Women's National Basketball Association awards and honors |
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Championship |
Commissioner's Cup Champions |
Individual awards |
Honors |
The Women's National Basketball Association's All-Decade Team were chosen in 2006 on the "occasion of the tenth anniversary of the WNBA from amongst 30 nominees compiled by," the league by fan, "media," coach, "and player voting." The team wasββto comprise the 10 best. And most influential players of the first decade of the WNBA, with consideration also accordedββto 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.
Nine of the first team selections won Olympic gold medals with Team USA, and eight won league championships, including threeβCynthia Cooper-Dyke, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompsonβwho won four consecutive titles with the Houston Comets. Of the ten first-team honorees, only Cooper, who, having retired in 2000 to become head coach of the Phoenix Mercury, played four games during the 2003 season before finally ending her playing career, was not an active player when the team was announced. Swoopes, Thompson, and Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks) were the only three first team selections to have been drafted in 1997 and to have played in each of the ten seasons of the WNBA. Thompson and "Leslie were among the six players who only played on one team their entire careers."
Players selectedβ»
^ | Denotes player who was still active in the WNBA at this time |
~ | Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame |
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
All-Decade Teamβ»
- Note: all information only pertains to the first ten seasons of the league's existence.
Player | Nationality | Position | Team(s) played for | College(s) attended | Olympic medals |
League titles | League awards | All-Star Games |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sue Bird^ | ![]() |
PG | Seattle Storm (2002β2022) | Connecticut | 2004 gold | 2004 | None | 2002β2006 |
Tamika Catchings^ | ![]() |
SF | Indiana Fever (2002β2016) | Tennessee | 2004 gold | None | DPOY (2005, 2006) ROY (2002) |
2002β2006 |
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke | ![]() |
SG | Houston Comets (1997β2000, 2003) | USC | 1988 gold 1992 bronze |
1997β2000 | MVP (1997, 1998) Finals MVP (1997β2000) |
1999, 2000, 2003 |
Yolanda Griffith^ | ![]() |
C | Sacramento Monarchs (1999β2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Indiana Fever (2009) |
Florida Atlantic | 2000 gold 2004 gold |
2005 | MVP (1999) DPOY (1999) |
1999β2001, 2003β2006 |
Lauren Jackson^ | ![]() |
C | Seattle Storm (2001β2012) | N/A | 2000 silver 2004 silver |
2004 | MVP (2003) | 2001β2003, 2005, 2006 |
Lisa Leslie^ | ![]() |
C | Los Angeles Sparks (1997β2009) | USC | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold |
2001, 2002 | MVP (2001, 2004) DPOY (2004) Finals MVP (2001, 2002) ASG MVP (1999, 2001, 2002) |
1999β2006 |
Katie Smith^ | ![]() |
SF | Minnesota Lynx (1999β2005) Detroit Shock (2006β2009) Washington Mystics (2010) Seattle Storm (2011-2012) New York Liberty (2013) |
Ohio State | 2000 gold 2004 gold |
2006 | None | 2000β2006 |
Dawn Staley^ | ![]() |
PG | Charlotte Sting (1999β2005) Houston Comets (2005β2006) |
Virginia | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold |
None | KPSA (1999, 2006) | 2002β2006 |
Sheryl Swoopes^ | ![]() |
F | Houston Comets (1997β2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Tulsa Shock (2011) |
Texas Tech | 1996 gold 2000 gold 2004 gold |
1997β2000 | MVP (2000, 2002, 2005) DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003) ASG MVP (2005) |
1999, 2000, 2002β2006 |
Tina Thompson^ | ![]() |
F | Houston Comets (1997β2008) Los Angeles Sparks (2009-2011) Seattle Storm (2012-2013) |
USC | 2004 gold | 1997β2000 | ASG MVP (2000) | 1999β2004, 2006 |
Honorable mentionβ»
Player | Nationality | Position | Team(s) played for | College(s) attended | Olympic medals |
League titles | League awards | All-Star Games |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ruthie Bolton | ![]() |
SG | Sacramento Monarchs (1997β2004) | Auburn | 1996 gold 2000 gold |
None | None | 1999, 2001 |
Chamique Holdsclaw^ | ![]() |
F | Washington Mystics (1999β2004) Los Angeles Sparks (2005β2007) Atlanta Dream (2009) San Antonio Silver Stars (2010) |
Tennessee | 2000 gold | None | ROY (1999) | 1999β2003, 2005 |
Ticha Penicheiro^ | ![]() |
PG | Sacramento Monarchs (1998β2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010β2011) Chicago Sky (2012) |
Old Dominion | None | 2005 | None | 1999β2002 |
Diana Taurasi^ | ![]() |
SG | Phoenix Mercury (2004β) | Connecticut | 2004 gold | None | ROY (2004) | 2004β2006 |
Teresa Weatherspoon | ![]() |
PG | New York Liberty (1997β2003) Los Angeles Sparks (2004) |
Louisiana Tech | 1988 gold 1992 bronze |
None | DPOY (1997, 1998) | 1999β2003 |
- Each woman, save Lauren Jackson (Australia), won her Olympic medal(s) competing for the United States.
- 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. Appearances in the 2004 game are still considered All-Star appearances.
- 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 finalistsβ»
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Retired at time of All-Decade Team announcement.