Greatest WNBA Players of All Time

The WNBA has produced some legends since the league started play in 1997.

The Women’s National Basketball Association was founded in 1996 and began play in 1997 as a counterpart to the NBA. Since its inception, the WNBA has proved to be a valuable part of the American sports landscape and home to the greatest women’s basketball players in the world.

The WNBA has also fostered its own dynasties and seen Naismith Hall of Fame players come through its ranks in that shor ttime. But of all those great players — out of all the MVPs and All-Stars — who are the best of the best?

These are the greatest WNBA players of all time.

45. Rebecca Lobo

Rebecca Lobo played for three WNBA teams and was an All-Star in 1999. Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Position: Center

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 7 seasons (1997-2003)

Teams: New York Liberty (1997-2001), Houston Comets (2002), Connecticut Sun (2003)

Pro highlights: WNBA All-Star (1999), All-WNBA (1997)

Note: All statistics current through start of 2023 regular season.

Bottom Line: Rebecca Lobo

Rebecca Lobo was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Rebecca Lobo didn’t have the longest WNBA career, but you can make a good argument that she had as much to do with the league’s foundation as anyone who ever played the game.

Don’t forget that Lobo, who shot to fame as a star at UConn, was one of the players featured in the very first television ads for the WNBA. She only played seven seasons in the WNBA, and you can also make an argument that maybe that was too long.

The two-time All-WNBA pick has had a lucrative career as a basketball commentator and announcer and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

44. Andrea Stinson

Andrea Stinson played her college ball at North Carolina State. Rick Havner / AP Photo

Position: Guard

College: North Carolina State

WNBA career: 9 seasons (1997-2005)

Teams: Charlotte Sting (1997-2004), Detroit Shock (2005)

Pro highlights: Two-time All-WNBA (1997, 1998), three-time WNBA All-Star (2000-02)

Bottom Line: Andrea Stinson

Andrea Stinson was a two-time All-WNBA player. Chuck Burton / AP Photo

Andrea Stinson was one of the great players in North Carolina State history and kept her professional career alive overseas, playing in the Italian League, where she was a standout in the early and mid-1990s leading up to the formation of the WNBA.

Stinson was a dynamic guard who could light up the scoreboard when she had to and guarded the other team’s best backcourt player always, averaging 1.5 steals for her career.

43. Erika de Souza

Erika de Souza was born in Brazil. LM Otero / AP Photo

Position: Center

College: N/A

WNBA career: 12 seasons (2002, 2007-17)

Teams: Los Angeles Sparks (2002), Connecticut Sun (2007), Atlanta Dream (2008-15), Chicago Sky (2015-16), San Antonio Stars (2017)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2002), three-time WNBA All-Star (2009, 2013, 2014), WNBA All-Defensive Team (2013)

Bottom Line: Erika de Souza

Erika de Souza won a WNBA championship in 2002. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Erika de Souza was the WNBA’s version of Dennis Rodman, and she came into her own in the early 2000s because of her defensive and rebounding ability.

Her career took a pretty wild twist after her rookie year with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002, where she won her lone WNBA championship despite not playing in the WNBA Finals.

De Souza left to play in Spain and Hungary for higher salaries and didn’t come back to the WNBA for five years.

42. Penny Taylor

Penny Taylor played 13 seasons in the WNBA. Stacy Bengs / AP Photo

Position: Forward

College: Australian Institute of Sport

WNBA career: 13 seasons (2001-07, 2009-11, 2013-14, 2016)

Teams: Cleveland Rockers (2001-03), Phoenix Mercury (2004-07, 2009-11, 2013-14, 2016)

Pro highlights: Three-time WNBA champion (2007, 2009, 2014), three-time WNBA All-Star (2002, 2007, 2011), two-time All-WNBA (2007, 2011)

Bottom Line: Penny Taylor

Penny Taylor played 355 career games in the WNBA. Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

One of Australia’s greatest players, Penny Taylor was a star in her native country’s National Basketball League before she was selected No. 11 overall by the Cleveland Rockers in 2001.

Taylor’s career took an interesting twist when she was sent to the expansion Phoenix Mercury in the 2004 dispersal draft. Over the next 12 years, she went through four different stints with the team, with multiple-year breaks to play overseas.

In those four stints, Taylor helped lead the Mercury to three WNBA championships. She also won a WNBL championship in 1999.

41. Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith made the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2013. Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

College: Notre Dame

WNBA career: 11 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (2013-19), Phoenix Mercury (2020-present)

Pro highlights: Six-time All-WNBA (2014, 2017, 2018, 2020-22), four-time WNBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022), WNBA Most Improved player (2014), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Bottom Line: Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith was the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2014. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Skylar Diggins-Smith shot to fame as one of Twitter’s first breakout stars in the early 2010s while playing for Notre Dame.

Diggins-Smith was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft and was a four-time WNBA All-Star with the Dallas Wings. She was named the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2014, her second season, and has been a six-time All-WNBA selection.

40. Tari Phillips

Tari Phillips had nice handles for being a 6-foot-2 forward/center. Kevin Wolf / AP Photo

Position: Forward/center

College: UCF

WNBA career: 9 seasons (1999-2007)

Teams: Orlando Miracle (1999), New York Liberty (2000-04), Houston Comets (2005-07)

Pro highlights: All-WNBA (2002), four-time WNBA All-Star (2000-03)

Bottom Line: Tari Phillips

Tari Phillips was one of the best players during her era in the WNBA. Jessica Kourkounis / AP Photo

Tari Phillips was part of the last generation of college standouts who graduated without having the benefit of the WNBA as an option.

Phillips, who starred at Georgia and then Central Florida, played in the ABL for three seasons before being picked No. 8 overall by her hometown Orlando Miracle in the 1999 WNBA draft.

Phillips was always one of the best players in the WNBA over her career. She was a four-time WNBA All-Star in just nine seasons.

39. Shannon Johnson

Shannon Johnson could shoot. Scott Audette / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

College: South Carolina

WNBA career: 11 seasons (1999-2009)

Teams: Orlando Miracle (1999-2002), Connecticut Sun (2003), San Antonio Silver Stars (2004-06), Detroit Shock (2007), Houston Comets (2008), Seattle Storm (2009)

Pro highlights: Three-time All-WNBA (1999, 2000, 2002), five-time WNBA All-Star (1999, 2000, 2002-04)

Bottom Line: Shannon Johnson

Shannon Johnson was a five-time WNBA All-Star. Scott Audette / AP Photo

Shannon Johnson won back-to-back ABL championships with the Columbus Quest in 1997 and 1998 before making the leap to the WNBA with the Orlando Miracle in 1999.

All told, Johnson played 14 seasons of professional basketball. Twelve of those coming in the WNBA, and she made five WNBA All-Star teams in the process.

She also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2004.

38. Cheryl Ford

Cheryl Ford played for the Detroit Shock. Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

Position: Forward

College: Louisiana Tech

WNBA career: 7 seasons (2003-09)

Teams: Detroit Shock

Pro highlights: Three-time WNBA champion (2003, 2006, 2008), two-time All-WNBA (2003, 2006), four-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005-07), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2003), WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2007)

Bottom Line: Cheryl Ford

Cheryl Ford was a three-time WNBA champion. Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

The daughter of NBA legend Karl Malone, Cheryl Ford was a great power forward in her own right and dominated opponents during a decade playing professional basketball.

Ford won the first of three WNBA championships as a rookie with the Detroit Shock in 2003, when she was also named WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Ford led the WNBA in rebounding twice and was named WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2007.

37. Deanna Nolan

Deanna Nolan played nine seasons in the WNBA. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard/point guard

College: Georgia

WNBA career: 9 seasons (2001-09)

Teams: Detroit Shock

Pro highlights: Three-time WNBA champion (2003, 2006, 2008), WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player (2006), five-time WNBA All-Star (2003-07), three-time All-WNBA (2003, 2005, 2007)

Bottom Line: Deanna Nolan

Deanna Nolan was a five-time WNBA All-Star. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Deanna Nolan was a big-time winner for her entire basketball career. She led Flint Northern High School to back-to-back Michigan State championships in the mid-1990s and won three WNBA championships in just nine seasons.

Nolan is one of the most beloved women’s basketball players in Michigan history. After starring at Flint Northern, she starred for the Detroit Shock and played her whole career for the franchise, with titles in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

Nolan’s greatest moment came in 2006, when she was named WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

36. Swin Cash

Swin Cash played 15 seasons in the WNBA. Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

Position: Forward

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 15 seasons (2002-16)

Teams: Detroit Shock (2002-07), Seattle Storm (2008-11), Chicago Sky (2012-13), Atlanta Dream (2014), New York Liberty (2014-16)

Pro highlights: Three-time WNBA champion (2003, 2006, 2010), four-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2009, 2011), two-time WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2009, 2011), two-time All-WNBA (2003, 2004)

Bottom Line: Swin Cash

Swin Cash is a WNBA legend. Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

Swin Cash was one of the signature players in women’s basketball in the late 1990s and early 2000s, first as a two-time NCAA champion at UConn, then as a WNBA star.

The thing about Cash during her career was that she was a winner. She won three WNBA championships, with her first two coming with the Detroit Shock and the last with the Seattle Storm.

She was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

35. Angel McCoughtry

Angel McCoughtry went to Louisville. Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Position: Small forward/shooting guard

College: Louisville

WNBA career: 14 seasons (2009-22)

Teams: Atlanta Dream (2002-09), Las Vegas Aces (2020-21), Minnesota Lynx (2022)

Pro highlights: Six-Time All-WNBA (2010, 2011, 2013-16), five-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013-15, 2018), eight-time WNBA All-Defensive Team (2009-16), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2009)

Bottom Line: Angel McCoughtry

Angel McCoughtry has skills at both ends of the court. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Angel McCoughtry is one of the best defensive players in WNBA history and also maybe one of its most underrated players.

McCoughtry hasn’t stopped working since she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2009, doing double duty there and for elite teams overseas as she reeled off eight WNBA All-Defensive Team selections alongside six All-WNBA selections.

All that’s missing from her resume now is a WNBA championship.

34. Becky Hammon

Becky Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA. Eric Gay / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

College: Colorado State

WNBA career: 16 seasons (1999-2014)

Teams: New York Liberty (1999-2006), San Antonio Stars (2007-14)

Pro highlights: Four-time All-WNBA (2005, 2007-09), six-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005-07, 2009, 2011)

Bottom Line: Becky Hammon

Becky Hammon now is a respected coach in the NBA. Chad Rachman / AP Photo

Becky Hammon today is one of the more well-respected assistant coaches in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, where she has coached since 2014. It’s easy to forget that Hammon was a WNBA star before heading to the sideline.

Hammon was a three-time All-American at Colorado State who went undrafted in 1999 but made the roster for the New York Liberty. Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA, mixed with stints on pro teams in Russia, and was a six-time WNBA All-Star and four-time All-WNBA selection.

33. Taj McWilliams-Franklin

Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Seimone Augustus

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, right, played 14 seasons in the WNBA. Stacy Bengs / AP Photo

Position: Power forward/center

College: St. Edward’s

WNBA career: 14 seasons (1999-2012)

Teams: Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999-2006), Los Angeles Sparks (2007), Washington Mystics (2008), Detroit Shock (2008-09), New York Liberty (2010), Minnesota Lynx (2011-12),

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2008-11), four-time All-WNBA (2005, 2006), six-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2001, 2005-07), WNBA All-Defensive Team (2005)

Bottom Line: Taj McWilliams-Franklin

Taj McWilliams-Franklin won two WNBA championships. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

We dare you to find any player in basketball history — male or female — who has been on a basketball odyssey that can compare with Taj McWilliams-Franklins.

McWilliams-Franklin started at Georgia State and transferred to tiny NAIA school St. Edward’s before winning two WNBA championships and becoming a six-time WNBA All-Star. What’s even more remarkable, she started her pro career a full six years before she made her WNBA debut.

McWilliams-Franklin’s pro career spanned three decades, from 1993 to 2014, and she played for a staggering 26 different teams around the world.

32. Nykesha Sales

Nykesha Sales went to UConn. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Position: Forward-guard

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 9 seasons (1999-2007)

Teams: Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun

Pro highlights: All-WNBA (2004), eight-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2006)

Bottom Line: Nykesha Sales

Nykesha Sales was an eight-time WNBA All-Star. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Photo

This is one of those players where if you ever got to see her play in her prime, you just know.

Nykesha Sales was one of the building blocks for Geno Auriemma’s powerhouse program at UConn in the mid-1990s. The timing of the end of her college career and the WNBA’s first year was perfect. She finished at UConn in 1998, and the WNBA began play in 1999.

What made Sales such a dynamic player was her ability to play multiple positions at a high level. She was a dominant guard and forward depending on what her team needed at any given time.

31. Candice Dupree

Candace Dupree, right, started her WNBA career with the Chicago Sky. Stanly Leary / AP Photo

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 178 pounds

College: Temple

WNBA career: 17 seasons (2006-21)

Teams: Chicago Sky (2006-09), Phoenix Mercury (2010-16), Indiana Fever (2017-20), Seattle Storm (2021), Atlanta Dream (2021)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2014), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2006)

Bottom Line: Candice Dupree

Candice Dupree, shooting ball, won a WNBA title with the Phoenix Mercury. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Candice Dupree was the No. 6 pick in the 2006 WNBA draft and has been a prototype WNBA power forward for the better part of the last two decades.

Dupree spent the first four seasons of her career with the Chicago Sky before she forced a trade to the Phoenix Mercury in 2010. With the Mercury, Dupree was part of arguably the greatest team in WNBA history in 2014 alongside Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi.

The trio led the Mercury to a 29-5 regular-season record and 3-0 sweep of the Sky in the WNBA Finals.

30. Chamique Holdsclaw

Chamique Holdsclaw had one of the great “what-if” careers in WNBA history. Susan Walsh / AP Photo

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 172 pounds

College: Tennessee

WNBA career: 11 seasons (1999-2007, 2009-10)

Teams: Washington Mystics (1999-2004), Los Angeles Sparks (2005-07), Atlanta Dream (2009), San Antonio Silver Stars (2010)

Pro highlights: Six-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003, 2005), three-time All-WNBA (1999, 2001, 2002), WNBA Rookie of the Year (1999)

Bottom Line: Chamique Holdsclaw

Chamique Holdsclaw, left, played her college ball at Tennessee. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Chamique Holdsclaw received as much attention as a top NBA prospect before her WNBA career kicked off, including becoming the only female basketball player to grace the cover of SLAM Magazine in its history.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics, Holdsclaw was brilliant at times throughout her career but was ill-equipped to deal with the fame thrust on her at such an early stage.

And she never played in a WNBA Finals in 11 seasons.

29. Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley’s WNBA career was relatively short. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-6, 134 pounds

College: Virginia

WNBA career: 8 seasons (1999-2006)

Teams: Charlotte Sting (1999-2005), Houston Comets (2005-06)

Pro highlights: Six-time WNBA All-Star (2001-06), WNBA Top 15 Players of All Time (2011)

Bottom Line: Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley, right, was a six-time WNBA All-Star. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Dawn Staley’s professional basketball career and the WNBA’s first season in WNBA were just a fraction off — the only thing that prevented her from having an all-time great WNBA run.

Staley played four seasons of professional basketball and overseas before joining the WNBA in 1999 and was a six-time All-Star in just eight seasons.

Staley is on her way to becoming one of college basketball’s all-time great coaches. She’s been at South Carolina since 2008 and won two NCAA championships in 2017 and 2022.

28. Katie Douglas

Katie Douglas was a four-time All-WNBA Defensive Team selection. Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot, 165 pounds

College: Purdue

WNBA career: 13 seasons (2001-13)

Teams: Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (2001-07, 2013), Indiana Fever (2008-13)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2012), five-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2006), three-time All-WNBA (2006, 2007, 2009), four-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2005-07, 2010, 2011)

Bottom Line: Katie Douglas

Katie Douglas won a WNBA championship in 2012. Frank Franklin II / AP Photo

Katie Douglas’ career was a study in determination.

She didn’t start a single game her rookie season and didn’t make her first All-Star team until her sixth season in 2006 and was named All-Star Game MVP, the first of five All-Star nods.

Douglas also lost in the WNBA Finals three times — twice with the Connecticut Sun and once with the Indiana Fever — before winning her first WNBA title with the Fever in 2012.

27. Courtney Vandersloot

Courtney Vandersloot has led the WNBA in assists five times. Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 145 pounds

College: Gonzaga

WNBA career: 13 seasons (2011-present)

Teams: Chicago Sky (2011-22), New York Liberty (2023-present)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2021), five-time All-WNBA (2015, 2018-21), four-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2019, 2021, 2022)

Bottom Line: Courtney Vandersloot

Courtney Vandersloot has skills. Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Courtney Vandersloot has fought hard for WNBA respect and came out looking like one of the best passing point guards in league history. In 10 seasons, Vandersloot is a five-time assists champion, including four consecutive times from 2017 to 2020. She won her first WNBA championship in 2021 with the Chicago Sky.

Vandersloot’s success can be traced in no small part back to her time at Gonzaga, where she was a three-time WCC Player of the Year and benefited from having a very famous Gonzaga alum as her mentor, Hall of Fame point guard and NBA career assists and steals leader John Stockton.

26. Cappie Pondexter

Cappie Pondexter won two WNBA titles with the Phoenix Mercury before forcing a trade to the New York Liberty. Fred Beckham / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 160 pounds

College: Rutgers

WNBA career: 13 seasons (2006-18)

Teams: Phoenix Mercury (2006-09), New York Liberty (2010-14), Chicago Sky (2015-17), Los Angeles Sparks (2018), Indiana Fever (2018)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2007, 2009), WNBA Finals MVP (2007), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013-15), four-time All-WNBA (2009-12), WNBA All-Defensive Team (2010), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2006)

Bottom Line: Cappie Pondexter

Cappie Pondexter was the the WNBA Finals MVP in 2007. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Cappie Pondexter was a huge part of WNBA championship teams for the Phoenix Mercury in 2007 and 2009, including being named WNBA Finals MVP in 2007.

Pondexter’s career took a weird turn when she surprised the Mercury by requesting a trade following a career season of 19.1 points, 4.1 assists and 5.0 rebound and her first All-WNBA Team selection.

Pondexter was shipped to the New York Liberty and never played in the WNBA Finals again.

25. Rebekkah Brunson

Rebekkah Brunson won five WNBA titles with two different franchises. Genevieve Ross / AP Photo

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 181 pounds

College: Georgetown

WNBA career: 15 seasons (2004-18)

Teams: Sacramento Monarchs (2004-09), Minnesota Lynx (2010-18)

Pro highlights: Five-time WNBA champion (2005, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), five-time WNBA All-Star (2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018), seven-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018)

Bottom Line: Rebekkah Brunson

Rebekkah Brunson was tough to defend. Matt York / AP Photo

One of the greatest post players in women’s basketball history, Rebekkah Brunson won five WNBA championships in 15 seasons — the first with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005 and the next four with the great Minnesota Lynx dynasty of the 2010s.

Brunson made her career by being a ferocious rebounder and defender. She retired as the WNBA’s career rebounds leader before being passed by Sylvia Fowles in 2020 and was a seven-time All-WNBA Defensive Team selection.

24. Seimone Augustus

Seimone Augustus was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2011. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-0, 174 pounds

College: LSU

WNBA career: 15 seasons (2006-20)

Teams: Minnesota Lynx (2006-19), Los Angeles Sparks (2020)

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), WNBA Finals MVP (2011), eight-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2011, 2013-15, 2017, 2018), six-time All-WNBA (20006, 2007, 2011-14), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2006)

Bottom Line: Seimone Augustus

Seimone Augustus celebrates with Maya Moore

Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore, left, hugs Seimone Augustus, who was the No. 1 overall in the 2006 WNBA draft. Jim Mone / AP Photo

Seimone Augustus led LSU to three consecutive Final Four appearances before she was taken No. 1 overall in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx and won WNBA Rookie of the Year despite the Lynx going 10-25.

Once paired with Lindsey Whalen and Maya Moore in Minnesota, Augustus helped form the Lynx dynasty that played in the WNBA Finals five times in seven seasons and won four WNBA championships.

23. Alana Beard

Alana Beard was a great passer. Bret Hartman / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard/small forward

Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 160 pounds

College: Duke

WNBA career: 16 seasons (2004-19)

Teams: Washington Mystics (2004-11), Los Angeles Sparks (2012-19)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2016), four-time WNBA All-Star (2005-07, 2009), All-WNBA (2006), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018), nine-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2005-07, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016-18)

Bottom Line: Alana Beard

Alana Beard, left, was WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice. Alex Gallardo / AP Photo

Alana Beard became well-known to basketball fans around the country during her time at Duke, where she became the first player in NCAA history to surpass 2,600 points, 500 assists and 400 steals.

It was a great predictor for WNBA success, as Beard was a nine-time selection to the All-WNBA Defensive Team and won WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice.

22. Ticha Penicheiro

Ticha Penicheiro led the Sacramento Monarchs to the franchise’s lone WNBA title in 2005. Gus Ruelas / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 146 pounds

College: Old Dominion

WNBA career: 15 seasons (1998-2012)

Teams: Sacramento Monarchs (1998-2009), Los Angeles Sparks (2010-11), Chicago Sky (2012)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2005), four-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2002), three-time All-WNBA (1999-2001), All-WNBA Defensive Team (2008)

Bottom Line: Ticha Penicheiro

Ticha Penicheiro played for three WNBA teams. Jason Redmond / AP Photo

The European influence in the WNBA has been nonexistent except for the career of Portuguese point guard Ticha Penicheiro, who played for 15 seasons and helped lead the Sacramento Monarchs to their lone WNBA title in 2005.

Penicheiro led the WNBA in assists seven times and holds the single-game record with 16 assists, something she did twice in her career.

21. Brittney Griner

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Position: Center

Height: 6-foot-9, 205 pounds

College: Baylor

WNBA career: 11 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Phoenix Mercury

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2014), eight-time WNBA All-Star (2013-15, 2017-19, 2021, 2022), six-time All-WNBA (2014, 2015, 2017-19, 2021), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2014, 2015), six-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2014-19, 2021), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Bottom Line: Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner is one of the tallest players in WNBA history at 6-foot-9. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Perhaps the most dominant women’s defensive player of all time, Brittney Griner is a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and has led the WNBA in blocks seven times in eight seasons for the Phoenix Mercury.

Griner has been paired with Diana Taurasi and other stars throughout her WNBA career but only has one championship to show for it so far, with the Mercury’s record-setting team in 2014.

Griner spent almost a year in captivity after allegedly being found with hashish oil entering Russia in 2022, but was released in a prisoner exchange and returned to the Mercury for the 2023 season.

20. Katie Smith

Katie Smith won two WNBA titles in three seasons with the Detroit Shock. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds

College: Ohio State

WNBA career: 15 seasons (1999-2013)

Teams: Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005), Detroit Shock (2006-09), Washington Mystics (2010), Seattle Storm (2011-13), New York Liberty (2013)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2006, 2008), WNBA Finals MVP (2008), two-time All-WNBA (2001, 2003), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2000-03, 2005, 2006, 2009)

Bottom Line: Katie Smith

Katie Smith, back left, was a great shooter. Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

The first female athlete in Ohio State history to have her number retired, Katie Smith is the career leading scorer in women’s professional basketball history with 7,885 career points. She scored almost 1,500 points in the ABL before moving to the WNBA in 1999.

Smith won a pair of WNBA titles with the Detroit Shock in 2006 and 2008, including winning WNBA Finals MVP in 2008 when they swept the San Antonio Silver Stars 3-0.

19. Nneka Ogwumike

Nneka Ogwumike was named WNBA MVP in 2016, the same year she won her lone WNBA title with the Los Angeles Sparks. Chris Carlson / AP Photo

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 174 pounds

College: Stanford

WNBA career: 12 seasons (2012-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Sparks

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2016), WNBA MVP (2016), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2012), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2013-15, 2017-19, 2022), five-time All-WNBA (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022), five-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2015-19)

Bottom Line: Nneka Ogwumike

Nneka Ogwumike comes from a family of great athletes. Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Nneka Ogwumike was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 WNBA draft after leading Stanford to four Final Four appearances and has been one of the league’s dominant players for a decade.

Ogwumike, who has been the WNBA Players Association president since 2016, put together her best season that same year when she led the Sparks to the WNBA title and was named league MVP.

She’s also one of two WNBA Rookie of the Year winners in her family – Nneka won in 2012 and younger sister Chiney Ogwumike won in 2014. Ogwumike showed some bounce back late in her career by making her first All-WNBA Team in three seasons in 2022.

18. Tina Charles

Tina Charles has yet to win a WNBA championship in 11 seasons. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Position: Center

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 192 pounds

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 13 seasons (2010-22)

Teams: Connecticut Sun (2010-13), New York Liberty (2014-19), Washington Mystics (2020-21), Phoenix Mercury (2022), Seattle Storm (2022)

Pro highlights: WNBA MVP (2012), eight-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013-15, 2017-19, 2021), eight-time All-WNBA (2010-17), four-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Bottom Line: Tina Charles

Tina Charles has good handles for a center. Mary Altaffer / AP Photo

In one of the great MVP heists of all-time, in any sport, Tina Charles led the WNBA in scoring and rebounding in 2016 but somehow lost out to Nneka Ogwumike for league MVP honors that year. Fortunately for Charles, she already had a WNBA MVP trophy in the bag from 2012.

Charles could have been much higher on this list if not for her struggles in the postseason — she is yet to win a WNBA championship.

17. Candace Parker

Candace Parker won her lone WNBA title in 2016, her ninth season. Stacy Bengs / AP Photo

Position: Power forward/center

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 175 pounds

College: Tennessee

WNBA career: 16 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Sparks (2008-20), Chicago Sky (2021-22), Las Vegas Aces (2023-present)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2016, 2021), two-time WNBA MVP (2008, 2013), WNBA Finals MVP (2016), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008), 10-time All-WNBA (2008, 2009, 2012-15, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022), two-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2009, 2012)

Bottom Line: Candace Parker

Candace Parker,Kaila Charles,Jordan Horston,Kiah Stokes

Las Vegas Aces forward Candace Parker (3) drives against Seattle Storm guard Kaila Charles and guard Jordan Horston, back, as center Kiah Stokes (41) looks on during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, May 20, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Lindsey Wasson / AP

Candace Parker won two WNBA MVP awards in her first six seasons but had to wait quite a bit longer before winning her first WNBA title in 2016.

Parker’s career has been a study in determination and learning how to reinvent herself on the court. After leading the WNBA in rebounding in 2008 and 2009, her first two seasons, Parker led the league again in rebounds in 2020 and also won her first WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

She led the Chicago Sky to the WNBA championship in 2021 and joined her third team, the Las Vegas Aces, in 2023.

16. Tina Thompson

Tina Thompson was named WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2000. John Froschauer / AP Photo

Position: Forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 178 pounds

College: USC

WNBA career: 17 seasons (1997-2013)

Teams: Houston Comets (1997-2008), Los Angeles Sparks (2009-11), Seattle Storm (2012-13)

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (1997-2000), nine-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2000), eight-time All-WNBA (1997-2002, 2004, 2007)

Bottom Line: Tina Thompson

Tina Thompson, center, played in the WNBA from 1997 to 2013. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Tina Thompson’s career perfectly aligned with the formation of the WNBA.

She was the No. 1 overall pick in the first WNBA draft in 1997 and started her career with four consecutive WNBA titles on the Houston Comets alongside Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke.

Thompson, who was also a nine-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was the WNBA’s career leading scorer until Diana Taurasi broke her record in 2017 and still sits at No. 2 all-time.

15. Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Griffith swept the WNBA MVP and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1999. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Position: Center

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 175 pounds

College: Florida Atlantic

WNBA career: 11 seasons (1999-2009)

Teams: Sacramento Monarchs (1999-2007), Seattle Storm (2008), Indiana Fever (2009)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2005), WNBA MVP (1999), WNBA Finals MVP (2005), eight-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2001, 2003-07), five-time All-WNBA (1999-2001, 2004, 2005), WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (1999)

Bottom Line: Yolanda Griffith

Yolanda Griffith could take over a game. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

One of the most dominant post players in WNBA history, 6-foot-3 Yolanda Griffith swept the WNBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1999, then set the WNBA record with 162 offensive rebounds in 2001.

Griffith led the Sacramento Monarchs to their lone WNBA championship in 2005 and took home WNBA Finals MVP honors that same year.

Griffith’s final WNBA season was also the last for the Monarchs. She retired after tearing her Achilles tendon in 2009, and the franchise dissolved after the season.

14. Elena Delle Donne

Elena Delle Donne is a five-time All-WNBA pick. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Position: Small forward/shooting guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 187 pounds

College: Delaware

WNBA career: 11 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present)

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2019), two-time WNBA MVP (2015, 2019), six-time WNBA All-Star (2013-15, 2017-19), five-time All-WNBA (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2013)

Bottom Line: Elena Delle Donne

Elena Delle Donne, left, makes her teammates better. Nick Wass / AP Photo

Elena Delle Donne has been the WNBA’s equivalent of Kevin Durant for the last decade — a 6-foot-5 shooting guard/small forward with seemingly unlimited skills on offense.

Delle Donne won her second WNBA MVP award in 2019 when she led the Washington Mystics to the franchise’s first WNBA title.

She also became the first WNBA player to join the 50-40-90 Club in 2019 when she shot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the three-point line and 90 percent from the free-throw line for an entire regular season.

13. Lindsay Whalen

Lindsay Whalen, right, is the WNBA’s career leader in playoff assists. Jim Mone / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 170 pounds

College: Minnesota

WNBA career: 15 seasons (2004-18)

Teams: Connecticut Sun (2004-09), Minnesota Lynx (2010-18)

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), five-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2011, 2013-15), five-time All-WNBA (2008, 2011-14)

Bottom Line: Lindsay Whalen

Lindsay Whalen is a Minnesota basketball legend. Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Lindsay Whalen has been a basketball savior wherever she’s played. The University of Minnesota saw its attendance jump from around 1,000 at women’s games to almost 10,000 and made its first Final Four in Whalen’s senior year.

In the WNBA, she won four championships with the Minnesota Lynx and is the WNBA career leader for playoff assists and games won, along with being a three-time regular-season assists champion.

12. Breanna Stewart

Breanna Stewart has won two WNBA titles in five seasons. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Power forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 170 pounds

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 8 seasons (2016-present)

Teams: Seattle Storm (2016-22), New York Liberty (2023-present)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2018, 2020), two-time WNBA Finals MVP (2018, 2020), WNBA MVP (2018), four-time WNBA All-Star (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022), five-time All-WNBA (2016, 2018, 2020-22), three-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2016, 2020, 2021), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2016)

Bottom Line: Breanna Stewart

Terrance Williams / AP Photo

Even though she’s only been in the WNBA for five seasons, Bre Stewart already is one of the league’s all-time greats.

Stewart has been the league’s dominant player since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2016 following four consecutive NCAA championships at UConn.

Stewart won WNBA MVP honors for the first time in 2018 after leading Seattle to the WNBA title, then bounced back from tearing her Achilles tendon in 2019 to lead Seattle to another title in 2020, winning WNBA Finals MVP for the second time. Stewart set the franchise record with 45 points in her first home game with the New York Liberty in 2023.

11. Teresa Weatherspoon

Teresa Weatherspoon, No. 11, was a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. John Marshall-Mantel / AP Photo

Position: Guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 161 pounds

College: Louisiana Tech

WNBA career: 8 seasons (1997-2004)

Teams: New York Liberty (1997-2003), Los Angeles Sparks (2004)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998), five-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003), four-time All-WNBA (1997-2000)

Bottom Line: Teresa Weatherspoon

Teresa Weatherspoon was a popular player in New York. Chad Rachman / AP Photo

When you say Teresa Weatherspoon’s name in basketball circles, it better have some respect on it. Weatherspoon’s status as an all-time WNBA great is unquestioned despite only playing eight seasons in the league. Weatherspoon made the most of her short career, winning the first two WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards in 1997 and 1998 and being named to five All-Star teams.

She also led the WNBA in assists one season, just for good measure.

10. Sue Bird

Sue Bird has won WNBA championships in three different decades. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 150 pounds

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 21 seasons (2002-22)

Teams: Seattle Storm

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020), 13-time WNBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005-07, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022), eight-time All-WNBA (2002-05, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2016)

Bottom Line: Sue Bird

Sue Bird, left, is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time in any era. Carolyn Kaster / AP Photo

Sue Bird is perhaps the greatest point guard in women’s basketball history. She’s the WNBA’s career assists leader and has won four WNBA championships with the Seattle Storm in three different decades.

Bird WNBA career records with 13 All-Star selections and 580 games — and started every single one of those. Bird, who also has four Olympic gold medals, retired after the 2022 season.

9. A’ja Wilson

A’ja Wilson made her WNBA in 2018. Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Position: Power forward

College: Louisville

WNBA career: 4 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Las Vegas Aces

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2022), two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player (2020, 2022), four-time WNBA All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2018), three-time All-WNBA (2020-22), two-time WNBA All-Defensive Team (2020, 2022), WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2022)

Bottom Line: A’ja Wilson

Jessica Hill / AP Photo

Former professional basketball player Roscoe Wilson loved Steely Dan’s song “Aja” so much he named his daughter after it. That’s how two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson got her name.

It was easy to see Wilson was eventually going to be a WNBA star during her time at the University of South Carolina, where she won an NCAA championship in 2017 and was a three-time consensus All-American.

Wilson was the 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year and had her breakout season in 2020, when she averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals and was named MVP, then followed that up in 2022 with her second MVP and also winning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

8. Sylvia Fowles

Sylvia Fowles became the WNBA’s career leading rebounder in 2020. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Center

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 227 pounds

College: LSU

WNBA career: 16 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Chicago Sky (2008-14), Minnesota Lynx (2015-22)

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2015, 2017), WNBA MVP (2017), two-time WNBA Finals MVP (2015, 2017), eight-time WNBA All-Star (2009, 2011, 2013, 2017-19, 2021, 2022), eight-time All-WNBA (2010-13, 2016-18, 2021, 2022), four-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2011, 2013, 2016, 2021), 11-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2010-12, 2014, 2016-1, 2021, 2022), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2012)

Bottom Line: Sylvia Fowles

Sylvia Fowles is a pressure player. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Perhaps the most dominant defensive player in WNBA history, Sylvia Fowles is a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Fowles spent the first seven seasons of her career with the Chicago Sky before forcing a trade to the Minnesota Lynx in 2015, where she’s won two WNBA titles and was named WNBA MVP in 2017.

Fowles, 6-foot-6, overtook Rebekkah Brunson as the WNBA’s career rebounding leader in 2020.

Time will tell, but Fowles seems like a safe bet to one day join the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

7. Cynthia Cooper-Dyke

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke won the first two WNBA MVP awards in 1997 and 1998. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard/point guard

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 150 pounds

College: USC

WNBA career: 5 seasons (1997-2000, 2003)

Teams: Houston Comets

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (1997-2000), two-time WNBA MVP (1997, 1998), four-time WNBA Finals MVP (1997-2000), three-time WNBA All-Star (1999, 2000, 2003), four-time All-WNBA (1997-2000)

Bottom Line: Cynthia Cooper-Dyke

Cynthia Cooper now is helping to develop the women’s game through college coaching. Will Powers / AP Photo

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke won the first two WNBA MVP awards and the first four WNBA titles as part of the Houston Comets.

The amount of accomplishments Cooper-Dyke managed to rack up in her WNBA career is even more impressive because she only played five seasons in the league.

Cooper-Dyke’s career was so short because the WNBA didn’t even begin play until 11 seasons after Cooper-Dyke’s college career at USC ended.

6. Lauren Jackson

Lauren Jackson was named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Position: Power forward/center

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 187 pounds

College: None

WNBA career: 12 seasons (2001-12)

Teams: Seattle Storm

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2004, 2010), three-time WNBA MVP (2003, 2007, 2010), seven-time WNBA All-Star (2001-03, 2005-07, 2009), WNBA Finals MVP (2010), WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2007), eight-time All-WNBA (2003-10), five-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2005, 2007-10)

Bottom Line: Lauren Jackson

Lauren Jackson, right, is Australia’s GOAT in women’s basketball. Charles Krupa / AP Photo

Lauren Jackson’s ascent to the WNBA was more like her NBA counterparts in that era.

She never played college basketball and was already a two-time Women’s National Basketball League MVP in Australia before she joined the Seattle Storm in the WNBA. Jackson’s impact on the league was huge. She led Seattle to two WNBA titles and won three WNBA MVP awards in 12 seasons.

She was also named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.

5. Maya Moore

Maya Moore was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA draft. Stacy Bengs / AP Photo

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-0, 175 pounds

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 8 seasons (2011-18)

Teams: Minnesota Lynx

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), WNBA MVP (2014), WNBA Finals MVP (2013), six-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013-15, 2017, 2018), three-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2015, 2017, 2018), seven-time All-WNBA (2012-18), two-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2014, 2017), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2011)

Bottom Line: Maya Moore

Don’t mess with Maya Moore. Jim Mone / AP Photo

Maya Moore hasn’t played in the WNBA since 2018, but it’s hard to imagine a player doing more in their first decade in the league than the former UConn star, who won four NCAA titles with the Huskies.

In her first five seasons with the Minnesota Lynx, Moore won four WNBA titles, and in the one season she didn’t, she was named WNBA MVP in 2014.

Moore’s prowess on defense, especially at getting steals, led ESPN’s Sports Science to do a study of her hand speed, and it was determined Moore’s hand quickness when she went for a steal was faster than a rattlesnake’s strike.

4. Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie played her entire career for the Los Angeles Sparks. Eric Gay / AP Photo

Position: Center

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 170 pounds

College: USC

WNBA career: 13 seasons (1997-2009)

Teams: Los Angeles Sparks

Pro highlights: Two-time WNBA champion (2001, 2002), three-time WNBA MVP (2001, 2004, 2006), two-time WNBA Finals MVP (2001, 2002), eight-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003, 2005, 2006, 2009), three-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP (1999, 2001, 2002), 12-time All-WNBA (1997-2006, 2008, 2009), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2004, 2008), four-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009)

Bottom Line: Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie, right, is one of the most famous women’s basketball players of all time. Kevork Djansezian / AP Photo

Lisa Leslie is one of the most popular, recognizable stars in women’s basketball history. She also is one of its greatest players.

Leslie dominated in the post for the Los Angeles Sparks for all 13 of her WNBA seasons and is one of only three players in league history to win WNBA MVP three times.

It was Leslie and the Sparks who snapped Houston’s streak of four consecutive WNBA titles in 2001, the first of back-to-back titles for the Sparks (and their NBA counterpart Los Angeles Lakers).

3. Tamika Catchings

Tamika Catchings was a 12-time All-WNBA selection. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Position: Small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 167 pounds

College: Tennessee

WNBA career: 15 seasons (2002-16)

Teams: Indiana Fever

Pro highlights: WNBA champion (2012), WNBA MVP (2011), WNBA Finals MVP (2012), 10-time WNBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005-07, 2009, 2011, 2013-15), 12-time All-WNBA (2002-07, 2009-13, 2015), 12-time All-WNBA Defensive Team (2005-16), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2002)

Bottom Line: Tamika Catchings

Tamika Catchings won one WNBA title. Darron Cummings / AP Photo

Tamika Catchings is rightfully in the discussion when it comes to the greatest WNBA player of all time.

She played all 15 of her seasons in the league for the Indiana Fever, won WNBA MVP in 2011 and WNBA Finals MVP in 2012 when she led the franchise to its lone championship.

Catchings only having one title is what holds her back from the No. 1 spot. She’s also a 12-time All-WNBA Defensive Team pick and the WNBA’s career steals leader.

2. Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi became the WNBA’s career scoring leader in 2017. Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Position: Point guard

Height/weight: 6-foot, 163 pounds

College: Connecticut

WNBA career: 17 seasons (2004-present)

Teams: Phoenix Mercury

Pro highlights: Three-time WNBA champion (2007, 2009, 2014), WNBA MVP (2009), two-time WNBA Finals MVP (2009, 2014), nine-time WNBA All-Star (2005-07, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018), 14-time All-WNBA (2004-11, 2013, 2014, 2016-18, 2020), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2004)

Bottom Line: Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi is nicknamed the “White Mamba.” Andres Gutierrez / AP Photo

Diana Taurasi might be the most well-known women’s basketball player of all time, and the fact that none other than the late Kobe Bryant gave her the nickname “White Mamba” tells you quite a bit of the story.

Taurasi, who also won three NCAA championships at UConn, is a three-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Finals MVP and became the WNBA career scoring leader in 2017 — a record that will likely never be touched.

She’s also won four Olympic gold medals for Team USA for good measure.

1. Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes was the closest thing the WNBA has had to Michael Jordan. Ted S. Warren / AP Photo

Position: Shooting guard/small forward

Height/weight: 6-foot, 145 pounds

College: Texas Tech

WNBA career: 13 seasons (1997-2008, 2011)

Teams: Houston Comets (1997-2007), Seattle Storm (2008), Tulsa Shock (2011)

Pro highlights: Four-time WNBA champion (1997-2000), three-time WNBA MVP (2000, 2002, 2005), six-time WNBA All-Star (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2005), seven-time All-WNBA (1998-2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006), three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2000, 2002, 2003)

Bottom Line: Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes, right, played 13 seasons in the WNBA. Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Sheryl Swoopes’ popularity propelled the WNBA in its early years, capitalizing off her fame from winning an NCAA championship at Texas Tech in 1993 and leading Team USA to the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics.

Swoopes helped lead the Houston Comets to four consecutive WNBA titles in the league’s first four seasons and is one of just three players in WNBA history to win league MVP three times.