Women's National Basketball Association awards and honors |
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Championship |
Commissioner's Cup Champions |
Individual awards |
Honors |
WNBA Top 20@20 are the Women's National Basketball Association's Top 20 Players of All Time, chosen in 2016 on the "occasion of the twentieth season of the WNBA from amongst 60 nominees compiled by," the league. The group wasββto comprise the 20 best. And most influential players of the first twenty years 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 for at least two seasons. And fit at least three of seven criteria (WNBA championship, "major individual award," a selection to either the All-WNBA Team, WNBA All-Defensive Team,/WNBA All-Star Game; a current ranking among the top 30 statistical career leaders; and a selection to either the WNBA's All-Decade Team or the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time) were considered.
The Top 20 players were announced on June 21, 2016 at ESPN's SportsCenter. Dawn Staley was the only member of both the WNBA's All-Decade Team (2006) and the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time (2011) absent from the Top 20 list.
Players selectedβ»
- Note: all information only pertains to the first twenty 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 Fame |
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
Player | Nationality | Position | Team(s) | League titles | League awards | All-Star Games | All-Decade Team | 15 Years Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seimone Augustus^ | ![]() |
SF | Minnesota Lynx (2006β2019)
Los Angeles Sparks (2020) |
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | Finals MVP (2011) ROY (2006) 6ΓAll-WNBA |
2006β2007, "2011," 2013β2015, 2017, 2018 | β | Nominated |
Sue Bird^ | ![]() |
PG | Seattle Storm (2002β2022) | 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020 | KPSA (2011) 8ΓAll-WNBA |
2002β2003, 2005β2007, 2009, 2011, 2014β2015, 2017, 2018 | Yes | Yes |
Swin Cash^ | ![]() |
PF | Detroit Shock (2002β2007) Seattle Storm (2008β2011) Chicago Sky (2012β2013) Atlanta Dream (2014) New York Liberty (2014β2016) |
2003, 2006, 2010 | ASG MVP (2009, 2011) KPSA (2013) 2ΓAll-WNBA |
2003, 2005, 2007, 2011 | Nominated | Nominated |
Tamika Catchings^ | ![]() |
SF | Indiana Fever (2002β2016) (entire career) | 2012 | MVP (2011) Finals MVP (2012) ROY (2002) DPOY (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012) KPSA (2010, 2013) 12ΓAll-WNBA |
2002β2007, 2009β2011 | Yes | Yes |
Cynthia Cooper | ![]() |
SG | Houston Comets (1997β2000, 2003) (entire career) | 1997β2000 | MVP (1997, 1998) Finals MVP (1997β2000) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
1999, 2000, 2003 | Yes | Yes |
Yolanda Griffith | ![]() |
C | Sacramento Monarchs (1999β2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Indiana Fever (2009) |
2005 | MVP (1999) Finals MVP (2005) DPOY (1999) ASG MVP (2004) 5ΓAll-WNBA |
1999β2001, 2003β2007 | Yes | Yes |
Becky Hammon | ![]() ![]() |
PG | New York Liberty (1999β2006) San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2007β2014) |
None | KPSA (2014) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
2003, 2005β2007, 2009, 2011 | Nominated | Yes |
Lauren Jackson | ![]() |
C | Seattle Storm (2001β2012) (entire career) | 2004, 2010 | MVP (2003, 2007, 2010) Finals MVP (2010) DPOY (2007) 8ΓAll-WNBA |
2001β2003, 2005β2007, 2009, 2010 | Yes | Yes |
Lisa Leslie | ![]() |
C | Los Angeles Sparks (1997β2009) (entire career) | 2001, 2002 | MVP (2001, 2004, 2006) Finals MVP (2001, 2002) ASG MVP (1999, 2001, 2002) DPOY (2004, 2008) 12ΓAll-WNBA |
1999β2006, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Maya Moore^ | ![]() |
SF | Minnesota Lynx (2011β) | 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | MVP (2014) Finals MVP (2013) ASG MVP (2015) ROY (2011) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
2011, 2013-2015 | β | β |
Deanna Nolan | ![]() ![]() |
SG | Detroit Shock (2001β2009) (entire career) | 2003, 2006, 2008 | Finals MVP (2006) 5ΓAll-WNBA |
2003-2007 | Nominated | Nominated |
Candace Parker^ | ![]() |
PF | Los Angeles Sparks (2008β2020) Chicago Sky (2021-) |
2016, 2021 | MVP (2008, 2013) ASG MVP (2013) Finals MVP (2016) ROY (2008) 6ΓAll-WNBA |
2011, 2013, 2014 | β | Nominated |
Ticha Penicheiro | ![]() |
PG | Sacramento Monarchs (1998β2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010β2011) Chicago Sky (2012) |
2005 | 3ΓAll-WNBA | 1999β2002 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Cappie Pondexter^ | ![]() |
SG | Phoenix Mercury (2006β2009) New York Liberty (2010β2014) Chicago Sky (2015-2017) Los Angeles Sparks (2018) Indiana Fever (2018) |
2007, 2009 | Finals MVP (2007) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
2006, 2007, 2009β2011 | β | Yes |
Katie Smith | ![]() |
SG | Minnesota Lynx (1999β2005) Detroit Shock (2005β2009) Washington Mystics (2010) Seattle Storm (2011β2012) New York Liberty (2013) |
2006, 2008 | Finals MVP (2008) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
2000β2006, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Sheryl Swoopes | ![]() |
SF | Houston Comets (1997β2000, 2002β2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Tulsa Shock (2011) |
1997β2000 | MVP (2000, 2002, 2005) DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003) ASG MVP (2005) 7ΓAll-WNBA |
1999, 2000, 2002β2006 | Yes | Yes |
Diana Taurasi^ | ![]() |
SG | Phoenix Mercury (2004β) | 2007, 2009 | MVP (2009) Finals MVP (2009) ROY (2004) 10ΓAll-WNBA |
2004β2007, 2009β2011, 2013-2014 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Tina Thompson | ![]() |
SF | Houston Comets (1997β2008) Los Angeles Sparks (2009β2011) Seattle Storm (2012-2013) |
1997β2000 | ASG MVP (2000) 8ΓAll-WNBA |
1999β2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Teresa Weatherspoon | ![]() |
PG | New York Liberty (1997β2003) Los Angeles Sparks (2004) |
None | DPOY (1997, 1998) 4ΓAll-WNBA |
1999β2003 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Lindsay Whalen^ | ![]() |
PG | Connecticut Sun (2004-2009) Minnesota Lynx (2010β2018) |
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | 5ΓAll-WNBA | 2006, 2011, 2013-2015 | No | No |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/WNBA_20%4020_20161009.jpg/220px-WNBA_20%4020_20161009.jpg)
- The inaugural WNBA All-Star Game took place during the 1999 season, and the game has been contested in most years since. 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. From 2008 through 2020, no All-Star Game was held in any Summer Olympic year. With the 2020 Summer Olympics being delayed to 2021 due to COVID-19, the league held an exhibition shortly before it took a break for the Olympics, with a WNBA all-star team taking on the USA national team. Unlike the analogous 2004 event, the 2021 game was officially treated as an All-Star Game.
- 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»
- Janeth Arcain
- Alana Beard
- Ruthie Bolton
- DeWanna Bonner
- Rebekkah Brunson
- Tina Charles
- Elena Delle Donne
- Γrika de Souza
- Skylar Diggins
- Tamecka Dixon
- Katie Douglas
- Candice Dupree
- Margo Dydek
- Cheryl Ford
- Sylvia Fowles
- Jennifer Gillom
- Brittney Griner
- Chamique Holdsclaw
- Shannon Johnson
- Vickie Johnson
- Crystal Langhorne
- Kara Lawson
- Betty Lennox
- Mwadi Mabika
- Angel McCoughtry
- Taj McWilliams-Franklin
- DeLisha Milton-Jones
- Nneka Ogwumike
- Wendy Palmer
- Plenette Pierson
- Nicole Powell
- Ruth Riley
- Danielle Robinson
- Nykesha Sales
- Tangela Smith
- Dawn Staley
- Nikki Teasley
- Penny Taylor
- Natalie Williams
- Sophia Young
Still active at time of Top 20 Team announcement.
Was in both the All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
All-Decade honorable mention, Top 15 nominee.
Nominated for both All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
All-Decade nominee.
Top 15 nominee.
Deceased.
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Best of the Best: WNBA to Honor 20 Greatest Players of All-Time". WNBA. June 16, 2016.
- ^ Brian Martin (June 21, 2016). "Left Off The List: A Look At Those Who Could Have Made WNBA Top 20@20". WNBA.
External linksβ»
- Official announcement on WNBA.com