Author: Aneela Khan

Hello there! My name is Aneela Khan. I am a blogger & writer who lives in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. I focus on blogging and writing on women's college basketball, (especially the women's college basketball rankings!) Team Canada senior women's national team and WNBA. I also write on some other online outlets as well. I love to read, write, watch basketball (and other sports) and enjoy my family. I hope you enjoy reading my blog posts. Take care, Aneela

Who is the Greatest WNBA Coach of All Time? Tournament Bracket Challenge!

wnba coaches, tournament bracket challenge
~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to the Greatest WNBA Coach of All Time Tournament Bracket Challenge presented by wbasketballblog.com!

There have been many great WNBA Coaches throughout the years, and after the success of ourfirst tournament challenge which featured WNBA players, we thought we would do it again, except this time with coaches.

The tournament is on a smaller scale this time and it only features the top 16 of the greatest WNBA Coaches. Each coach was picked from input from the selection committee. The committee’s members are: Glenn Starkey, Kevin Brown (who both participated in the last bracket challenge), Albert Lee, Tee, Rebecca Wininger and myself (Aneela Khan).

In order to understand who to pick to advance, you need to understand all 16 coaches biographies. The committee members have put together  short bios to help you decide on who to pick going forward.

Region W — #1st overall seed – Cheryl Reeve

Cheryl Reeve began her coaching career as an assistant coach for her alma mater, La Salle University. After short, but successful stints as an assistant in the WNBA, Reeve got the call. She was named the head coach for the Minnesota Lynx in 2009. Reeve’s hiring has resulted in four championships, the highest winning percentage ever, and two Coach of the Year honors. – Tee

Region N – #2nd overall seed – Van Chancellor

Houston 1997-2006

Three time Coach of the Year and four time WNBA champion, Hall of Famer Van Chancellor set the standard for coaching at the outset of the league.  Coming to the W after a long and successful stint at Ole Miss, Chancellor was by far the best qualified and biggest name among the W’s initial set of coaches.  Chancellor also coached Team USA to gold at the 2002 World Championships and 2004 Olympics and was named coach of the W’s All Decade team in 2006. – Kevin

Region B – #3rd overall seed – Bill Laimbeer

Laimbeer is currently the General Manager and Head Coach of the Las Vegas Aces where he is in his third season. He has a regular season coaching record of 264-203 which also includes periods with the Detroit Shock (2002-09) and New York Liberty (2003-17). He won three WNBA championships with the Shock in 2003, 2006 and 2008. Before his coaching career, Laimbeer played 14 seasons in the NBA, mostly with the Detroit Pistons where he was part of their 1989 and 1990 championship teams. – Albert

Region A – #4th overall seed – Mike Thibault

Thibault is the General Manager and Head Coach of the Washington Mystics, where he is entering his eighth season. He has the most regular season wins of all coaches with a 336-242 regular season record which includes a 10-year tenure with the Connecticut Sun from 2003-2012. Thibault won a league championship with the Mystics in 2019 and Eastern Conference championships with the Sun in 2004 and 2005. Before coming to the WNBA, Thibault was an assistant coach and scout for several NBA teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics and Milwaukee Bucks. – Albert

Region N – #5th overall seed – John Whisenant

Sacramento 2003-2006, 2009; New York 2011-2012
Champion and Coach of the Year in 2005, John Whisenant was known for the “White Line” defense that made the Monarchs one of the most feared defensive teams in the league.  Prior to the W, Whisenant had been a men’s assistant at New Mexico (coaching Michael Cooper, among others) and the head coach of the New Mexico Slam of the now defunct IBL – Kevin

Region A – #6th overall seed – Michael Cooper

The former defensive stalwart of the Showtime Lakers brought his attitude and showtime swagger to the WNBA with instant success and devastating results. Posting incredible Numbers with his Lisa Leslie led Sparks in his first 3 seasons cement his place on this list with 2 WNBA titles in 01 and 02 and besting the Comets record wise in his first season in LA. He continued his career taking a brief stop as Interim Head Coach of the Nuggets before taking over the Sparks again to usher in the Era of Candace Parker and after a stint in the College Game at USC, He later elevated the inconsistent but talent rich Atlanta Dream. While neither run matched up to his Incredible Sparks Run, Cooper is clearly Elite in his services to the WNBA as a head coach. – Glenn

Region W – #7th overall seed – Brian Agler

Brian Agler entry to coaching began in the ABL before coming over to the WNBA in 1999 to lead the Minnesota Lynx. Agler didn’t see much success until his stints with both the Seattle Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks. Coach Agler is the only to lead two different franchises to a championship. – Tee

Region B – #8th overall seed – Linn Dunn

Linn Dunn was the first coach and GM of the then expansion Seattle Storm in 2000. The team started a dismal 6-26, but it is argued she set in motion the building blocks for Seattle’s first championship in 2004. Dunn joined the Indiana Fever in 2008. The Fever were a strong playoff contender every year of Dunn’s tenure, reaching the Conference Finals 3 times and the WNBA Finals twice, where they won the WNBA championship in 2012. While at Indiana, her .578 regular season win percentage rivals most coaches in the league. Dunn’s .535 playoff win percentage places her ninth all-time among coaches who have won the title. Dunn retired from coaching in 2014. – Rebecca

Region N – #9th overall seed – Richie Adubato

New York 1999-2004; Washington 2005-2007
The highly combustible Richie Adubato came to the W after a long stint in the NBA and has the distinction of being the first to lead teams in both leagues.  Known for his attention to detail and voluminous playbook, Adubato took the Liberty to the finals three times but couldn’t overcome the dynastic Comets or Lisa Leslie’s Sparks. – Kevin

Region B – #10th overall seed – Dan Hughes

 Hughes is the head coach of the Seattle Storm, where he is entering his third season. He has been with three other teams including the Charlotte Sting (1999), Cleveland Rockers (2000-03) and San Antonio. Silver Stars (2005-09 and 2011-16). Hughes has a regular season coaching record of 281-311 and won the 2018 WNBA championship with the Storm. Before coming to the WNBA, he was an assistant coach for several women’s and men’s college basketball teams, including the University of Toledo. – Albert

Region W – #11th overall seed – Sandy Brondello

Sandy Brondello has compiled an overall regular season record of 103-67 in her first five seasons with the Mercury, making her the all-time winningest coach in franchise history. Additionally, Brondello has compiled a 17-12 postseason record at the helm of the Mercury, also ranking her as the winningest coach in franchise history for the postseason. She was named the 2014 WNBA Coach of the Year after leading the team to a WNBA regular season-record 29 wins culminating with a WNBA Championship. Brondello led the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 2010 playoff berth in her lone season at the helm. Her .555 regular season win percentage ranks 7th all-time among coaches with more than 200 games. – Rebecca

Region A – #12th overall seed – Anne Donovan

The WBB pioneer and Olympic Gold Medalist, Anne Donovan may be one of the most Underrated Coaches on our list. Doing much with Little, Anne Donovan was a coach’s coach leading 5 teams to improvements across an over 10 season career in the W. Starting by helping the Expansion Fever exceed expectations in what was an Interim gig while Nell Fortner coached the 2000 Olympic Team. Donavan then took over a Talent Rich but Struggling Charlotte Sting team in 2001. After a 1-10 start, Donovan made the right adjustments, trusted 2nd Round Pick Tammy Sutton Brown to Start, Built around Stars Dawn Staley, Andrea Stinson and Allison Feaster and made an incredible 17-4 finish that included a miraculous run to the WNBA finals before running into the LA Sparks Buzzsaw. After duplicating results the next year, Donovan moved to the Seattle storm to lead the New great tandem of Jackson and Bird to the 2004 WNBA title. After stepping down to win Olympic Gold in 2008 Donovan resurfaced in 2009 with a NY liberty club in Turmoil (Herself already ticketed to take over Seton Hall after the 2010 season) and turned it around in 2010 to a 10 game winning streak 20 win season and Deep playoff run behind Cappie Pondexter and Plenette Pierson. After 3 years laying a title winning foundation in South Orange Donovan had a WNBA final run with the Sun ending in 2015. Tho Anne sadly passed away in 2018, she left behind a legacy of winning despite not always having the best talent that will last well into the W’s history. – Glenn

Region N – #13th overall seed – Marynell Meadors

Marynell Meadors was one of the WNBA’s original eight coaches. She was a general manager. She coached the Charlotte Sting for two years from 1997-1999. She also became director of scouting for the now defunct Miami Sol from the year 1999 to 2002. She then briefly left the WNBA for the college ranks and was hired back as the Washington Mystics assistant coach from 2005 to 2007. In 2008, she was hired as the Atlanta Dream’s general manager and head coach where she had some success and was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2009. However, in the year 2012, she was fired when the Dream were not performing up to standard. She has not coached in the WNBA since then. –Aneela

Region A – #14th overall seed – Paul Westhead

Most people remember the Guru of GO!, Paul Westhead, for his impossible scoring feats in Men’s Basketball both successfully at Loyola Marymount and Less successfully with the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. However Westhead’s legacy and wild open offense and high scoring totals had an important and championship winning chapter in the WNBA as the title winning coach of the Phoenix Mercury. Taking over in 2006, and having scoring machines in Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, and Penny Taylor Westhead created hard to beat offensive juggernaut in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons. This culminated with the 2007 title, the Merc’s first of 3 titles. This Merc team used the uptempo play to wear out opponents and post dazzling scoring numbers. After the 2007 season Westhead returned to the Men’s game for the final seasons of the Seattle Supersonics only to return to Women’s basketball at Oregon before retiring. While his time in the W was brief, it was memorable and title winning and more than deserving of being considered on of the best coaches in WNBA history. – Glenn

Region W – #15th overall seed – Corey Gaines

Corey Gaines became the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury, replacing outgoing head coach Paul Westhead in 2007. Gaines kept the same offense that Westhead employed, and in 2009, he directed the Mercury to their second WNBA title. Gaines was relived of his coaching duties during the 2013 season. He has a regular season win percentage of .471. – Rebecca

Region B – 16th overall seed – Curt Miller

Curt Miller started as an assistant coach for Cleveland State in 1991. After runs as a head coach in the NCAA, Miller became an assistant for the Los Angeles Sparks 2015. Following that season, he was named the head coach for the Connecticut Sun. Since, Miller has led them to an WNBA Finals appearance, won Coach of the Year, and has led the team to the playoffs in the last three seasons. – Tee

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The G.O.A.T WNBA Coaches Bracket is listed below.

WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge Winner Is…. + Final Thoughts from the Selection Committee.

Greatest of All Time Player Bracket Challenge!
~ Aneela Khan ~ 6 Comments

 

Congratulations are in order for the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time Bracket Challenge winner Diana Taurasi! She won over Maya Moore who was the runner up. View the updated and final bracket here.

Diana Taurasi was placed in the first region, Region W. She beat out #16 seed Jewell Loyd in the Round of 64, #8 seed Dawn Staley in the Round of 32, #4 seed Sylvia Fowles in the Sweet 16, #2 seed Sheryl Swoopes in the Elite 8, #1 seed Lauren Jackson (from Region N) in the Final Four. She beat out several high profile players with terrific resumes of their own and it speaks to her popularity that she is the winner of this WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge.

Listed below are the final thoughts of the committee members who helped shaped the process of making the bracket, selecting the players and shaping the overall bracket.

Committee Member: Kevin Brown | Twitter @over_short

Final Thoughts:  We must have done pretty well with the seeding, given how few upsets there were.  The Final Four are not the four I would have chosen, but I’ve never been one to share popular opinion.

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner:  In a popularity contest, she was the inevitable choice.  Fans love scoring, and nobody did more.  Fans love swagger, and nobody had more.  All the quibbles about defense and only having one MVP fall to the side in the face of her iconic bun.

Committee Member: Nathan Hiatt | Twitter @NATE_HIATT 

Final Thoughts: It was definitely an interesting process. As a person that loves sports and the WNBA in general, I thought that this would be a fun way to be creative and cope without any sports because of COVID-19. As a committee, we looked to make the bracket challenge as fair and as simple as possible, and I think we did pretty decent at that, though there was always bound to be debates throughout the process. It was certainly interesting to see how everything has panned out with some upsets, but for the most part this challenge went about as I expected as players now are more popular within the media and social media.

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner: Diana Taurasi has definitely been an unbelievable player for many, many years and extremely popular with fans. As the WNBA all-time scoring leader, her three WNBA Championships rings, basketball talent and her on-the-court and off-the-court personality and popularity with fans, it is easy to see why she won the bracket challenge as the Greatest Player of All-Time.

Committee Member:  Aneela Khan | Twitter @whoopsblogger

Final Thoughts: It was an interesting process. We tried to make it fair and try to make something enjoyable for all of us during these uncertain times. We did try to make the seeds fair and balanced but unfortunately, people seemed to disagree. Which is ok, when you build a bracket, because that usually happens. It is interesting how far some players got ahead of others because certain players are more visible in the media than the other players or that they simply do not or were not aware of some WNBA historical legends.

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner:  Diana Taurasi is just fun to watch. Her ability to score points, her ability to lead her team when she needs to, her ability to help build up her team mates, her personality shines through. She is larger than life. As the all time WNBA scoring leader, she is truly remarkable and for that is she is the WNBA Greatest Player of All Time.

Committee Member: Michael Olsen | Twitter @colombianmikey

 

Final Thoughts:  I am so thankful for this opportunity.  As I begin to embark on my journey with college and figuring out what I want to do with my life, this tournament was an eye opener. I realized that whatever happens, I want to make basketball apart of it. I think the tournament turned out really well! Obviously, nothing is ever perfect and I wish some people would’ve won over others, but that’s the nature of voting. I hope that this tournament was a way for basketball fans to get a taste of basketball that they were missing. 

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner:  I was not  surprised. Many people have often said that she is the GOAT. Her career is none other than spectacular. I hope that we will continue to see her greatness for the next couple of years. She is getting up there in age, but I truly think that her desire will keep her playing for longer than people expect. She is impossible not to watch when she is on the basketball court and I know that she is an inspiration for any kid growing up with a basketball in their hands.

Committee Member: Lamar Smith | Twitter @inside380

 

Final Thoughts:  Despite, some players advancing based on their strong fanbase or controversy over some lower seeds,  I think the bracket was well done. The last two players in mind are the two best WNBA players right now. I had Maya ranked No. 2 and Taurasi No. 1 so I’m not surprised they are in the final.

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner: She’s the most fierce competitor and best scorer in the history of the league. She is what Kobe Bryant was to the Lakers or Tim Duncan was to the Spurs and that’s the embodiment of a franchise. She set the precedent for the culture, she’s won three rings and the Mercury consistently have one of the best attendances records every year. She’s simply MUST SEE TV.

Committee Member: Glen Starkey |Twitter @Starkman55

Final Thoughts: It was a long bracket and a tough process. Honestly, there were lower seeds worthy of more votes and high seeds who could have been knocked off early. But the chalk was fair and the final lineup despite some recency bias was how I judged the Final Four. Maya Moore vs Diana Taurasi is a terrific match up for the final (despite being an all UCONN final). I also thought Tamika Catchings deserved a place in the Final Four. But it is certainly a fair representation of the WNBA’s greatest players. That said, forgetting Yolanda Griffith still bothers me. She was a beast and one of the best pure defensive posts in the game.

Cynthia Cooper made it to the Final Four but to win 4 titles in the twilight of your career and be Finals MVP in all of them from ages 34 to 38 after spending a decade overseas is one feat I hope never gets forgotten as the WNBA grows a new generation of players.

Sue Bird may have gotten more of a push to the Final Four than expected but to be honest, her current notoriety and her reputation as a great clutch player overcomes any statistical shortcomings.

Thoughts on Diana Taurasi being the winner: Diana Taurasi certainly has the credibility throughout her career. Each of her three titles were earned and she was the key cog in all of them. In addition, when she plays, Phoenix wins. Period. While the end seems to be near with a very serious back injury, Diana Taurasi’s career is one of the finest. She has earned the right to be named the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time.

 

WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge – The Final Four

Greatest of All Time Player Bracket Challenge!
~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

By now, you have heard of the WNBA Greatest of All Time Bracket Challenge. This bracket challenge was designed as a way to help recreate the March Madness feel that was missed this year. We started voting last month and now it has come down to the Final Four. The Final Four players left are Diana Taurasi (from Region W), Lauren Jackson (from Region N), Maya Moore (Region B) and Sue Bird (Region A). You can view the updated bracket here.

Each has their own respected WNBA resume and has left quite a mark on the WNBA. Diana Taurasi is the WNBA’s leading scorer and one of the most thrilling players to watch in the WNBA.  Lauren Jackson is one of the WNBA’s first international superstars who helped change the game for forwards/centers with her versatile style of play. Maya Moore won often and early in her WNBA career and all of it was accomplished before she was 30 years old. Sue Bird is a WNBA legendary guard and the all time WNBA assists leader.

The Final Four players beat out great players along the way and in three regions (Region W, N, B) all the #1 seeds advanced. But, in the last region (Region A), #2 seed Sue Bird beat out the #1 seed Lisa Leslie by a narrow vote.

The Final Four voting will begin on Saturday, April 25th at 10 am EST with the first two regions, Region W and Region N facing off. Diana Taurasi vs Lauren Jackson. On Sunday, April 26th at 10 am EST,  the other two remaining regions, Region B and Region A will face off. Sue Bird vs Maya Moore. The “championship” vote will be voted on April 28th at 10 am EST. The winner of the G.O.A.T WNBA Bracket Challenge will be announced officially on Wednesday, April 29th.

WNBA Virtual Draft Recap — A Honest Review

wnba draft, wnba, women's basketball
~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

The WNBA Draft took place tonight on ESPN. It was held virtually, due in part to the global pandemic and taking social distancing seriously. It was going to be an experiment for other sports leagues to see if they could also pull it off. Pulling this off was not going to be easy because of technological glitches, different WiFi structures, delays, etc.

The virtual WNBA Draft actually started off really well. They had a great introduction, honoured Gigi Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester in a nice tribute, had great studio integration with Rebecca Lobo and Ryan Ruocco and Sue Bird had intelligent insight into certain players. She would make a fantastic head coach or TV analyst, she’d be great at both. It is absolutely normal for the #1 pick to have a ton of TV air time and to take up around the first 15 minutes of draft coverage. Sabrina Ionescu does deserve that coverage. She shined in college, she deserves that spotlight.

As a matter of fact, the first couple of picks were just fine. It’s when they got to the 4th pick in Chennedy Carter, and she did not have a proper microphone. The TV viewer can hear the conversation echo back and forth between her and Holly Rowe which is not great. By the way, Chennedy Carter is going to be a fantastic WNBA player. She’s going to be electric. Moving onto the 6th pick in Mikiah Herbert Harrigan in which they did not even interview her. I don’t even think ESPN realized that they missed her interview completely. I know that they acknowledged that that the 8th pick Ruthy Hebard was having some technical delays in terms of TV interview but that’s it. They never circled back.

I think ESPN’s coverage of the WNBA first round was actually pretty good. Minor problems. The issues that arose happened right around the 13th pick. We got the announcements from the commissioner on picks 13, 14, and 15 but after that, we just got them on the bottom of our screens. No offense, but when it is on TV commercials, that is when people look away, or reply to texts, emails, etc. No one is looking at the bottom of their TV screens.

On a personal level, when I am trying to tweet about certain players and how they fit or don’t fit on that team, another bunch of players would crop up. I barely had time to process it and then they never even bothered to say that was the end of Round 2. Or that the final round had started. I can’t even imagine what it was like for the players. They were robbed of their moment and the draft was swiftly finished at 8:45 pm. Not even 9 pm. We barely got acknowledgement of some of the second and third round picks. I should note, that some of the third round picks fell and can probably make a WNBA roster.

Overall, it was a mess. A hot mess. I’m so tired of women’s basketball and this is professional women’s basketball being treated like this. ESPN could have given the draft another hour. They should have slowed down their picks. Talked about a few of the second round and third round picks. They should have interviewed some more players. This was the perfect opportunity to bring in more WNBA fans as the sports world has essentially shut down and more eyes were on this draft than ever before. But, nope. That did not happen. ESPN let the WNBA down. They did them a disservice. I was severely disappointed and I know that I am not the only one.

I would say, I hope for a better WNBA Draft next year, but I think that’s hoping for too much. I think they will deliver a great first round but let us down again for the second and third rounds. Maybe one day, we will have a dedicated women’s sports channel that will get it right and deliver us the stories all of us want. Maybe one day

WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge – Selection Committee weighs in on Sweet 16

Greatest of All Time Player Bracket Challenge!
~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

Our selection committee has come together once again to discuss the WNBA G.O.A.T Sweet 16. We shared our thoughts and opinions on the various players that made it into the Sweet 16. The updated bracket can be viewed here.

Just as a reminder, the selection committee members are: Kevin Brown, Nathan Hiatt, Lamar Smith, Michael Olsen, Aneela Khan and Glenn Starkey. We discussed our thoughts & opinions below. Enjoy!

Q: What were your initial thoughts on the Sweet 16?

Aneela: It’s an interesting field. All of the 16 WNBA players that have been voted in by WNBA Twitter users have great resumes and only one of them is under 30 years old. I would say that the variety of different players left that could be called the WNBA Greatest Player of All Time is definitely intriguing.

Glenn:  So the sweet 16 is set and so far, there are few surprises.  Voting did skew a bit towards the present players but aside from Yolanda Griffith not making it, I was not as taken aback by the finalists as others.

Kevin: Not many surprises in the S16, as there have been few upsets.  Brittney Griner as a #6 is the underdog, but she was seeded too low to begin with so it isn’t really a surprise.

Lamar: I’m very surprised Brittney Griner beat out Seimone Augustus. I think overall, Seimone is a better player and has had a better career overall. I feel Griner upset Seimone because she’s one of the more known WNBA players and has a strong fanbase.

Michael: I expected the sweet 16 to look something like this if I’m being honest. I think that all these women have earned their spots on this list.

Nathan: I think that the Sweet 16 has a really decent mix, and I believe that there are some extremely interesting matchups. There are a few matchups that I personally could see going either way for a Final Four spot. I think I am most intrigued for the matchup winner between Lauren Jackson and Elena Della Donne in Region N.

Q: What are your thoughts on both the Round of 32 and the Round of 64?

Aneela: There were some interesting match ups and there were some definitely some hard ones to vote for. Cash vs Vandersloot, Griffith vs Cash, etc. Breanna Stewart vs Maya Moore was the closest for the #1 seed in in terms of voting, all the #4 vs #5 matchups in the second round were too close to call.

Glenn: There were some players who were under seeded and Yolanda Griffith not advancing past round 1 was a crime, both in terms of seeding and many people not knowing how much of a presence Yolanda Griffith was in early history.

Kevin: The one major upset was Courtney Vandersloot over Yo Griffith.  Comes from the nature of the voting, I suppose.  Lots of newer fans who either never saw Griffith or only saw the over-the-hill version in Seattle and Indiana wouldn’t vote for her. Add in a little projection of what Vandersloot might do in the rest of her career and her also being seeded too low and it’s a shocker.

Lamar: Their weren’t many upsets but both were surprising upsets. Courtney Vandersloot and Skylar Diggins-Smith surprisingly advanced to the next round, I think decency bias had a lot to do with it. Especially in the case of Vandersloot because most people probably didn’t see Yolanda Griffith play. Everything else was very predictable.

Michael: I thought the voter turnout for the first two rounds was amazing! I am super excited to see what happens with the next rounds.

Nathan: I thought that the Round of 64 and Round of 32 went pretty straight-forward, but there were a few upsets. I was certainly the most shocked with the Yolanda Griffith loss against Courtney Vandersloot in the Round of 64. With Courtney Vandersloot currently a big name in the WNBA and many fans might not remember Yolanda Griffin, so that makes some sense.

Other than that, I was a little surprised with the Brittney Griner win against Seimone Augustus in the Round of 32 and the Skylar Diggins-Smith win against Deanna Nolan in the Round 64. I might have honestly picked Brittney Griner, as well, but definitely would have been a hard decision. It was a similar situation with Yolanda Griffith and Courtney Vandersloot and, then, Deanna Nolan and Skylar-Diggins Smith as Skylar Diggins-Smith has been extremely popular with fans since she was at Notre Dame.

Q: Who do you think will advance to the Final Four?

Aneela: I think Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Lauren Jackson and Lisa Leslie narrowly make the Final Four. Although I expect it to be really tough.

Glenn: Diana Taurasi, Elena Delle Donne, Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird.

Lamar: Cythnia Cooper, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Tina Thompson

Michael: I think the final four will be Diana Taurasi, Lauren Jackson, Tamika Catchings, and Lisa Leslie.

Nathan: Diana Taurasi vs. Lauren Jackson and Maya Moore vs. Lisa Leslie. All chalk.

Q: Any surprises or extra comments you would like to make on the tournament so far?

Aneela: Popularity definitely helps. Although, a ton of younger voters may not have had the pleasure of seeing some of the earlier players, so that’s why the voting could be skewed. But I think they did a pretty good job. I would I say agree with a large majority of their choices.

Glenn: The sweet 16 really shapes up for some close polls. In the  W region any one of the 4 remaining can be considered the GOAT based on the metric and DT and Swoopes who are my Elite 8 picks is a tough decision. It’s the  best of the first generation vs the best of the 2nd. In the N region, it is old vs new.  Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner surely will have their places in history but against Cynthia Cooper and Lauren Jackson, it gets pretty tough. In the B region, I sure hope Tamika Catchings gets her due but it will be tough against Maya Moore. In the A region, there are a variety of difficult choices to decide on who moves forward between Sue Bird, Tina Thompson and Lisa Leslie. 

Kevin: Region N should have the closest matchups in the S16.  Delle Donne is a tough #4 seed with her two MVPs.  In the other matchup, Cynthia Cooper’s best years happened two decades ago.  Easy to see the low seeds making both those races tight.  Regions W & A should also be competitive.  Region B…not so much.

Lamar: I think it’s been interesting to see how close a lot of the votes have been thus far. I think recency bias has played a lot in some of the voting. A lot of the players that played in the early stages of the WNBA were hurt by the lack of marketing and publicity. That’s why I think most of the Sweet 16 consists of players that played during an era where the WNBA started to establish footing.

Michael: I was a little shocked that Britney Griner beat out Seimone Augustus if I’m being honest. Personally, I’m hoping for more upsets because it creates more drama and draws more attention to the tournament as a whole!

Q: Final question, do you see any potential upsets happening? Do you see a #1 seed falling?

Aneela: Yes. I forsee that in the Region B where I can see the #1 seed falling to the #2 seed. Other than that, it will be very close. It will be very tough, no doubt about it.

Lamar: I think Lauren Jackson has the best chance of getting upset in her side of the bracket. Both EDD and Coop have big fanbases and are very accomplished players. EDD just won a championship last year and arguably is pretty comparable in talent to Jackson.

Michael:  I could see Tina Thompson beating out Sue Bird. I also think that Tamika Catchings will upset Maya Moore.
Nathan:  I personally wouldn’t pick any No. 1 seeds to get upset, but I think I could see a case with a Lauren Jackson loss to Elena Delle Donne and a Lisa Leslie loss to Sue Bird because current popularity in the WNBA.

2020 FINAL WNBA Mock Draft

Chennedy Carter of Texas A&M is a top draft prospect.
~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

*Update: I have now updated the mock draft one last time due to the Tina Charles trade to DC. The order has now changed*

We have now reached the month of April and so has much changed since a month ago. The world has stopped due to a global pandemic yet the WNBA has decided on a virtual WNBA draft this year. It will take place on April 17th on ESPN. Make sure to tune in to see who will get their names called.

We also have all the information on all of the potential WNBA draftees. Chennedy Carter is the latest early entrant, joining both Megan Walker and Satou Sabally. Aarion McDonald is staying back at school for her senior year,  Arella Guirantes is also staying in school, Ciara Duffy is no longer interested in a pro career, Erica Ogwumike may or may not go to medical school and that is just the gist of some of the top college players this year.

Alot has changed in my mock draft from last month. Some players have moved up, some have moved down and some are no longer there. The draft has gotten deeper since November and now there are some stars in this draft class. We still do not know if the WNBA will have a season or if it will be cancelled. Also, keep in mind that this is just a mock draft and the real draft always comes with surprises and twists as I have seen in previous years.

Without any further ado, listed below is my 2020 FINAL WNBA Mock Draft. You can view Version 1.0 here, Version 2.0 here and Version 3.0 here. I have also listed a couple of other WNBA mock drafts that you can view and compare to.

ROUND ONE

  1. New York – Sabrina Ionescu – Oregon
  2. Dallas – Satou Sabally – Oregon
  3. Indiana – Lauren Cox – Baylor
  4. Atlanta – Chennedy Carter – Texas A&M
  5. Dallas – Megan Walker – Connecticut
  6. Minnesota – Tyasha Harris – South Carolina
  7. Dallas – Ruthy Hebard – Oregon
  8. Chicago – Crystal Dangerfield – Connecticut
  9. New York – Beatrice Mompremier – Miami
  10. Phoenix – Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – South Carolina
  11. Seattle – Te’a Cooper – Baylor
  12. New York – Bella Alarie – Princeton

ROUND TWO

  1. New York – Kiah Gillespie – Florida State
  2. Indiana – Jocelyn Willoughby – Virginia
  3. New York – Joyner Holmes – Texas
  4. Minnesota – Mikayla Pivec – Oregon State
  5. Atlanta – Kathleen Doyle – Iowa
  6. Phoenix – Haley Gorecki – Duke
  7. Seattle – Tynice Martin – West Virginia
  8. Los Angeles – Kaila Charles – Maryland
  9. Dallas – Stella Johnson – Rider
  10. Los Angeles – Brittany Brewer – Texas Tech
  11. Connecticut – Shadeen Samuels – Seton Hall
  12. Washington – Leaonna Odom – Duke

ROUND THREE

  1. Atlanta – Peyton Williams – Kansas State
  2. New York – Yuan Li – China
  3. Atlanta – Minyon Moore – Oregon
  4. Indiana – Luisa Geiselsoder – Germany
  5. Phoenix – Abi Scheid – Northwestern
  6. Chicago – Kylee Shook – Louisville
  7. Seattle – Kitija Laksa – South Florida
  8. Chicago – Juicy Landrum – Baylor
  9. Las Vegas – Jazmine Jones – Louisville
  10. Los Angeles – Nadia Fingall – Stanford
  11. Connecticut – Jordan Danberry – Mississippi State
  12. Washington – Sara Rhine – Drake

Who are the 32 players in the G.O.A.T WNBA Bracket Challenge?

Greatest of All Time Player Bracket Challenge!
~ Aneela Khan ~ 2 Comments

We released the WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge and we have had great response to it. Our Round of 64 is now completed and now we move on to the Round of 32. Listed below are the 32 players left in the WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge who moved on thanks to the voting.

The Round of 32 will begin tomorrow at 10 am EST via Twitter Polls and we thought it would be a great idea to have the bios of the 32 WNBA Players so all of you would have an informed opinion on who to vote for in every region. . We are starting with the first region W, followed by the second region, N, then the third region B and the final region A.

Region W

#1 overall seed Diana Taurasi vs #8 Dawn Staley

#1 Diana Taurasi

Regarded as one of the most intense players, Diana Taurasi has backed it up in 15 seasons with the Mercury delivering 3 championships and becoming known as one of the toughest playoff competitors in league history. Spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury she has led the Merc to new heights winning the 2009 MVP 5 scoring titles including 4 in a row, while making 9 all star and ten all WNBA teams. But DT’s biggest accomplishments have come in the post season winning the Finals MVP twice on her way to being known as one of the best clutch performers in WNBA history.  – Glenn

#8 Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley is one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players and is currently the head coach of South Carolina women’s basketball team. Dawn originally played for the ABL before being drafted in the WNBA in 1999. She played for six seasons for the Charlotte Sting and was traded to the Houston Comets during her last season in the WNBA in 2006. She led the Charlotte Sting to the title game in 2001. She was a six time WNBA All Star. Aneela

#2 Sheryl Swoopes vs #7 Ticha Penicheiro

#2 Sheryl Swoopes (1997- 2011)

Three time MVP, four time champion, three time defensive player of the year, two time scoring champ, and a list of additional accolades too long to include here. Swoopes was one of the faces of the league from its inception and one of the most enduringly popular figures ever to grace a WNBA court. – Kevin

#7 Ticha Penicheiro

Penicheiro is one of the best passers the WNBA has ever seen. Currently, she ranks 2nd All-Time in both assists and steals. Over her 15-year career, Penicheiro led the league in assists 7 times, including a career-high 8 assists per game in 2002. She also won a WNBA championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005. – Michael

#3 Candace Parker vs #6 Chamique Holdsclaw

#3 Candace Parker (2008 – present)

Two time MVP, eight time All WNBA, and league champion. Parker led the league in rebounding and blocks twice each. One of the most engaging and popular players in league history, she has been one of the faces of the league from the moment she was drafted #1 in 2008. – Kevin

#6 Chamique Holdsclaw

A six-time WNBA All-Star and a three-time All-WNBA Second Team selection. She played 11 seasons with her longest stint being her six seasons with the Washington Mystics. She was the 1999 Rookie of the Year and won her only scoring title in 2002. She also won back-to-back rebounding crowns too. – Lamar

#4 Sylvia Fowles vs #5 Becky Hammon

#4 Sylvia Fowles

A 6-foot-6 center known as a great rebounder and defender, has played 12 seasons in the WNBA and currently plays for the Minnesota Lynx. Fowles is a two-time WNBA Champion, a two-time WNBA Finals MVP and a one-time WNBA MVP. Fowles also is a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a six-time WNBA All-Star. – Nathan

#5 Becky Hammon

A six time WNBA All Star and 16 year WNBA veteran. Hammon has split her WNBA career between the New York Liberty and the San Antonio Stars where the Stars have since retired her jersey. She has made the All – WNBA Team four times, she won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and took the San Antonio Stars to their only WNBA Finals appearance in 2008 – Lamar

Region N

#1 Lauren Jackson vs #8 Candice Dupree

#1 Lauren Jackson

Seen as one of the world’s greatest women’s players and one of the WNBA’s best post players in history. Lauren Jackson came to the WNBA at the tender age of 19 and did not disappoint quickly becoming the anchor in the middle of the great Storm teams of the 2000’s. Teaming up with Sue Bird they quickly formed one of the greatest inside outside tandems seen in the WNBA. Winning two titles in her 12 season career Injuries cut Lauren’s career short but she still was remembered as a 2 time scoring champion and one time rebounding champion who was a severe threat whenever she stepped onto the court.  – Glenn

#8 Candice Dupree

Candice Dupree is a model of consistency. Every time that she steps on to the court, she is going to get what she wants. This consistency is what led her to make 7 all-star games. Dupree was also a member of the 2014 Phoenix Mercury team that won a championship. She currently ranks in the top ten all-time for both total points and rebounds. – Michael

#2 Cynthia Cooper vs #7 Teresa Weatherspoon
#2 Cynthia Cooper

Quite simply the WNBA’s first megastar. Cynthia Cooper transcended a long career in Europe and exploded onto the American scene at the ripe age of 34. She was the scoring and overall leader of the legendary Houston Comets dynasty. Winning the WNBA title in each of her four full seasons and being named Finals MVP in each of those seasons. The 3 time scoring champ and 2x WNBA MVP in her first two seasons, Cooper set the benchmark for excellence that WNBA players still strive for today.  – Glenn

#7 Teresa Weatherspoon

Teresa Weatherspoon is one of the WNBA’s inaugural players and was a dynamic guard for the New York Liberty. She became well known for her half court shot to tie the WNBA Finals series with the Houston Comets in 1999. She helped guide the Liberty to it’s first ever WNBA Finals appearance in 1997 and then in 1999. She won the first ever WNBA DPOY in 1997 and won again the following year. – Aneela

#3 Seimone Augustus vs #6 Brittney Griner
Seimone Augustus (2006 – present)

Six time All WNBA player, eight time All Star, and four time champion. The #1 pick of the 2006 draft, Augustus won rookie of the year and became the face of the Lynx throughout their 2010’s dynasty including winning finals MVP.  – Kevin

#6 Brittney Griner

A six-time WNBA All-Star that has played seven seasons all for the Phoenix Mercury. Griner has made All-WNBA five times and has made the All-WNBA Defensive First Team three times and the All-WNBA Defensive Second Team three times. A two-time Defensive Player of the Year who averages 3.0 bpg over her career. She is a two-time scoring champ and has scored over 20ppg the last three years. Griner won a WNBA title in 2014 and an Olympic gold medal in 2016. – Lamar

#4 Elena Delle Donne vs #5 Lindsay Whalen

#4 Elena Delle Donne

A 6-foot-5 forward known has arguably the most talent player currently in the WNBA, has played seven seasons in the WNBA and currently plays for the Washington Mystics, averaging 20.3 points and 7.0 rebounds for her career. Delle Donne is a one-time WNBA Champion, a two-time WNBA MVP and a six-time WNBA All-Star. Delle Donne also was a WNBA Rookie of the Year and in 2019 became the only player in WNBA history to join the 50-40-90 club. – Nathan

#5 Lindsay Whalen

A 5-foot-9 known as one of the most consistent and reliable WNBA players in history, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2018 with the Minnesota Lynx. Whalen was a four-time WNBA Champion, a five-time All-Star and a three-time All-WNBA First Team. Whalen also was a three-time WNBA assists leader and currently has the most assists in WNBA Playoff history.  – Nathan

Region B
#1 Maya Moore vs #8 Breanna Stewart
#1 Maya Moore

Quite simply the greatest player from the 2010’s. Maya Moore transformed the Minnesota Lynx from the bottom into a dynasty within one year of her arrival. She helped create one of the most respected franchises in the process. The 2014 MVP added leadership and scoring which went on to win four WNBA titles and 6 finals in 8 years. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2013. In 2019, Maya Moore stepped away from the game to pursue social justice opportunities and in the process added even more respect to an already legendary career.  – Glenn

#8 Breanna Stewart

What Breanna Stewart has done in her career is incredible. At just 25 years old, Stewart has already won both the regular-season league MVP and finals MVP. She has also made 2 all-star games in 2017 and 2018. She lost her 2019 season due to an achilles injury, so there will be a lot eyes on her to see if she can pick up where she left off in 2018. Breanna Stewart might be young, but by the time she wraps up her career, she will be among the league greats. – Michael

#2 Tamika Catchings vs #7 Rebekkah Brunson
#2 Tamika Catchings

The most respected woman in WNBA history for her class on the court and her community leadership off it. Tamika Catchings is known as one of the greatest ever to play the game. She reached 3 WNBA Finals and she was a WNBA champion in 2012. She’s a 5 time Defensive Player of the Year and was the 2011 WNBA MVP. Catchings’s all around game was second to none in her 15 year career, all with the Indiana Fever. She led the Fever to the WNBA playoffs in all but two of them. Her community work and leadership has made Tamika Catchings one of the WNBA’s greatest ambassadors and she continues in a new role as Fever President and General Manager. – Glenn

#7 Rebekkah Brunson

Brunson is a 5 time All-Star over her 15-year career. During this span, she won 5 championships, the most in WNBA history. Brunson is also the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder with a total of 3,356 rebounds. Rebekkah Brunson was a fierce defender which earned her a spot on 7 All-Defensive teams, 1 being First Team (2011) and 6 being Second Team. (2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018) – Michael

 

#3 Angel McCoughtry vs #11 Skylar Diggins-Smith
#3 Angel McCoughtry (2009 – present)

Six time All WNBA player, five time All Star, seven time All Defensive team, and two time scoring champ. McCoughtry was the #1 pick in 2009 and won rookie of the year. She led the league in steals twice. Abrasive and mercurial, McCoughtry has a reputation for being hard on coaches and teammates. Despite that, many players have had their best seasons playing alongside her. -Kevin

#11 Skylar Diggins – Smith

Diggins-Smith is a perennial all-star currently set to play for the Phoenix Mercury in this upcoming season. In 2014 she won the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award after averaging 20.1 points per game. Her resume also includes 2 First Team All-WNBA appearances (2014,2017) and one 1 Second Team All-WNBA appearance. (2018) Also during the 2018 season she set her career high for points with 35. – Michael

#5 Swin Cash vs #13 Courtney Vandersloot
#5 Swin Cash

A 6-foot-1 forward known has one of the most consistent players in WNBA history, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2016 with the New York Libery. Cash was a three-time WNBA Champion and a four-time WNBA All-Star. – Nathan

#13 Courtney Vandersloot

A 5-foot-8 guard known as arguably the best passer in WNBA history along with Sue Bird, has played nine seasons in the WNBA and all for the Chicago Sky. Vandersloot is a two-time WNBA All-Star and was All-WNBA First Team in 2019. Vandersloot also is a four-time WNBA assists leader as she currently has the all-time average for assists, hovering at 6.2 assists in the regular season and 7.0 assists in the postseason. – Nathan

Region A
#1 Lisa Leslie vs #8 Penny Taylor

#1 Lisa Leslie

One of the allocated Cornerstones of the WNBA Lisa Leslie created the LA sparks into the model franchise it continues to be today. Her massive post presence and inside shooting touch made her one of the most feared players on the court and her marketing savvy made her one of the most respected players off it. A 3 time MVP and the force behind the Sparks back to back titles in 2001 and 2002, Leslie is rightfully one of the WNBA’s true legends. – Glenn

#8 Penny Taylor

Penny Taylor is one of the best all-around players to ever play in the WNBA. In 2001 Taylor was drafted to the Cleveland Rockers with the 11th pick in the first round. She played a total of 13 seasons in the league, 3 of which resulted in championships. She also made 3 all-star appearances and was even named to the All-WNBA First team in 2007.– Michael

#2 Sue Bird vs #7 Cappie Pondexter
#2 Sue Bird (2002 – present)

Eight time All WNBA player, 11 time All Star, three time assist leader, and three time champion. Bird is the epitome of a WNBA point guard, balancing her own offense with her teammates perfectly. She is the league’s all time assist leader and helped Lauren Jackson and Breanna Stewart to MVP status. – Kevin

#7 Cappie Pondexter

Cappie Pondexter will go down as one of the most explosive guards in the history of the WNBA. When she came into the league in 2006 she made an immediate splash averaging 19.5 points per game for the Phoenix Mercury. Pondexter is a two-time WNBA champion with the Mercury. She also took home the Finals MVP trophy for her performance in the 2007 WNBA Finals. Cappie finished her career as a 7-time all-star among many other accolades. – Michael

#3 Tina Thompson vs #6 Nneka Ogwumike

#3 Tina Thompson (1997 – 2013)

Eight time All WNBA player, nine time All Star, and four time champion. Thompson was the first player chosen in the inaugural college draft in 1997. She was a precursor to the ubiquitous “stretch four” of today, mixing the ability to bang in the paint with long range shooting accuracy. – Kevin

#6 Nneka Ogwumike

A six-time WNBA All-Star and has played eight seasons in the league. She has spent her whole career with the Los Angeles Sparks and is currently their third all-time leading scorer. She was the 2016 WNBA MVP and has been All-NBA four times. She has made the All Defensive Team four times. And she hit the series winning shot in the 2016 WNBA Finals to bring the Sparks their first title in 14 years. – Lamar

#4 Katie Smith vs #5 Tina Charles

#4 Katie Smith

A 5-foot-11 wing known as a great scorer, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2013 with the New York Liberty. Smith was a two-time WNBA Champion and a one-time WNBA Finals MVP. Smith was also a seven-time All-Star and had one of best scoring seasons in WNBA history with 23.1 points per game in 2001. – Nathan

#5 Tina Charles

A five-time WNBA All-Star and the 2012 league MVP. She has won two Olympic gold medals. Charles has All-WNBA eight times and is one of three players in WNBA history to lead the league in scoring and rebounding. She’s led the league in rebounding four times and is the New York Liberty’s all-time rebounding leader. She has been in the league for 10 seasons. – Lamar