The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is the top women’s professional league in the US. The WNBA, the female equivalent of the National Basketball Association (NBA), was founded on April 24, 1996.
As of the 2019 season, the WNBA consists of twelve teams. Each team plays 34 games during the league’s regular season, which spans from May to September. The playoffs culminate in the WNBA Finals, where the league’s two best teams face off to determine the champion.
The organisation has been praised for its positive portrayal of women in athletics, and several of its participants are among the world’s most well-known and well-liked female athletes.
The WNBA is the world’s most successful women’s professional basketball league and continues to grow in popularity yearly. If you’re a fan of basketball or simply a fan of watching talented athletes at the top of their game, it is definitely worth checking out.
The WNBA is home to some of the most talented athletes in the world. According to research and analysis by Dissertation Assistance, these five players have stood out above the rest and have cemented their legacy as the best of all time.
Our top 5 WNBA players of all time
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie is one of the most famous professional basketball players in the history of the WNBA.
The 6-foot-5-inch centre is considered one of the best basketball players in women’s history. She has won four Olympic gold medals and was named the league’s MVP three times.
At Inglewood, California’s Morningside High School, Leslie started playing basketball. She started her career on the college basketball team at the “University of Southern California”, where she was a four-time All-American. She was named the national player of the year in 1994 and helped lead the Trojans to three NCAA championships.
In 1997, Leslie joined the Los Angeles Sparks to start her professional career. She received Rookie of the Year honours in her debut season. Leslie went on to help the Sparks win two championships (2001, 2002). She was named the league MVP in 2001 and 2004.
In 2009, she retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Leslie also played basketball for the American women’s national team, earning four gold medals at the Olympics.
In history, she is the only player who has won an Olympic gold medal, a WNBA championship, and an NCAA championship. Leslie left the WNBA in 2009, and in 2015, She was honoured with induction into the “Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame”.
Diana Taurasi
One of the most honoured basketball players in women’s history is Diana Taurasi. She is a ten-time All-Star and the WNBA’s all-time top scorer. She also has four Olympic gold medals and three championships to her name. Diana is also one of the highest-paid players in the league.
California native Chino was born and bred at the University of Connecticut, where she played basketball, she won numerous titles. Diana has played her whole career for the Phoenix Mercury after being selected by them in 2004.
Diana has won multiple championships with the Mercury, including three titles. She is known for her competitive nature and clutch shooting. She has hit numerous game-winning shots throughout her career, including a buzzer-beater to win the 2009 WNBA Finals. Diana has also been named the WNBA Finals MVP on two occasions and voted the greatest ever WNBA player of all time by fans.
Off the court, Taurasi is an active philanthropist. She has worked with numerous charitable organisations including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2018, she was named one of ESPN’s Sports Humanitarians of the Year.
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings played 15 seasons in the Women’s National Basketball Association before retiring as a professional basketball player. She has 10 seasons of experience and was honoured as the league’s MVP in 2011. She participated in basketball for the US women’s national team, where she won four Olympic gold medals.
Catchings grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where she was born. At the University of Tennessee, where she played college basketball, she was named an All-American three times. She was selected in the 2001 WNBA draft and spent her whole professional playing career with the Fever. She announced her retirement from playing basketball in October 2016.
Catchings is the Fever’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, steals, and games played. She is one of only six players in league history to record over 2,000 career rebounds and 1,500 career assists. She received her induction into the “Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame” in 2020.
Candace Parker
Candace Parker is one of the WNBA’s most well-liked and productive players. She was first selected in the 2008 WNBA draft, and she won Four times WNBA-All Star Game MVP Awards (2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015), two Championships (2016, 2018) and two Most Valuable Player Awards (2008, 2013).
Parker is a 6-foot-4-inch forward who can play both inside and outside. She is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker and is also a very good passer.
Parker is an excellent scorer, both inside and outside the paint. She is also a very good three-point shooter. In addition to six All-Star teams, the WNBA has chosen Parker for six All-Star teams. In 2008, she won the league’s award for the best rookie, and in 2013, she won the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
Parker is one of only two players in WNBA history to win both awards. Parker is also one of the league’s most marketable players, appearing in commercials for Nike, McDonald’s, and Gatorade.
Maya Moore
Maya Moore is one of the most successful players in the WNBA, having helped lead her team to four championships. She won the 2014 WNBA Most Valuable Player award and has won the WNBA Finals MVP twice.
Moore was born in Jefferson City; she started her basketball career at the University of Connecticut. Moore became the first athlete from the University of Connecticut to win four NCAA titles.
Moore was additionally recognised as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player in 2011 and 2013. Moore helped the Minnesota Lynx win WNBA titles in 2011 and 2013 after being selected first overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Draft in 2011.
She was selected to the All-WNBA First Team in 2013 and was voted the Rookie of the Year in 2011.
Following a season-high scoring average of 23.9 points per game in 2014, Moore was awarded the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player. She assisted the Lynx in winning their third title in four years.
Moore is one of the most decorated players in the game’s history and is considered one of her generation’s best players.
Conclusion
These five WNBA players are all very talented and have much to offer the league. They are all great role models for young girls and women everywhere. They have all worked hard to get where they are and overcome many obstacles. They are all very inspiring and have a lot to offer the world.
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