooper had another strong series-clinching performance, putting up 25 points, seven rebounds, and three steals en route to being named WNBA Finals MVP for the fourth year in a row. Swoopes also came up big, scoring a game-high 31 points.
The Comets&#8217; four straight championships set an watermark for the league, one that has not yet been matched. Looking ahead to the second ever consecutive Finals rematch, this may be just the beginning of a new age of dominance. The Sparks and Lynx sure hope so.

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Cynthia Cooper

Cynthia Cooper (born April 14, 1963) is a guard for the Houston Comets. She played college basketball at USC &#8221;86.