Best Women’s Basketball Players
Basketball is a sport that has captured the hearts of many, and throughout the years, various players have stood out as legends in the game. Women’s basketball has also seen great players make their mark in the sport.
In this article, we will explore some of the best women’s basketball players of all time.
Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Cooper is one of the most recognizable faces in women’s basketball. The former player, coach, and current TV analyst started her career at the University of Southern California, where she played for four years and helped the school win two NCAA championships.
Cooper’s professional career began in Italy, where she played for two seasons before returning to the United States to play in the fledgling WNBA. In the league’s inaugural season, Cooper helped lead the Houston Comets to the championship, where she was named the Finals MVP.
Cooper’s success continued as she led the Comets to four consecutive championships and was the league’s MVP for two of those seasons. In 2000, she became the first player in WNBA history to score 700 points in a single season.
Cooper’s talents were not only limited to the WNBA. While playing in Italy, she set a scoring record, which had stood for over a decade before being broken.
Cooper was also a member of the USA Basketball squad that won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Cooper’s style of play was unique, and it was said that she “changed the game.” Her ability to score, especially in high-pressure situations, was unmatched, and she was known for her quick moves, fancy footwork, and her clutch shooting.
Tamika Catchings
Another player who has made her mark on the game is
Tamika Catchings. The former player spent her entire 15-year career with the Indiana Fever and retired in 2016 as one of the all-time greats.
Catchings was a 10-time All-Star and was named Defensive Player of the Year five times, tied for the most in WNBA history. She was also named the league’s MVP in 2011 and won a championship with the Fever in 2012.
What made Catchings stand out as a player was her work ethic and her versatility. She could score, rebound, and defend, making her an all-around player and a nightmare for opponents to stop.
Catchings was always willing to put in the extra work, which is why she was able to play for as long as she did and accomplish so much.
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie is a household name when it comes to women’s basketball. The former player, coach, and Olympic gold medalist is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time.
Leslie’s career spanned over a decade and was spent entirely with the Los Angeles Sparks. She won two championships with the team and was named the Finals MVP for both victories.
Leslie also won three regular-season MVP awards and was named to the All-WNBA First Team six times. But what made Leslie stand out was her dunking ability.
She was the first woman to ever dunk in a WNBA game and did so two more times during her career. Leslie’s size and athleticism made her a force in the paint, both offensively and defensively, and she was a dominant player on both ends of the court.
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson is a former player from Australia who made a name for herself in women’s basketball. The 6’5″ center played for 12 seasons with the Seattle Storm, where she won two championships and was named the Finals MVP for both victories.
Jackson’s career was filled with accolades. She won three regular-season MVP awards, was named to the All-WNBA First Team six times, and was also named Defensive Player of the Year in one season.
Jackson also led the league in scoring three times, a testament to her unique shooting ability. At the height of her career, Jackson was considered the best player in the world.
Her size, athleticism, and skill made her a matchup nightmare for opponents, and she was a dominant player in the paint. She also possessed a unique shooting ability for someone of her size, which allowed her to stretch the defense and draw defenders out to the perimeter.
Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi is a current player in the WNBA and has been a star since she entered the league in 2004. The former UConn standout has spent her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury, where she has won three championships and has been named Finals MVP twice.
Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader and has also been named the league’s MVP three times. She has also been named to the All-WNBA First Team nine times and has led the league in assists twice.
What makes Taurasi stand out is her ability to score from anywhere on the court. She is a prolific scorer, and her shot-making ability is unmatched.
Taurasi is also a great passer and can create shots for her teammates, making her a complete player.
Yolanda Griffith
Yolanda Griffith is a former player who spent 11 seasons in the WNBA. The 6’4″ center won a championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005 and was named Finals MVP for her performance.
Griffith was also named the league’s MVP in 1999 and was a five-time All-Star. She was known for her toughness and her rebounding ability, leading the league in rebounding twice.
Griffith’s size and strength made her a dominant force in the paint, and she was a great defender as well, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in one season. She was also a great teammate, known for her leadership and her willingness to help her fellow players.
Honorable Mentions
Maya Moore and Sheryl Swoopes are both honorable mentions on this list.
Moore has won four championships with the Minnesota Lynx and has been named Finals MVP twice.
She has also won two regular-season MVP awards and has been named to the All-WNBA First Team five times. Swoopes was one of the first superstars in the WNBA and won three championships with the Houston Comets.
She was named the league’s MVP three times and was also named Defensive Player of the Year three times. Swoopes was also a standout player in college, winning a national championship with Texas Tech.
Conclusion
In conclusion, women’s basketball has produced some of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Cynthia Cooper,
Tamika Catchings,
Lisa Leslie,
Lauren Jackson, and
Diana Taurasi are just a few of the players who have made their mark on the sport. Each player has their unique style of play, but they all share a common trait: their dedication to the game and their willingness to put in the extra work to achieve greatness.
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings is one of the greatest defensive players in the history of women’s basketball. The former player was known for her versatility and toughness on the court, which helped her become a dominant presence in the game.
Catchings spent her entire 15-year career with the Indiana Fever, where she won a championship in 2012. During her career, she was named Defensive Player of the Year five times, tied for the most in WNBA history.
Catchings was also a 10-time All-Star and was named the league’s MVP in 2011. What made Catchings such a standout player was her ability to play on both ends of the court.
She was a reliable scorer, averaging 16.1 points per game over her career, and was also one of the best rebounders in the league, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. Catchings was also a great passer and could create opportunities for her teammates, averaging 3.3 assists per game.
But it was Catchings’ defense that set her apart from other players. She was a ball hawk, always in the right position to get a steal, and was a great shot blocker as well.
Catchings was also a tenacious defender, never afraid to get physical with her opponents, and used her size and strength to her advantage. In the WNBA Finals, Catchings saved her best performances for the biggest stage.
She was named the Finals MVP in 2012, where she led the Fever to their first championship in franchise history, and was also a standout player in the 2009 WNBA Finals, where her team fell just short of winning the championship. Catchings was a leader on and off the court and was known for her work ethic and dedication to the game.
She was a mentor to many young players and was always willing to give back to the community, which is why she was awarded the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in 2018.
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie is one of the most recognizable faces in women’s basketball. The former player, coach, and Olympic gold medalist is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time.
Leslie spent her entire career with the Los Angeles Sparks, where she won two championships and was named the Finals MVP for both victories. She was also a three-time regular-season MVP and was named to the All-WNBA First Team six times.
One of the most memorable moments of Leslie’s career came in 2002 when she became the first woman to ever dunk in a WNBA game. Leslie’s size and athleticism made her a force in the paint, and she was a dominant player on both ends of the court.
But it wasn’t just her dunking ability that made Leslie a great player. She was a great scorer, averaging 17.3 points per game over her career, and was also a great rebounder, averaging 7.5 rebounds per game.
Leslie was also a great passer and could create opportunities for her teammates, averaging 2.4 assists per game. Leslie was also a standout defender, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004 and being named to the All-Defensive First Team five times.
Her length and athleticism made her a great shot blocker and defender, and she was always a threat on the defensive end of the court. After retiring from playing, Leslie turned her attention to coaching.
She was an assistant coach for the Sparks before taking on the head coaching job for the Big3’s Triplets team in 2019. Leslie also made an impact off the court, using her platform to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality.
She was also an ambassador for the Special Olympics and was a proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. In conclusion,
Tamika Catchings and
Lisa Leslie are two of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. Their versatility and dominance on both ends of the court, along with their leadership and dedication to the game, have made them legends in the sport.
Catchings’ defensive prowess and Leslie’s size and athleticism have helped shape the game of women’s basketball and inspire future generations of players.
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson is one of Australia’s greatest exports when it comes to women’s basketball. During her career, she became one of the most dominant players in WNBA history, earning numerous accolades along the way.
Jackson spent her entire career with the Seattle Storm, where she won two championships and was named Finals MVP for both victories. She also won three regular-season MVP awards and was named to the All-WNBA First Team six times.
What made Jackson such a dominant player was her versatility. She was a great scorer, averaging 18.9 points per game over her career, and was also one of the best rebounders in the league, averaging 7.7 rebounds per game.
Jackson was also a great passer and could create opportunities for her teammates, averaging 1.7 assists per game. But it was Jackson’s unique shooting ability that set her apart from other players.
She possessed a smooth shooting stroke that allowed her to make shots from anywhere on the court. Jackson was also a great three-point shooter, making over 40% of her attempts from beyond the arc during her career.
In addition to her scoring prowess, Jackson was a standout defender. She won the Defensive Player of the Year award in one season and was also a great shot blocker, averaging 1.1 blocks per game over her career.
Jackson’s success wasn’t just limited to the WNBA. She was also a star player in Australia, where she won four consecutive WNBL Championships with the Canberra Capitals.
Jackson also represented Australia at four Olympic Games, winning three silver medals and one bronze.
Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi is another standout player in the WNBA and has been a star since she entered the league in 2004. The former UConn standout has spent her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury, where she has won three championships and has been named Finals MVP twice.
Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader, an impressive feat given the number of talented scorers who have played in the league. She has also been named the league’s MVP three times and has been named to the All-WNBA First Team nine times.
What makes Taurasi such a dominant player is her ability to score from anywhere on the court. She is a prolific scorer, averaging 19.8 points per game over her career, and has a deadly shooting stroke that allows her to make shots from beyond the arc with ease.
Taurasi also has a great mid-range game, making her a threat from anywhere on the court. But Taurasi is not just a scorer.
She is also a great passer, averaging 4.3 assists per game over her career. Her ability to create shots for her teammates makes her a complete player and a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Taurasi’s success hasn’t just been limited to the regular season. She is a clutch player who has delivered big performances when it matters most, earning her the nickname “White Mamba.” Taurasi has won two Finals MVP awards and has helped lead her team to three championships.
Off the court, Taurasi is known for her leadership and her willingness to give back to the community. She has been involved in numerous charitable organizations and has used her platform to advocate for social justice issues.
In conclusion,
Lauren Jackson and
Diana Taurasi are two of the most dominant players in the history of women’s basketball. Jackson’s unique shooting ability and versatility, along with Taurasi’s scoring prowess and all-around game, have made them legends in the sport.
Their success on and off the court has inspired future generations of players, and their impact on the game of women’s basketball will be felt for years to come.
Yolanda Griffith
Yolanda Griffith was a force to be reckoned with during her 11 seasons in the WNBA. The 6’4″ center was known for her dominant presence in the paint, along with her leadership and work ethic.
Griffith won the regular season MVP award in one season and was also a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. She won a championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005, where she was named Finals MVP for her performance.
Griffith was also a six-time All-Star and was a three-time rebounding champion. What made Griffith such a dominant player was her size and strength.
She was a great rebounder and could get to the basket with ease, making her a great scorer as well. Griffith was also a great defender, using her size and strength to her advantage.
Griffith was a leader both on and off the court and was known for her work ethic and dedication to the game. She was also involved in numerous charitable organizations and was a mentor to many young players.
Honorable Mentions: Maya Moore and Sheryl Swoopes
Maya Moore and Sheryl Swoopes are two players who have made a significant impact on the game of women’s basketball.