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2 unusual facts about WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time


WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time

The Top 15 players were announced at halftime of the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game.

The Women's National Basketball Association's Top 15 Players of All Time were chosen in 2011 on the occasion of the fifteenth season of the WNBA from amongst 30 nominees compiled by the league by fan, media, coach, and player voting.


1997 New York Liberty season

The Liberty's and WNBA's first game was played on June 21, 1997 in Los Angeles.

1999 WNBA Championship

The 1999 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 1999 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.

2000 WNBA Championship

The 2000 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2000 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.

2002 New York Liberty season

As of the 2010 season, this was the last season that New York qualified for the WNBA Finals.

2005 Maccabiah Games

In women's basketball, Shay Doron, who two years later signed with the WNBA New York Liberty, led the USA to a 5–0 record and a gold medal, and was selected Maccabiah MVP.

2006 WNBA draft

On April 5, 2006, the WNBA Draft took place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

2008 WNBA season

The WNBA on national television (ABC and ESPN2) finished up 19% both in ratings (0.32 vs 0.27) and viewership (413,000 vs. 346,000).

Bob Heussler

He currently is the radio play-by-play voice of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun.

Brandon Phillips

His sister is WNBA player Porsha Phillips of the San Antonio Silver Stars and his younger brother is minor league baseball player PJ Phillips.

Bryan Colangelo

In addition to his work with the Suns, he served as president of Phoenix Arena Sports (PAS), the owning entity of the Arizona Rattlers Arena Football League team and the operating entity of the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team from June 1991 through June 2002.

Bubba Paris

He and his wife Lynne have six children: Four sons, named Wayne, David, Austin and Brandon, and twin daughters, Courtney and Ashley, who each currently play in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury women's basketball teams respectively.

Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast

CSS also broadcasts the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, Major League Lacrosse, Southern League and South Atlantic League Minor League baseball, and previously broadcast the Arena Football League's Georgia Force, Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm, and some CFL contests.

Coushatta, Louisiana

Vickie Johnson, WNBA player 1997–present - San Antonio Silver Stars

Dave Kraayeveld

Kraayeveld is the father of WNBA player Cathrine Kraayeveld, and is joint owner with his wife, Cynthia and his daughter, of a condominium in Bellevue, Washington.

Doris Burke

She has been the lead analyst for ESPN's coverage of the WNBA, and since 1997 has been the primary radio and television voice of the New York Liberty.

Doug Bruno

Because many team members were still playing in the WNBA until just prior to the event, the team had only one day of practice with the entire team before leaving for Ostrava and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.

Javin Hunter

Hunter has a son, Jaden, with former Notre Dame and WNBA point guard Niele Ivey.

Joan Bonvicini

She coached many talented players at Long Beach, including LaTaunya Pollard, the 1983 Wade Trophy winner, 3-time 1st team All-American, 1980 Olympic Team member, and member of the women's basketball hall of fame; 2-time 1st team All-American and 1988 U.S. Olympic Team member Cindy Brown; 1985 1st team All-American Kirsten Cummings; and 2-time 1st team All-American Penny Toler, the current general manager of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

Kasha Terry

Kasha NiCarra Terry, born October 21, 1983 in Nuremberg, Bavaria, West Germany) is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.

KWKW

KWKU has broken from the simulcast on occasion, most notably in the early 2000s when it was the radio station carrier of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Michelle Marciniak

Michelle Marciniak (born October 29, 1973 in Macungie, Pennsylvania) is a former All American collegiate and professional basketball player who played point guard in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Middle Tennessee State University

Some of MTSU's most notable alumni include politician Albert Gore, Sr., Nobel Prize winning economist James McGill Buchanan, NFL quarterback Kelly Holcomb, Nashville Star winner Chris Young, country music artist Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum, and WNBA players Alysha Clark and Amber Holt.

Mirboo North, Victoria

Belinda Snell (professional basketball player), currently competing in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury and a member of the Australian team that won silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

NBA TV Canada

NBA TV Canada broadcasts programming primarily related to the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as coverage of other basketball leagues including the Euroleague and the WNBA.

Nneka

Nneka Ogwumike, American basketball player with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks

Orlando Miracle

The new owners moved the team to Uncasville, Connecticut and changed the nickname to the Sun (in reference to the tribe's Mohegan Sun casino.) The Connecticut Sun's new nickname and logo were reminiscent of another Florida-based WNBA franchise, the Miami Sol, which folded at the same time as the Miracle.

Palos Verdes High School

Bill Laimbeer (Detroit Pistons star and current WNBA coach), Class of '75 and leader of the 1975 CIF championship basketball team.

Peter Holt

Holt and the Spurs later purchased other franchises – the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League, and the renamed San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA.

Rachel Jarry

She was drafted by the WNBA's Atlanta Dream in 2011 and was traded to the Lynx on the same day.

Reliant Arena

On December 12, 2007 team owner Hilton Koch announced that the Comets would be moving from the Toyota Center to Reliant Arena for the 2008 WNBA season.

Rosemont, Illinois

Among these are the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, used for trade shows and gatherings; the Akoo Theater, formally known as the Rosemont Theater, used for theatrical purposes; and the Allstate Arena, used for concerts, professional wrestling (three times hosting WrestleMania), DePaul Blue Demons Basketball, Chicago Rush arena football, Chicago Sky WNBA basketball and Chicago Wolves hockey.

Stratford, New Jersey

Tamika Catchings (born 1979), professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for the Indiana Fever.

Tulsa Shock

On October 20, 2009, WNBA President Donna Orender, lead investors Bill Cameron and David Box, Tulsa mayor Kathy Taylor, Oklahoma governor Brad Henry, and head coach Nolan Richardson were present for a press conference announcing that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa.

Western Kentucky University

She helped develop former Louisville guard and current WNBA star Angel McCoughtry.

William Still

Notable members of the Still family include the composer William Grant Still, professional WNBA basketball player Valerie Still, professional NFL defensive end Art Still, and professional NFL defensive tackle Devon Still.

WOLS

WOLS had broadcast the games of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting prior to the team's ceasing operations on January 2, 2007.

Yelena Baranova

She is a former Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) player, where she became the first player from Europe in 1997 WNBA inaugural season, the first All-Star from Russia in 2001 and played for the New York Liberty until the 2005 season.


see also