11 Famous WNBA Players

Who are the best WNBA players of all time?

Introduction

The Women’s National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league in the US.

The creation of the Women’s National Basketball Association was officially approved by the NBA Board of Governors on April 24, 1996. In its first season, the WNBA attracted over one million fans.

The maximum possible salary in the Women’s National Basketball Association is $101,500 compared to over $20 million in the NBA.

The Women’s National Basketball Association is divided into two divisions that each consist of six teams and are aligned as follows:

Western Conference:

• Seattle Storm;
• Phoenix Mercury;
• Minnesota Lynx;
• Los Angeles Sparks;
• Las Vegas Aces;
• Dallas Wings.

Eastern Conference:

• Washington Mystics;
• New York Liberty;
• Indiana Fever;
• Connecticut Sun;
• Chicago Sky;
• Atlanta Dream.

List Of 11 Famous WNBA Players:

#1 Seimone Augustus

She is an American professional women’s basketball player. A 7-time all-star, Seimone has become one of the most recognizable faces in the WNBA.

Augustus had been a track star at hometown Capitol High School and she continued to pursue sports in rec leagues as an adult.

In 2011, Seimone earned the MVP honors while leading the Lynx to the WNBA championship, the 1st of four that she has won with the team.

#2 Angel McCoughtry

She is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

McCoughtry is of African American ethnicity and has an American nationality. Her father’s name is Roi McCoughtry and her mother’s name is Sharon McCoughtry.

Angel played overseas in Slovakia, Lebanon, Turkey, Russia, and Hungary.

In 2009, McCoughtry was selected first overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2009 WNBA Draft and is considered its franchise player. In the same year, Angel completed her college career at the University of Louisville.

McCoughtry played college basketball at the University of Louisville, where she became the team’s all-time leading scorer in 2008. In 2011, McCoughtry was voted as a WNBA All-Star for the first time in her career.

In 2016, Angel averaged 19.5 ppg during the season, helping the Dream to another playoff berth with a 17-17 record.

In January 2017, it was announced that Angel would be resting during the 2017 WNBA season.

In February 2018, it was announced that she re-signed with the Dream to a multi-year deal.

#3 Brittney Griner

She is an American basketball player who is best known as the player for Phoenix Mercury of Women’s National Basketball Association.

On April 3, 2012, Brittney led Baylor with 26 points, 5 blocked shots, and 13 rebounds to win the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, 80–61 over Notre Dame.

In 2012, Griner was named the AP Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

Griner is the only NCAA basketball player to score 2000 points and 500 shots block.

In 2013, Brittney signed an endorsement deal with Nike.

She married her girlfriend of 11 months Glory Johnson following a 9-month-long engagement, on May 8, 2015.

#4 Lindsay Whalen

She is an American professional basketball player who was born on May 9, 1982, in Hutchinson, Minnesota, to parents Neil and Kathy Whalen.

In the 2008 season, Lindsay had an assist of 5.4 per game. Also, in her rookie season, Whalen played in the historic WNBA vs. USA Basketball game at Radio City Music Hall.

In 2012, Whalen represented the country at the Summer Olympics in London. Additionally, Lindsay represented the US in Rio 2016 – both of which she brought home gold medals.

In 2018, Whalen retired from playing professional basketball at the end of the season as the WNBA’s career leader in games won. In the same year, Whalen took over coaching duties at the University of Minnesota, while continuing to play for the Lynx in the WNBA.

#5 Breanna Stewart

She is a professional basketball player. Stewart began playing basketball at age 5. Breanna attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School, New York, where she played basketball for the school team.

In 2016, Breanna was drafted by Seattle Storm in the 1st round. In the same year, she was crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year, named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team.

In 2016, Stewart was selected to play on the USA Women’s National Team for the Summer Olympics despite being a rookie in the WNBA.

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#6 Sue Bird

She is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA.

Bird attended Syosset High School where she continued her high school basketball career. Bird holds a front office position for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets as their Basketball Operations Associate.

Sue was the first overall pick of the 2002 WNBA Draft.

Bird is a 4-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time FIBA World Championship gold medalist with the US National Team.

#7 Diana Taurasi

She is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA and UMMC Ekaterinburg of Russia.

In four years with the Huskies, Taurasi averaged 15 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

On June 18, 2017, Diana became the WNBA all-time leading scorer.

Taurasi was named National Player of the Year in her final two seasons at UCONN.  In 2011, Diana was voted by fans as one of the WNBA’s Top 15 Players of All Time.

Diana is one of 10 women to win an NCAA Championship, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a WNBA Championship. Taurasi has been selected to seven WNBA All-Star teams and nine All-WNBA teams.

She has won:

• the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2004);
• five scoring titles (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011);
• four Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016);
• two WNBA Finals MVP Awards (2009, 2014);
• one WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (2009);
• three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014).

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#8 Elena Delle Donne

She is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA.

Elena participated in the 2007 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored 17 points and earned MVP honors for the Red team.

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#9 Candace Parker

She is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

In high school, Candace won the 2003 and 2004 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year awards, becoming just the 2nd junior and the only woman to receive the award twice.

Parker was the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft and she is the younger sister of former NBA player Anthony Parker.

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#10 Maya Moore

She is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.

In 2017, Sports Illustrated called Maya the greatest winner in the history of women’s basketball.

#11 Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury.

Here’s a quick recap of the 11 famous WNBA players:

1. Seimone Augustus
2. Angel McCoughtry
3. Brittney Griner
4. Lindsay Whalen
5. Breanna Stewart
6. Sue Bird
7. Diana Taurasi
8. Elena Delle Donne
9. Candace Parker
10. Maya Moore
11. Diana Taurasi

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