In party of the WNBA's spots 20th period, the organization today unveiled the 20 best and most influential gamers in its history. The statement of the WNBA Top 20 presented by Verizon was made on ESPN's SportsCenter: Face-to-Face with Hannah statement was made today to recognize the date of the league's inaugural regular-season game used June 21, 1997, when the New York Liberty beat the Los Angeles Sparks, 67-57, at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Networks will certainly promote the listing throughout the day on various programs, consisting of ESPN's noontime ET SportsCenter: Coast-to-Coast during which Cari Champ will interview two-time WNBA MVP and four-time Finals MVP Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, as well as throughout ESPN2's telecast of the Phoenix Mercury vs. Dallas Wings game at 8 p. m. ET. " The 20 females honored today are an amazingly accomplished team both on and off the basketball court," said WNBA President Lisa Borders. "On the court, they stand for the outright best in ladies's specialist basketball and are in many ways impressive. Off the court, they represent their teams, home towns and communities in which they live and function with the utmost professionalism and reliability. And most significantly, they stand for the hopes and imagine generations of girls all over the globe-- the future of the WNBA. " The WNBA Top 20 presented by Verizon consists of nine present players: Seimone Augustus, Sue Bird, Swin Cash Money, Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen. Eleven former gamers are also among the honorees: Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Deanna Nolan, Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Teresa Weatherspoon. "Leading https://www.sunsportsshop.com/collections/rennia-davis-jersey. Exciting. Game-changers. That's what comes to mind with these 20 extremely skilled, skilled and enjoyable gamers," said Renee Brown, the WNBA's Principal of Basketball Operations and Player Relations, who has been an executive with the WNBA because its formation in 1996. "There are markers, playmakers, ball-handlers, rebounders, defensive stoppers, leaders and gamers who have actually highlighted the most effective in their teammates. There are gamers that developed the organization, gamers who elevated the game to brand-new heights and players that will certainly bring the lantern and motivate the future generation of superstars. Of the greater than 850 players who have taken the court throughout our 20 periods, I can't think of 20 ladies that much better stand for where the organization has originated from and where it is headed. " The 60 nominees for the WNBA Top 20 provided by Verizon were chosen based upon factors like on-court performance and capacity, management and sportsmanship, in addition to contributions to group success. On top of that, all gamers must have belonged to a WNBA team for two periods and fulfilled three of the adhering to 7 requirements: the victor of a significant individual honor; a selection to either the All-WNBA First String or All-WNBA Junior Varsity; an option to either the WNBA All-Defensive First Team or WNBA All-Defensive Junior Varsity; a choice to theWNBA All-Star Video game; a member of a WNBA Championship team; a current position among the top 30 profession leaders in at the very least one major analytical group; and a selection to either the WNBA's All-Decade Group or the WNBA's Top 15 Gamers. Voting for the WNBA Top 20 provided by Verizon was conducted by a 15-member committee consisted of Carol Blazejowski and Ann Meyers Drysdale; Michael Cooper and Cheryl Reeve; Van Chancellor and Anne Donovan; media members Doug Feinberg, Mel Greenberg, and Howard Megdal; Doris Burke, LaChina Robinson, and Pam Ward; Mechelle Voepel and Michelle Smith; and Melanie WNBA Top 20 offered by Verizon: Player WNBA Teams
Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx
Sue Bird Seattle Storm
Swin Cash Money Detroit Shock, Seattle Storm, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, New York City Liberty
Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke * Houston Comets
Yolanda Griffith * Sacramento Monarchs, Seattle Storm, Indiana Fever
Becky Hammon * New York City Liberty, San Antonio Stars
Lauren Jackson * Seattle Storm
Lisa Leslie * Los Angeles Sparks
Maya Moore Minnesota Lynx
Deanna Nolan * Detroit Shock
Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks
Ticha Penicheiro * Sacramento Monarchs, Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky
Cappie Pondexter Phoenix Mercury, New York City Liberty, Chicago Sky Katie Smith * Minnesota Lynx, Detroit Shock, Washington Mystics, Seattle Storm, New York City Liberty
Sheryl Swoopes * Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, Tulsa Shock
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
Tina Thompson * Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm
Teresa Weatherspoon * New York City Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks
Lindsay Whalen Connecticut Sun, Minnesota Lynx
* Former WNBA gamers" To be consisted of among the top 20 gamers in this leagues history is a massive honor,' stated Bird, a nine-time WNBA All-Star option and two-time WNBA champ. "Enjoying the level of competitors increase over the years has been unbelievable and I am excited to see where the league enters the following 20. I matured enjoying the WNBA, and to be in a course of professional athletes of the quality that this organization has created over the past two decades is a substantial honor," added 2014 WNBA MVP and 2013 Finals MVP Maya Moore. "It's most definitely a dream happened. I really feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to compete at the highest possible levels and create my talent to the point that I was also in consideration for this honor. "" It's such a joy to be honored by the WNBA in this way," stated Cooper-Dyke, the University of Southern The golden state females's coach. "It indicates a lot to be able to celebrate the 20th year of the WNBA along with such superior ladies, and I'm truly happy to see the league going strong. I'm happy to be a product of the WNBA, and I'm so gratified to recognize I made an influence on this video game that we love so much. Thank you for this great honor, and deal with on!" Leading 20 presented by Verizon Details Figures: Seventeen have actually played on a WNBA championship team Fourteen of the Leading 15 Players picked in 2011 are participants of the Leading 20 presented by Verizon 9 of 10 members of the All-Decade Team chosen in 2006 are participants of the Leading 20 presented by Verizon 9 have actually combined to win 17 of 19 regular-season WNBA MVP honors 9 won gold medals with the united state Olympic team in 2004 Nine won gold medals with the united state Olympic group in 2008 Eight won gold medals with the U. S. Olympic group in 2012 Seven have actually won a WNBA champion, an NCAA title and an Olympic gold medal Seven are former No. 1 total WNBA Draft picks 6 have incorporated to win 14 of 19 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards 5 won Newbie of the Year honors Five played in the WNBA's inaugural season 4 won both WNBA MVP and Protective Player of the Year honors in the exact same period 4 played collegiately at the College of Connecticut Three played collegiately at Southern California Three members of the five-player Honorable Mention checklist for the All-Decade Group chosen in 2006 are among the Leading 20 offered by Verizon One is the only https://www.sunsportsshop.com/collections/brionna-jones-jersey gamer to win championships in both the ABL and of the 9 energetic players among the Leading 20 is seeking her first WNBA champion One is the daughter of a previous NBA gamer Colleges stood for: Colorado State; Connecticut; Florida Atlantic; Georgia; Louisiana State; Louisiana Technology; Minnesota; Ohio State; Old Dominion; Rutgers; Southern The Golden State; Tennessee; and Texas Technology,