WNBA Finals
History
Table:
Year

Winner

Result

Loser

Finals MVP

1997
Houston Comets[a]
1–0
New York Liberty
Cynthia Cooper

1998
Houston Comets
2–1
Phoenix Mercury[b]
Cynthia Cooper

1999
Houston Comets
2–1
New York Liberty
Cynthia Cooper

2000
Houston Comets
2–0
New York Liberty
Cynthia Cooper

2001
Los Angeles Sparks
2–0
Charlotte Sting
Lisa Leslie

2002
Los Angeles Sparks
2–0
New York Liberty
Lisa Leslie

2003
Detroit Shock
2–1
Los Angeles Sparks
Ruth Riley

2004
Seattle Storm
2–1
Connecticut Sun
Betty Lennox

2005
Sacramento Monarchs
3–1
Connecticut Sun
Yolanda Griffith

2006
Detroit Shock
3–2
Sacramento Monarchs
Deanna Nolan

2007
Phoenix Mercury
3–2
Detroit Shock
Cappie Pondexter

2008
Detroit Shock
3–0
San Antonio Silver Stars
Katie Smith

2009
Phoenix Mercury
3–2
Indiana Fever
Diana Taurasi

2010
Seattle Storm
3–0
Atlanta Dream
Lauren Jackson

2011
Minnesota Lynx
3–0
Atlanta Dream
Seimone Augustus

2012
Indiana Fever
3–1
Minnesota Lynx
Tamika Catchings

2013
Minnesota Lynx
3–0
Atlanta Dream
Maya Moore

2014
Phoenix Mercury
3–0
Chicago Sky
Diana Taurasi

2015
Minnesota Lynx
3–2
Indiana Fever
Sylvia Fowles

2016
Los Angeles Sparks[c]
3–2
Minnesota Lynx
Candace Parker

Based on the table and the context paragraphs listed.

Answer the following question: What was the last year before the 2004 winner of the WNBA Finals there was a basketball title in Seattle ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

The 1997 WNBA Championship was the championship game of the 1997 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Houston Comets , top-seeded team of the league , defeated the New York Liberty , second-seeded team , 65-51 to win the league 's inaugural championship . The Comets ' 18-10 record gave them home court advantage over New York ( 17-11 ) . For the playoffs , the top four teams overall in the league were seeded one to four . Top seed Houston played the four seed Charlotte and the two seed New York played number three Phoenix .
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the Houston Comets . The Comets won the inaugural WNBA Finals .
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the New York Liberty .
Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke ( born April 14 , 1963 ) is an American basketball coach and former player who has won championships in college , in the Olympics , and in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . She is considered by many as one of the greatest women 's basketball players ever . In 2011 , Cynthia was voted by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history . Upon the league 's formation , she played for the Houston Comets from 1997-2000 , being named the Most Valuable Player of the WNBA Finals in all four seasons , and returned to play again in 2003 . Cynthia still holds the record for most Finals MVPs with four . On April 30 , 2019 , she was introduced as the head coach for the Texas Southern Lady Tigers basketball team , a position she held in the 2012-13 season . She has also coached at USC , UNC Wilmington , Prairie View A & M , and , professionally , for the Phoenix Mercury . Cooper-Dyke was inducted into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 .
The 1998 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 1998 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Houston Comets , top-seeded team of the league , defeated the Phoenix Mercury , third-seeded team of the league , two games to one in a best-of-three series . This was Houston 's second straight title . The Comets made their second appearance in the Finals in two years . The Mercury appeared in the Finals for the first time in franchise history . Going into the series , the Comets had won the only championship , being it only the second season of the league 's existence . The Comets ' 27-3 record gave them home court advantage over Phoenix ( 19-11 ) . The Comets lost game 1 in Phoenix , but won games 2 and 3 to take the series .
The 1998 WNBA season was the second season for the Houston Comets . The Comets won their second straight championship . Their record of 27-3 remains the best in league history .
The 1998 WNBA season was the second season for the Phoenix Mercury . The Mercury reached their first WNBA Finals , but championship hopes were denied when they lost to the Houston Comets in three games .
The 1999 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 1999 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Houston Comets , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the New York Liberty , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , two games to one in a best-of-three series . This was Houston 's third title . The Comets made their third appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Liberty made their second Finals appearance . Going into the series , no other team except the Houston Comets had ever won a WNBA championship ( 1997 and 1998 ) . The Comets had a 26-6 record ( .813 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Liberty ( 18-14 ) .
The 1999 WNBA season was the third season for the Houston Comets . The Comets won their third WNBA Finals .
The 1999 WNBA season was the third season for the New York Liberty . The Liberty hosted the first WNBA All-Star Game .
The 2000 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2000 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Houston Comets , second-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the New York Liberty , first-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , two games to none in a best-of-three series . This was Houston 's fourth title . The Comets made their fourth appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Liberty also made their third Finals appearance . Going into the series , no other team except the Houston Comets had won a WNBA championship ( 1997-1999 ) . The Comets had a 27-5 record ( .844 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Liberty ( 20-12 ) . It did not matter , however , as the Comets swept the Liberty .
The 2000 WNBA season was the fourth season for the Houston Comets . The Comets won their fourth WNBA Finals and their last title in franchise history before disbanding in 2008 .
The 2000 WNBA season was the fourth season for the New York Liberty . The team reached the WNBA Finals for the third time , but they were swept by the Houston Comets .
The 2001 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2001 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Los Angeles Sparks , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the Charlotte Sting , fourth-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , two games to none in a best-of-three series . This was Los Angeles ' first title . The Sparks made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Sting also made their first Finals appearance . Going into the series , no other team except the Houston Comets had ever won a WNBA championship ( 1997-2000 ) . The Sparks had a 28-4 record ( .875 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sting ( 18-14 ) . It did not matter , however , as the Sparks swept the Sting .
The 2001 WNBA season was the fifth season for the Los Angeles Sparks . The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals .
The 2001 WNBA season was the fifth season for the franchise . The team saw themselves in the WNBA Finals for the only time in their history . They lost the finals to the Los Angeles Sparks in a sweep .
Lisa Deshaun Leslie ( born July 7 , 1972 ) is an American former professional basketball player . She is currently the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league , as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida . Leslie played in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner . The number-seven pick in the 1997 inaugural WNBA draft , she followed her career at the University of Southern California with eight WNBA All-Star selections and two WNBA championships over the course of eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks , before retiring in 2009 . Leslie was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game . In 2011 , she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history . In 2015 , she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . Leslie was also inducted into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 .
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Los Angeles Sparks , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the New York Liberty , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , two games to none in a best-of-three series . This was Los Angeles ' second title . As of 2017 , this is the last time a WNBA franchise won back to back championships . Coincidentally 2 months before the finals , the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA would win their 14th title by sweeping a New York Metro team , the New Jersey Nets 4-0 . The Liberty made their fourth appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Sparks made their second straight Finals appearance . The Sparks went into the series as defending champions . 2002 marked their second WNBA championship . ( The Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . ) The Sparks had a 25-7 record ( .781 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Liberty ( 18-14 ) . To date , this is the last time the New York Liberty have reached the WNBA Finals .
The 2002 WNBA season was the sixth season for the Los Angeles Sparks . The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year . As of 2012 , this is the last WNBA team to win back to back championships .
The 2002 WNBA season was the sixth season for the New York Liberty . The Liberty franchise reached their 4th berth to the WNBA Finals , but lost in a sweep to the Los Angeles Sparks . As of the 2016 season , this was the last season that New York qualified for the WNBA Finals .
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Detroit Shock , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , defeated the Los Angeles Sparks , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , two games to one in a best-of-three series . This was Detroit 's first title . The Shock made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Sparks made their third straight Finals appearance . Going into the series , the Sparks had won two WNBA championships ( 2001 , 2002 ) . The Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Shock had a 25-9 record ( .735 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sparks ( 24-10 ) .
The 2003 WNBA season was the sixth for the Detroit Shock . The Shock won the WNBA Finals for the first time in franchise history . This season was better known as , From Worst To First .
The 2003 WNBA season was the seventh season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise . The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season , but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games .
Ruth Ellen Riley Hunter ( born August 28 , 1979 ) is a retired American professional basketball player ( a center ) , playing most recently for the Atlanta Dream in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women 's championship in 2001 , and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006 . Riley was the Most Valuable Player in the 2001 and 2003 championship series , becoming the first person to win the MVP awards in both the NCAA and the WNBA championships . She has also played on teams that won the National Women 's Basketball League ( NWBL ) championship , the gold medal at the Olympic Games , and the 2010 EuroCup Championship . In 2019 , Riley was inducted into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame . In March 2016 , Riley participated in Mogul 's IAmAMogul campaign for inspiring women to believe that they have the power to shape the world through their voices and actions . She was the general manager for the San Antonio Stars from May 2016 until the team 's sale and relocation to Las Vegas in the 2017-18 off-season .
The 2004 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2004 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Seattle Storm , second-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the Connecticut Sun , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , two games to one in a best-of-three series . This was Seattle 's first title . The Storm made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Sun made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history . Going into the series , neither team had won a WNBA championship . The Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Storm had a 20-14 record ( .588 ) , good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sun ( 18-16 ) . The 2004 Finals was the last time two teams had entered the series without having participated in them before .
The 2004 WNBA season was the fifth season for the Seattle Storm . They captured their first title in franchise history , bringing a title back to Seattle for the first time since 1979 when the Seattle SuperSonics , the Storm 's former sister team , brought a title to Seattle by beating the Washington Bullets .
The 2004 WNBA season was their sixth season and their second in Connecticut . The Sun attempted to return to the postseason for the second consecutive season and were successful .
Betty Bernice Lennox ( born December 4 , 1976 ) is an American retired professional basketball player . She played for the Minnesota Lynx , Miami Sol , Cleveland Rockers , Seattle Storm , Atlanta Dream , Los Angeles Sparks and Tulsa Shock in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . Her nicknames include Betty Basketball , Betty Big Buckets , and her most popular nickname B-Money .
The 2005 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Sacramento Monarchs , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the Connecticut Sun , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , three games to one in a best-of-five series . This was Sacramento 's first title . The Monarchs made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history . The Sun appeared in the Finals for the second straight time after having lost to Seattle in 2004 . Going into the series , neither team had won a WNBA championship . The Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Sun 's 26-8 record gave them home court advantage over Sacramento ( 25-9 ) .
The 2005 WNBA season was the Monarchs ninth season . The Monarchs finished the season by winning their first WNBA Championship .
The 2005 WNBA season was their seventh season and their third in Connecticut . The Sun attempted to return to the postseason for the third consecutive season and were successful . They also attempted to return to the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive year and were successful .
Yolanda Evette Griffith ( born March 1 , 1970 ) is an American professional basketball hall of fame player who played in both the ABL and WNBA . A former WNBA MVP , she is considered one of the greatest rebounders and defensive players in the history of Women 's Basketball . She last played in the WNBA as a member of the Indiana Fever . In 2011 , she was voted in by fans as one of the top 15 players in WNBA history . She is sometimes called by her nicknames : Yo and Yo-Yo . Since retiring from the professional ranks , Griffith was as assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst . She is currently an assistant coach with UAlbany Great Danes . Griffith was inducted into the 2014 Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame 's class on her first year of eligibility .
The 2006 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Detroit Shock , second-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , defeated the Sacramento Monarchs , second-seeded champions of the Western Conference , three games to two in a best-of-five series . This was Detroit 's second title . The Shock made their second appearance in the Finals in four years . The Monarchs appeared in the Finals for the second straight time after having won the title in 2005 . Going into the series , the Shock had won one championship , as had the Monarchs . The Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Shock 's 23-11 record gave them home court advantage over Sacramento ( 21-13 ) , but a scheduling conflict meant that the fifth and deciding game had to be moved to Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit .
The 2006 WNBA season was the ninth for the Detroit Shock . The Shock won the WNBA Finals for the second time in franchise history .
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Sacramento Monarchs . The Monarchs reached their second trip to the WNBA Finals , but was defeated in five games to the Detroit Shock . It was the final season in franchise history that Sacramento qualified for the WNBA Finals .
Deanna Nicole Tweety Nolan ( Russian : Деанна Нолан ; born August 25 , 1979 ) is an American-Russian professional basketball player for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League as well as the Russia women 's national basketball team . Her primary position is shooting guard , but occasionally plays the point guard position . Her original name was Deana , but was legally changed to Deanna in 2000 .
The 2007 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Phoenix Mercury , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , defeated the Detroit Shock , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , three games to two in a best-of-five series . This was Phoenix 's first ever professional basketball title . 2007 marked the first time in WNBA history that the series was won on the opponent 's home floor . The Mercury beat the Shock in Detroit . The Shock made their third appearance in the Finals in five years . The Mercury appeared in the Finals for the second time since in franchise history . Going into the series , the Shock had won two championships , tied with the Los Angeles Sparks for second most in WNBA history . The now defunct Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Shock 's 24-10 record gave them home court advantage over Phoenix ( 23-11 ) . It did not matter , however , as the Mercury won game five on the Shock 's home floor and became champions of the WNBA .
The 2007 WNBA season was the 11th for the Phoenix Mercury . The Mercury won their first WNBA championship .
The 2007 WNBA season was the tenth for the Detroit Shock . The Shock qualified for the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive year , losing to the Phoenix Mercury in 5 games .
Cappie Marie Pondexter ( born January 7 , 1983 ) is a former American professional basketball player who last played as a member of the Indiana Fever in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . She was born in Oceanside , California and raised in Chicago , Illinois . Pondexter is known for her scrappy play , quick crossovers and midrange jumpshot . In 2011 , she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history .
The 2008 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2008 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Detroit Shock , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference , three games to none in a best-of-five series . This was Detroit 's third title in six years . 2008 marked the first time since switching to a five-game format that the Finals series was swept . The Shock made their fourth appearance in the Finals in six years . The Silver Stars appeared in the Finals for the first time in franchise history . Going into the series , the Shock had won two championships , tied with the Los Angeles Sparks for second most in WNBA history . The now defunct Houston Comets hold the record with four championships won . The Silver Stars ' 24-10 record gave them home court advantage over Detroit ( 22-12 ) . It did not matter , however , as the Shock swept the series , winning the first two games on the Silver Stars ' home floor .
The 2008 WNBA season was the 11th for the Detroit Shock , an American women 's professional basketball team . The Shock attempted to return to the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive year . They won the WNBA Finals for the third time in franchise history . During the finals , Katie Smith averaged a team high 21.7 points per game to be named WNBA Finals MVP . Similar to Kevin Garnett with the 2008 Boston Celtics , Taj McWilliams-Franklin won her first championship after 10 years in the league .
The 2008 WNBA season was the 12th season for the San Antonio Silver Stars .
Katie Smith ( born June 4 , 1974 ) is lead assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association . She is the former head coach of the New York Liberty . A retired professional basketball player , Smith 's primary position was shooting guard , although she sometimes played small forward or point guard . She is the all-time leading scorer in women 's professional basketball , having notched over 7000 points in both her ABL and WNBA career . In 2016 , she was voted one of the WNBA Top 20 @ 20 . On March 31 , 2018 , Smith was named to the 2018 class of inductees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . In the same year , Smith was also inducted into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame .
The 2009 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2009 WNBA season , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Indiana Fever , top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference , faced the Phoenix Mercury , top-seeded champions of the Western Conference . The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever 3 games to 2 to win their second WNBA Finals title . The Fever made their first ever appearance in the Finals . The Mercury made their third appearance in the Finals . The Mercury 's 23-11 record gave them home court advantage over Indiana ( 22-12 ) .
The 2009 WNBA season was the 13th season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The Mercury won the WNBA Finals for the second time in franchise history . On June 6 , the Mercury and LifeLock entered a multi-year marketing partnership to launch the first-ever branded jersey in WNBA or NBA history . A press conference was held at the NBA Store in New York City with Phoenix Mercury President and COO Jay Parry and LifeLock CEO Todd Davis to make the announcement . The partnership ran through 2011 , and the LifeLock name was on the front of Phoenix Mercurys player jerseys and on warm-up suits . The Mercury and LifeLock ware the first to finalize such an agreement following the WNBAs decision this off-season to make this opportunity available for its teams and sponsors . As part of the partnership , LifeLock offered a one-year complimentary membership to season ticket holders of all WNBA teams .
The 2009 Indiana Fever season was their 10th season in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The Fever attempted to advance to the WNBA Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and were successful . The Fever reached their first WNBA Finals , but fell short in 5 games to the Phoenix Mercury .
Diana Lorena Taurasi ( born June 11 , 1982 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft . Taurasi has won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award ( 2004 ) , three WNBA championships ( 2007 , 2009 , and 2014 ) , one WNBA Most Valuable Player Award ( 2009 ) , two WNBA Finals MVP Awards ( 2009 and 2014 ) , four Olympic gold medals , ( 2004 , 2008 , 2012 , and 2016 ) , five scoring titles ( 2006 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , and 2011 ) , and three FIBA World Cups ( 2010 , 2014 , and 2018 ) . She has also been selected to nine WNBA All-Star teams and ten All-WNBA teams . In 2011 , she was voted by fans as one of the WNBA 's Top 15 Players of All Time . On June 18 , 2017 , Taurasi became the WNBA all-time leading scorer . Taurasi is considered one of the greatest female basketball players of all time . Her penchant for scoring in crucial situations has earned her the nickname White Mamba , first coined by Kobe Bryant .
The 2010 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The champions of the Eastern Conference , the Atlanta Dream , faced the champions of the Western Conference , the Seattle Storm . The WNBA Finals were under a 2-2-1 rotation , with the Storm holding home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 28-6 ) than the Dream ( 19-15 ) . This was the 1st time the teams have met in the championship round . The Dream made their first ever appearance in the Finals while the Storm made their second appearance , after winning the 2004 championship series . This was the second straight year in which neither team advancing to the Finals had been there the previous season . Seattle had not won a playoff series since their Finals victory in 2004 , when they defeated the Connecticut Sun 2-1 . Betty Lennox , who played with Atlanta after leaving the Storm ( now with L.A. ) was named series MVP in 2004 . Only two players remain from the championship roster-all-stars Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson . To advance to the Finals , the Storm defeated Diana Taurasi and the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals . This was the first WNBA Finals appearance for both head coaches . Each coach had been with their respective team since the 2008 season .
The 2010 WNBA season was the 11th season for the Seattle Storm of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Storm won their second WNBA championship .
The 2010 WNBA season is the 3rd season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women 's National Basketball Association .
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson AO ( born May 11 , 1981 ) is an Australian former professional basketball player . The daughter of two national basketball team players , Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport ( AIS ) in 1997 , when she was 16 . In 1998 , she led the AIS team that won the Women 's National Basketball League ( WNBL ) championship . Jackson joined the Canberra Capitals for the 1999 season when she turned 18 and played with the team off and on until 2006 , winning four more WNBL championships . From 2010 to 2016 , Jackson played with the Canberra Capitals , which she did during the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) offseason during the time she continued WNBA play . Jackson made the Australian under-20 team when she was only 14 years old and was first called up to the Australian Women 's National Basketball Team ( nicknamed The Opals ) when she was 16 years old . She was a member the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics teams and captain of the 2008 Summer Olympics team , winning three silver medals . She was also part of the Australian team that won the bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics . Jackson was a member of the Australian Senior Women 's Team that won a silver medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship for Women in China , co-captain of the team that won a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne , and captain of the team that won a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women in Brazil . In 2001 , Jackson entered the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) draft and was selected by the Seattle Storm , which viewed Jackson as a franchise player . She won two WNBA titles with the Storm , in 2004 and 2010 , the latter also earning Jackson the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award . Jackson ranks among the top WNBA players in played games , minutes played , field goals , three-point shots , and turnover percentage .
The 2011 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2011 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Minnesota Lynx , champions of the Western Conference , swept the champions of the Eastern Conference , the Atlanta Dream in three games . The WNBA Finals was under a 2-2-1 rotation . The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 27-7 ) than the Dream ( 20-14 ) . The 2011 Finals marked the first time the teams met in the championship round . The Lynx made their first ever appearance in the Finals while the Dream were making their second consecutive appearance , after appearing in the 2010 championship series . Prior to 2011 the Minnesota franchise had not won a playoff series . They had not qualified for the postseason since 2004 . Only four players had postseason experience : Rebekkah Brunson , Alexis Hornbuckle , Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Lindsay Whalen . To advance to the Finals , the Lynx defeated Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals . Atlanta won its second straight Eastern Conference championship by defeating the top-seeded Indiana Fever 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals . This was the first time in WNBA history that both Finals teams were coached by women .
The 2011 WNBA season is the 13th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Lynx qualified for the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since 2004 and won their first Western Conference championship . The Lynx finished the season with a 27-7 record , best in the WNBA and the best regular-season record in franchise history . They then defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars in three games and the Phoenix Mercury in two to reach the 2011 WNBA Finals . The Lynx swept the Atlanta Dream to win their first WNBA championship .
The 2011 WNBA season is the 4th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Dream finished the regular season with a 20-14 record , good for third-best in the Eastern Conference . The Dream then won their second consecutive Eastern Conference Championship .
Seimone Delicia Augustus ( born April 30 , 1984 ) is an American professional women 's basketball player with the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , Dynamo Kursk , and the U.S. national team . She was drafted by the Lynx first overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft . A seven-time all-star , Augustus has become one of the most recognizable faces in the WNBA , earning MVP honors while leading the Lynx to the 2011 WNBA championship , the first of four that she has won with the team .
The 2012 WNBA Finals was the series for the 2012 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Minnesota Lynx , champions of the Western Conference , faced the Indiana Fever , champions of the Eastern Conference . The Fever defeated the Lynx three games to one becoming only the second Eastern Conference franchise to capture a WNBA title . The WNBA Finals were under a 2-2-1 rotation . The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 27-7 ) than the Fever ( 22-12 ) . The Lynx were defending their 2011 WNBA Championship . The Fever appeared in the 2009 Finals .
The 2012 WNBA season is the 13th season for the Indiana Fever of the Women 's National Basketball Association .
The 2012 WNBA season is the 14th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Lynx are the defending WNBA Champions , having won the 2011 WNBA Finals over the Atlanta Dream . The Lynx qualified for the playoffs , and finished with the best record in the WNBA . On October 7 , 2012 , the Lynx won their second straight WNBA Western Conference championship , earning a spot in the 2012 WNBA finals .
Tamika Devonne Catchings ( born July 21 , 1979 ) is an American retired professional basketball player who played her entire 15-year career for the Indiana Fever of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . Catchings has won a WNBA championship ( 2012 ) , WNBA Most Valuable Player Award ( 2011 ) , WNBA Finals MVP Award ( 2012 ) , five WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards ( 2005 , 2006 , 2009 , 2010 , 2012 ) , four Olympic gold medals ( 2004 , 2008 , 2012 , 2016 ) , and the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award ( 2002 ) . She is one of only 11 women to attain all four accolades . She has also been selected to ten WNBA All-Star teams , 12 All-WNBA teams , 12 All-Defensive teams and led the league in steals eight times . In 2011 , Catchings was voted in by fans as one of the WNBA 's Top 15 Players of All Time . Tamika Catchings is a prolific scorer close to and far from the basket , as well as a capable rebounder , ball handler , and defender . After playing at Adlai E. Stevenson High School and graduating from Duncanville High School , Tamika Catchings became one of the stars of the University of Tennessee women 's basketball team . In 2001 , she was drafted by the Indiana Fever . After sitting out the entire year in which she was drafted due to injury , she had an all-star rookie season in 2002 . She is famous for recording the first ever quintuple-double ( 25 points , 18 rebounds , 11 assists , 10 steals and 10 blocks ) in 1997 and served as President of the WNBA Players Association from 2012 to 2016 . Catchings will be inducted into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 .
The 2013 WNBA Finals was the playoff series for the 2013 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Minnesota Lynx , champions of the Western Conference , defeated the Atlanta Dream , champions of the Eastern Conference . The WNBA Finals were under a 2-2-1 rotation . The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 26-8 ) than the Dream ( 17-17 ) . The meeting is a rematch of the 2011 WNBA Finals , in which the Lynx defeated the Dream in three games . The Lynx won the first game of the series 84-59 , and the second 88-63 . They finished the sweep with an 86-77 win in Atlanta , becoming the second WNBA team to sweep through the playoffs since the best-of-five finals format was adopted .
The 2013 WNBA season was the 15th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Lynx won their second WNBA Championship in three years , and led the league in wins for the third straight season . The Lynx entered the season as the two-time defending WNBA Western Conference champions . The Lynx won the 2011 WNBA Finals , but lost the 2012 WNBA Finals to the Indiana Fever . The 2012 season saw the retirement of veteran center Taj McWilliams-Franklin . The Lynx replaced her in the offseason , trading guard Candice Wiggins for former University of Minnesota standout Janel McCarville , who had played with Lynx point guard Lindsay Whalen in college . Despite returning three olympians and an all-star in their starting lineup , the Lynx were considered something of an afterthought going into the season , with much of the press going to the Phoenix Mercury , which drafted Brittney Griner . Despite the lowered expectations , the Lynx had another outstanding season , finishing with the best record in the WNBA for the third straight year , and placing four players in the WNBA All-Star Game . After dispatching the Seattle Storm in the opening round of the playoffs , the Lynx swept the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference Finals , to earn their third straight trip to the WNBA Finals . They then defeated the Atlanta Dream to win their second WNBA title in three years .
The 2013 WNBA season is the 6th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Dream finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 17-17 record , and won the Eastern Conference Finals , sweeping the Indiana Fever to earn their third trip in four years to the WNBA Finals , where they were swept by the Minnesota Lynx in three games .
Maya April Moore ( born June 11 , 1989 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) who is on sabbatical . Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017 , Sports Illustrated called Moore the greatest winner in the history of women 's basketball . In high school , Moore was the National Gatorade Player of the Year , the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year , and a McDonald 's All-American . She played forward for the UConn women 's basketball team and won back to back national championships in 2009 and 2010 . She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to an undefeated national championship . The following season , Moore led Connecticut to its second straight national championship and continued its overall undefeated streak at 78 ; in the 2010-11 season , she led the Huskies in extending that streak to an NCAA both-gender record ( all divisions ) of 90 . That season , Moore became the first female basketball player to sign with Air Jordan . After the 2017 season , her win-loss record in the U.S. since high school was 497-78 . Moore was the first overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft and joined a Minnesota Lynx team that already featured all-star caliber players in Seimone Augustus , Rebekkah Brunson , and Lindsay Whalen . Since 2011 , Moore has continued to excel , both with the Lynx and with overseas teams in Europe and China . Moore has won four WNBA championships ( 2011 , 2013 , 2015 , and 2017 ) , a WNBA Most Valuable Player Award ( 2014 ) , a WNBA Finals MVP Award ( 2013 ) , three WNBA All-Star Game MVPs ( 2015 , 2017 , and 2018 ) , two Olympic gold medals ( 2012 and 2016 ) , a WNBA Scoring Title ( 2014 ) , and the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award ( 2011 ) . She has also been selected to four WNBA All-Star teams and three All-WNBA teams .
The 2014 WNBA Finals was the playoff series for the 2014 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , and the conclusion of the season 's playoffs . The Phoenix Mercury , champions of the Western Conference , faced the Chicago Sky , champions of the Eastern Conference . The WNBA Finals were under a 2-2-1 rotation . The Mercury held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 29-5 ) than the Sky ( 15-19 ) . The Mercury swept the Sky in three games to win their third title in franchise history .
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix , Arizona , playing in the Western Conference in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The team was founded before the league 's inaugural 1997 season began ; it is one of the eight original franchises . The team is owned by Robert Sarver , who also owns the Mercury 's NBA counterpart , the Phoenix Suns . The Mercury has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in eleven of its twenty years in Phoenix . The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as former UConn sharpshooter Diana Taurasi , explosive Rutgers grad Cappie Pondexter , former Temple power forward Candice Dupree , former Baylor standout center Brittney Griner , and Australian guard Penny Taylor . In 1998 , 2007 , 2009 , and 2014 , the Mercury went to the WNBA Finals ; they lost to Houston in 1998 , but won the title in 2007 , 2009 , and 2014 over Detroit , Indiana , and Chicago respectively .
The 2014 WNBA season is the 9th season for the Chicago Sky of the Women 's National Basketball Association . Coming off the franchise 's first ever playoff appearance , the Sky looked to continue their success in the 2014 season . The Sky 's offseason included trading Swin Cash to Atlanta , signing free agent forward Jessica Breland , center Sasha Goodlett , but also learning that center Sylvia Fowles would be missing some time due to arthroscopic surgery of the hip to repair a torn labrum and impingement . The Sky made it to the 2014 WNBA Finals , beating Eastern Conference giants Atlanta and Indiana . However , the Sky fell to the Phoenix Mercury in three games , coming up short of a WNBA championship .
The 2015 WNBA Finals was the championship series for the 2015 WNBA season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . On August 26 , vegasinsider.com projected that the Minnesota Lynx has the highest odds to win the series ( 11/10 ) . The WNBA Finals were under a 2-2-1 rotation . The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record ( 22-12 ) than the Fever ( 20-14 ) .
The 2015 WNBA season is the 17th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The Lynx became the third franchise to win three titles .
The 2015 WNBA season was the 16th season for the Indiana Fever of the Women 's National Basketball Association .
Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles ( born October 6 , 1985 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . Fowles , who joined the Lynx in July 2015 , was the MVP of the 2015 WNBA Finals , was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in 2016 , and won the 2017 WNBA MVP Award . She is 6 ft 6 in ( 1.98 m ) tall and weighs 227 pounds ( 103 kg ) .
The 2016 WNBA Finals was the best-of-five championship series for the 2016 season of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx held home court advantage in the Finals , but lost three games to two to the second-seeded Los Angeles Sparks . The series followed a 2-2-1 format , and eschewed from the previous tradition of having the Western Conference champion face the Eastern Conference champion . Instead , in the 2016 season , the top eight teams qualified for the playoffs , regardless of conference . Both WNBA Finals teams were from the Western Conference . The Sparks won a semifinal series against the Chicago Sky to determine one of the Finals berths ; the first-seeded Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury to earn the other . Candace Parker was named the 2016 WNBA Finals MVP . Renee Brown , outgoing Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations of the WNBA , issued statements following games 4 and 5 saying the referees had made an error in each game . Nevertheless , the Sparks won the series 3 games to 2 .
The 2016 WNBA season is the 20th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association . The season tipped off on May 15 . The Sparks finished with a record of 26-8 , second in the Western Conference ( and the league as a whole ) , and advanced to the WNBA Finals , which they won , three games to two , against the Minnesota Lynx . It was the team 's first title since 2002 .
The 2016 WNBA season of the Minnesota Lynx is the 18th season in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The Lynx are the defending WNBA champions . The Lynx finished with a record of 28-6 , finishing first in the Western Conference ( and the league as a whole ) and qualifying for the playoffs . Minnesota advanced to their second straight Finals . Their 2016 roster included five competitors in the 2016 Rio Olympics ( Moore , Whalen , Fowles , and Augustus of the U.S. squad and Cruz of the Spanish team ) as well as seven current or previous all-stars ( Moore , Whalen , Fowles , Augustus , Brunson , Perkins and Montgomery ) with an astonishing 22 total past selections to the all-star game between them .
Candace Nicole Parker ( born April 19 , 1986 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . She was the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft . In 2016 , along with other stars such as Alana Beard and Nneka Ogwumike , Parker helped the Sparks to win their first WNBA Finals title since 2002 . In high school , Parker won the 2003 and 2004 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year awards , becoming just the second junior and the only woman to receive the award twice . A versatile player , Parker mainly plays the forward position . In college she was listed on Tennessee 's roster as a forward , center and guard . Parker was the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game and the first woman to dunk twice in a college game . She set both milestones as a redshirt freshman on March 19 , 2006 . Parker became the second player to dunk in a WNBA game on June 22 , 2008 . Prior to her first WNBA game , Parker had signed long-term endorsement deals with Adidas and Gatorade . In leading the Lady Vols to two consecutive national championships , Parker was named the Final Four 's most outstanding player in both occasions , and was a two-time consensus national player of the year . Parker has won a WNBA championship ( 2016 ) , two WNBA Most Valuable Player Awards ( 2008 , 2013 ) , WNBA Finals MVP Award ( 2016 ) , WNBA All-Star Game MVP ( 2013 ) , two Olympic gold medals ( 2008 , 2012 ) , and the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award ( 2008 ) .