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 was to comprise the 20 best and most influential players of the first twenty years of the WNBA, with consideration also accorded to 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, or 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.[1] 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.[2]
^ | 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 |
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Seimone Augustus^ | United States | SF | Minnesota Lynx (2006–2019)
Los Angeles Sparks (2020) |
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | Finals MVP (2011) ROY (2006) 6×All-WNBA |
2006–2007, 2011, 2013–2015, 2017, 2018 | — | Nominated |
Sue Bird^ | United States | PG | Seattle Storm (2002–2022) | 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020 | KPSA (2011) 8×All-WNBA |
2002–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011, 2014–2015, 2017, 2018 | Yes | Yes |
Swin Cash^ | United States | PF | Detroit Shock (2002–2007) Seattle Storm (2008–2011) Chicago Sky (2012–2013) Atlanta Dream (2014) New York Liberty (2014–2016) |
2003, 2006, 2010 | ASG MVP (2009, 2011) KPSA (2013) 2×All-WNBA |
2003, 2005, 2007, 2011 | Nominated | Nominated |
Tamika Catchings^ | United States | SF | Indiana Fever (2002–2016) (entire career) | 2012 | MVP (2011) Finals MVP (2012) ROY (2002) DPOY (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012) KPSA (2010, 2013) 12×All-WNBA |
2002–2007, 2009–2011 | Yes | Yes |
Cynthia Cooper | United States | SG | Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2003) (entire career) | 1997–2000 | MVP (1997, 1998) Finals MVP (1997–2000) 4×All-WNBA |
1999, 2000, 2003 | Yes | Yes |
Yolanda Griffith | United States | C | Sacramento Monarchs (1999–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Indiana Fever (2009) |
2005 | MVP (1999) Finals MVP (2005) DPOY (1999) ASG MVP (2004) 5×All-WNBA |
1999–2001, 2003–2007 | Yes | Yes |
Becky Hammon | United States Russia |
PG | New York Liberty (1999–2006) San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2007–2014) |
None | KPSA (2014) 4×All-WNBA |
2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011 | Nominated | Yes |
Lauren Jackson | Australia | C | Seattle Storm (2001–2012) (entire career) | 2004, 2010 | MVP (2003, 2007, 2010) Finals MVP (2010) DPOY (2007) 8×All-WNBA |
2001–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2010 | Yes | Yes |
Lisa Leslie | United States | C | Los Angeles Sparks (1997–2009) (entire career) | 2001, 2002 | MVP (2001, 2004, 2006) Finals MVP (2001, 2002) ASG MVP (1999, 2001, 2002) DPOY (2004, 2008) 12×All-WNBA |
1999–2006, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Maya Moore^ | United States | SF | Minnesota Lynx (2011–) | 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | MVP (2014) Finals MVP (2013) ASG MVP (2015) ROY (2011) 4×All-WNBA |
2011, 2013-2015 | — | — |
Deanna Nolan | United States Russia |
SG | Detroit Shock (2001–2009) (entire career) | 2003, 2006, 2008 | Finals MVP (2006) 5×All-WNBA |
2003-2007 | Nominated | Nominated |
Candace Parker^ | United States | PF | Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020) Chicago Sky (2021-) |
2016, 2021 | MVP (2008, 2013) ASG MVP (2013) Finals MVP (2016) ROY (2008) 6×All-WNBA |
2011, 2013, 2014 | — | Nominated |
Ticha Penicheiro | Portugal | PG | Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011) Chicago Sky (2012) |
2005 | 3×All-WNBA | 1999–2002 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Cappie Pondexter^ | United States | SG | Phoenix Mercury (2006–2009) New York Liberty (2010–2014) Chicago Sky (2015-2017) Los Angeles Sparks (2018) Indiana Fever (2018) |
2007, 2009 | Finals MVP (2007) 4×All-WNBA |
2006, 2007, 2009–2011 | — | Yes |
Katie Smith | United States | SG | Minnesota Lynx (1999–2005) Detroit Shock (2005–2009) Washington Mystics (2010) Seattle Storm (2011–2012) New York Liberty (2013) |
2006, 2008 | Finals MVP (2008) 4×All-WNBA |
2000–2006, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Sheryl Swoopes | United States | SF | Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2002–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Tulsa Shock (2011) |
1997–2000 | MVP (2000, 2002, 2005) DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003) ASG MVP (2005) 7×All-WNBA |
1999, 2000, 2002–2006 | Yes | Yes |
Diana Taurasi^ | United States | SG | Phoenix Mercury (2004–) | 2007, 2009 | MVP (2009) Finals MVP (2009) ROY (2004) 10×All-WNBA |
2004–2007, 2009–2011, 2013-2014 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Tina Thompson | United States | SF | Houston Comets (1997–2008) Los Angeles Sparks (2009–2011) Seattle Storm (2012-2013) |
1997–2000 | ASG MVP (2000) 8×All-WNBA |
1999–2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 | Yes | Yes |
Teresa Weatherspoon | United States | PG | New York Liberty (1997–2003) Los Angeles Sparks (2004) |
None | DPOY (1997, 1998) 4×All-WNBA |
1999–2003 | Honorable mention | Yes |
Lindsay Whalen^ | United States | PG | Connecticut Sun (2004-2009) Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018) |
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | 5×All-WNBA | 2006, 2011, 2013-2015 | No | No |
1 Still active at time of Top 20 Team announcement.
2 Was in both the All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
3All-Decade honorable mention, Top 15 nominee.
4Nominated for both All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
5All-Decade nominee.
6Top 15 nominee.
7Deceased.
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