Steve Dimitry's Research

Women's Professional Basketball Leagues

Included in this Web Page:

Note-1- Before the WBL ever began play, a league called the Women's Professional Basketball Association (WPBA) was scheduled to begin play in 1975. These teams were set to be part of the league; Indianapolis Pink Panthers, Arkansas Lassies, Atlanta, Greenville, Nashville and Winston-Salem. The league folded before it ever started. 

Note-2 - A new league was formed in 1980 called the Ladies Professional Basketball League (LPBA) was set to compete with the WBL. Molly Bolin left the WBL's Iowa Cornets and signed to play for the Southern California Breeze. These other teams were part of the league also; New Mexico Energee, Oakland Outlaws, Phoenix Flames, San Jose Chips and Tucson Storm. The league folded seven (7) games into the season. Molly Bolin was averaging over 40 points per game at this time.

Note-3 - The National Women's Basketball Association (NWBA) was set to start in 1986 with these teams aboard:  California Stars, Georgia Peaches, Pride of Iowa, Louisiana Blues, North Carolina Blaze, Tennessee Tiger-Cats, Texas Twisters and Virginia Express. The league folded right before the season was supposed to start.

Note-4 - The Liberty Basketball Association (LBA) actually played one pre-season game before it folded in 1991. The Detroit Dazzlers defeated the LBA All-Stars in the only game played. The league folded soon after leaving these other teams without even playing a game: Chicago Slammers, Los Angeles Lancers, New York Blasters and Philadelphia Freedoms.

 

Women's (Professional) Basketball League (1978-81)

WPBL/WBL

 

Championships

 

Annual Standings

Playoff Results

1978-79

Semi-Final Results

 Houston Angels defeated New York Stars (2-0)

Iowa Cornets defeated Chicago Hustle (2-1)

Championship 

Houston Angels defeated Iowa Cornets (3-2)

Final Series MVP  - No information available or not awarded

(Note: Molly Bolin, Iowa, 19.6 ppg playoff average - 157 points)

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1979-80

First Round Results

San Francisco Pioneers defeated Houston Angels (2-1)

Minnesota Fillies defeated New Orleans Pride (2-1)

Semi-Final Results

 Iowa Cornets defeated Minnesota Fillies (2-1)

New York Stars defeated San Francisco Pioneers (2-0)

Championship 

New York Stars defeated Iowa Cornets (3-1)

Final Series MVP - No information available or not awarded

(Note: Molly Bolin, Iowa, 33.1 ppg playoff average - 232 points)

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1980-81

Semi-Final Results

 Dallas Diamonds defeated New Jersey Gems (2-1) - Coastal Division Championship

Nebraska Wranglers defeated Chicago Hustle (2-0) - Central Division Championship

Championship 

Nebraska Wranglers defeated Dallas Diamonds (3-2)

Final Series MVP - Rosie Walker, Nebraska (34.2 ppg in final series - 171 points)

(Note: Nancy Lieberman, Dallas, 35.4 ppg in final series - 177 points)

Awards and Honors

 

Annual All Pro Teams

 

Annual Leaders

  *Note- A new league was formed in 1980 called the Ladies Professional Basketball League (LPBA). Molly Bolin left the Iowa Cornets and signed to play for the Southern California Breeze. These other teams were part of the league also; New Mexico Energee, Oakland Outlaws, Phoenix Flames, San Jose Chips and Tucson Storm. The league folded seven (7) games into the season. Molly Bolin was averaging over 40 points per game at this time. She then headed back to play in the WBL's third and final season for the San Francisco Pioneers. She joined the team and played 27 of the team's 36 games and still finished fifth in the league in points scored and second in scoring average.

Career Leaders

(Molly Bolin - 55 points in a game)

 

Other WBL Links:

Robert Bradley's WBL Web Page

Karra Porter's WBL Memories Web Site

John Molina's WBL Web Site 

Women's American Basketball Association (1984)

WABA

 

Championships

Year

1984

Champion

Dallas Diamonds

Runner-up

Chicago Spirit

 

Standings

 

Awards and Honors

MVP - Nancy Lieberman, Dallas, (27.0 ppg)

Women's Basketball Association (1993-95)

WBA

 

Championships

* Note - 1995 was a one game Championship, Chicago defeated St. Louis 107-96

 

Annual Standings

NOTE- League disbanded after the 1995 season and made plans to reorganize again in 1997, but the league disbanded once again before ever playing a game in 1997. These teams were scheduled to play in the league - Illinois Twisters, Indiana Bullets, Iowa River Queens, Kansas City Lightening, Michigan Lady Bulls, Minnesota Heat, Nebraska Express, North Dakota Jazz, Ohio Flame, St. Louis Breakers and South Dakota Storms

Playoff Results

1993

First Round Results

 Missouri Mustangs defeated Iowa Unicorns (2-1)

Kansas Crusaders defeated Oklahoma Cougars (2-0)

 Nebraska Express defeated Illinois Kinghts (2-0)

Semi-Final Results

Kansas Crusaders defeated Missouri Mustangs (2-0)

Championship 

Kansas Crusaders defeated Nebraska Express (3-1)

MVP - Robelyn Garcia, Kansas

1994

First Round Results

 Memphis Blues defeated St. Louis River Queens (2-0)

Indiana Stars defeated Oklahoma Flames (2-0)

Semi-Final Results

Memphis Blues defeated Kansas City Mustangs (1-1, aggregate score)

MVP - Sarah Campbell

Nebraska Express defeated Indiana Stars (2-0)

Championship 

Nebraska Express defeated Memphis Blues (3-2)

MVP - Maurtice Ivy, Nebraska

1995

Championship (One Game Championship between Division Champs)

Chicago Twisters defeated St. Louis River Queens (107-96)

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Awards and Honors

1993 MVP - Evette Ott, Kansas Crusaders

1994 MVP - Sarah Campbell, Kansas City Mustangs

1995 MVP - Petra Jackson/Diana Vines

 

Other WBA Links: WBA Book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1533194912

Robert Bradley's Women's Basketball History Web Page

https://www.facebook.com/WomensBasketballAssociation

WBA 1994 All Star Photos 

American Basketball League (1996-98)

ABL

 

Championships

 

Annual Standings

Playoff Results

1996-97

Semi-finals

Richmond defeated Colorado (2-0)

Columbus defeated San Jose (2-0)

Championship

Columbus defeated Richmond (3-2)

MVP - Valerie Still, Columbus (71 points, 14.2 ppg; 12.3 rpg)

1997-98

First Round

San Jose defeated New England (2-0)

Long Beach defeated Colorado (2-1)

Semi-finals

Columbus defeated San Jose (2-0)

Long Beach defeated Portland (2-0)

Championship

Columbus defeated Long Beach (3-2)

MVP - Valerie Still, Columbus (25 points in game-5)

1998-99

League disbanded during the season, no playoffs were ever contested.

Columbus Quest had the best record at the time the league folded.

Awards and Honors

 

Annual All-Pro Teams

 

 

Annual Leaders

* League Disbanded during the season

(Theresa Edwards - 46 points in a game)

 

Career Leaders

 

Other ABL Links:

Robert Bradley's ABL Web Page

 

Combined Statistical Totals (ABL-WNBA)

 

 

Women's National Basketball Association (1997 - present)

WNBA

 

Championships

* Note - 1997 was a one game Championship, Houston defeated New York 65-51

Playoff Results

 1997

Semifinals

Houston defeated Charlotte 1-0 (70-54)

New York defeated Phoenix 1-0 (59-44)

Championship

Houston defeated New York 1-0 (65-51

1998

Semifinals

Houston defeated Charlotte 2-0

Phoenix defeated Cleveland 2-1

Championship

Houston defeated Phoenix 2-1

1999

First Round

Charlotte defeated Detroit 1-0 (60-54)

Los Angeles defeated Sacramento 1-0 (71-58)

Conference Finals

East - New York defeated Charlotte 2-1

West - Houston defeated Los Angeles 2-1

Championship

Houston defeated New York 2-1

2000

First Round

Cleveland defeated Orlando, 2-1

New York defeated Washington 2-0

Los Angeles defeated Phoenix 2-0

Houston defeated Sacramento 2-0

Conference Finals

East - New York defeated Cleveland 2-1

West - Houston defeated Los Angeles 2-0

Championship

Houston defeated New York 2-0

2001

First Round

Charlotte defeated Cleveland 2-1

New York defeated Miami 2-1

Los Angeles defeated Houston 2-0

Sacramento defeated Utah 2-0

Conference Finals

East - Charlotte defeated New York 2-1

West - Los Angeles defeated Sacramento 2-1

Championship

Los Angeles defeated Charlotte 2-0

2002

First Round

New York defeated Indiana 2-1

Washington defeated Charlotte 2-0

Los Angeles defeated Seattle 2-0

Utah defeated Houston 2-1

Conference Finals

East - New York defeated Washington 2-1

West - Los Angeles defeated Utah 2-0

Championship

Los Angeles defeated New York 2-0

2003

First Round

Detroit defeated Cleveland 2-1

Connecticut defeated Charlotte 2-0

Los Angeles defeated Minnesota 2-1

Sacramento defeated Houston 2-1

Conference Finals

East - Detroit defeated Connecticut 2-0

West - Los Angeles defeated Sacramento 2-1

Championship

Detroit defeated Los Angeles 2-1

2004

First Round

Connecticut defeated Washington 2-1

New York defeated Detroit 2-1

Seattle defeated Minnesota 2-0

Sacramento defeated Los Angeles 2-1

Conference Finals

East - Connecticut defeated New York 2-0

West - Seattle defeated Sacramento 2-1

Championship

Seattle defeated Connecticut 2-1

2005

First Round

Connecticut defeated Detroit 2-0

Indiana defeated New York 2-0

Houston defeated Seattle 2-1

Sacramento defeated Los Angeles 2-0

Conference Finals

East - Connecticut defeated Indiana 2-0

West - Sacramento defeated Houston 2-0

Championship

Sacramento defeated Connecticut 3-1

2006

First Round

Detroit defeated Indiana 2-0

Connecticut defeated Washington 2-0

Los Angeles defeated Seattle 2-1

Sacramento defeated Houston 2-0

Conference Finals

East - Detroit defeated Connecticut 2-1

West - Sacramento defeated Los Angeles 2-0

Championship

Detroit defeated Sacramento, 3-2

2007

First Round 

Detroit defeated New York 2-1

Indiana defeated Connecticut 2-1

Phoenix defeated Seattle 2-0

San Antonio defeated Sacramento 2-1

Conference Finals

East - Detroit defeated Indiana 2-1

West - Phoenix defeated San Antonio 2-0

Championship

Phoenix defeated Detroit 3-2

2008

First Round

Detroit defeated Indiana 2-1

New York defeated Connecticut 2-1

San Antonio defeated Sacramento 2-1

Los Angeles defeated Seattle 2-1

Conference Finals

East - Detroit defeated New York 2-1

West - San Antonio defeated Los Angeles 2-1

Championship

Detroit defeated San Antonio 3-0

Awards, Honors and Annual Leaders

 

WNBA All Star Game

* The US Olympic Team (Consisting of the best players in the WNBA) played an WNBA All Star Team instead of the traditional All-Star format of years past.

 

All -WNBA Teams

1997

First Team

Eva Nemcova, Forward, Cleveland Rockers

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Cynthia Cooper, Guard, Houston Comets

Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, Guard, Sacramento Monarchs 

Second Team

Wendy Palmer, Forward, Utah Starzz

Rebecca Lobo, Forward, New York Liberty

Jennifer Gillom, Center, Phoenix Mercury

Teresa Weatherspoon, Guard, New York Liberty

Andrea Stinson, Guard, Charlotte Sting

1998

First Team

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Jennifer Gillom, Center, Phoenix Mercury

Suzie McConnell Serio, Guard, Cleveland Rockers

Cynthia Cooper, Guard, Houston Comets 

Second Team

Eva Nemcova, Forward, Cleveland Rockers

Cindy Brown, Forward, Detroit Shock

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Teresa Weatherspoon, Guard, New York Liberty

Andrea Stinson, Guard, Charlotte Sting 

1999

First Team

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Natalie Williams, Forward, Utah Starzz

Yolanda Griffith, Center, Sacramento Monarchs

Cynthia Cooper, Guard, Houston Comets

Ticha Penicheiro, Guard, Sacramento Monarchs 

Second Team

Chamique Holdsclaw, Forward, Washington Mystics

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Teresa Weatherspoon, Guard, New York Liberty

Shannon Johnson, Guard, Orlando Miracle 

2000

First Team

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Natalie Williams, Forward, Utah Starzz

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Cynthia Cooper, Guard, Houston Comets

Ticha Penicheiro, Guard, Sacramento Monarchs 

Second Team

Katie Smith, Forward, Minnesota Lynx

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Yolanda Grifith, Center, Sacramento Monarchs

Teresa Weatherspoon, Guard, New York Liberty

Betty Lennox, Minnesota Lynx

Shannon Johnson, Orlando Miracle, Guard

2001

First Team

Katie Smith, Forward, Minnesota Lynx 

Natalie Williams, Forward, Utah Starzz

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Janeth Arcain, Guard, Houston Comets

Merlakia Jones, Guard, Cleveland Rockers 

Second Team

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Chamique Holdsclaw, Forward, Washington Mystics

Yolanda Grifith, Center, Sacramento Monarchs

Ticha Penicheiro, Guard, Sacramento Monarchs

Tamecka Dixon, Guard, Los Angeles Sparks

2002

First Team

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Sue Bird, Guard, Seattle Storm

Mwadi Mabika, Guard, Los Angeles Sparks 

Second Team

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Chamique Holdsclaw, Forward, Washington Mystics

Tari Phillips, Center, New York Liberty 

Katie Smith, Guard, Minnesota Lynx

Shannon Johnson, Guard, Orlando Miracle 

2003

First Team

Lauren Jackson, Forward, Seattle Storm

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Katie Smith, Guard, Minnesota Lynx

Sue Bird, Guard, Seattle Storm 

Second Team

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Swin Cash, Forward, Detroit Shock

Cheryl Ford, Center, Detroit Shock

Nikki Teasley, Guard, Los Angeles Sparks

Deanna Nolan, Guard, Detroit Shock 

2004

First Team

Lauren Jackson, Forward, Seattle Storm

Tina Thompson, Forward, Houston Comets

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Diana Taurasi, Guard, Phoenix Mercury

Sue Bird, Guard, Seattle Storm 

Second Team

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Swin Cash, Forward, Detroit Shock

Yolanda Griffith, Center, Sacramento Monarchs

Nikki Teasley, Guard, Los Angeles Sparks

Nykesha Sales, Guard, Connecticut Sun 

2005

First Team

Lauren Jackson, Forward, Seattle Storm

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets

Yolanda Griffith, Center, Sacramento Monarchs

Deanna Nolan, Guard, Detroit Shock

Sue Bird, Guard, Seattle Storm 

Second Team

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Forward, Connecticut Sun

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Becky Hammon, Guard, New York Liberty

Diana Taurasi, Guard, Phoenix Mercury 

2006

First Team

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks 

Diana Taurasi, Guard, Phoenix Mercury

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Lauren Jackson, Forward, Seattle Storm

Katie Douglas, Guard, Connecticut Sun 

Second Team

Cheryl Ford, Center, Detroit Shock 

Alana Beard, Guard, Washington Mystics

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Forward, Connecticut Sun

Seimone Augustus, Guard, Minnesota Lynx 

Sheryl Swoopes, Forward, Houston Comets 

2007

First Team

Lauren Jackson, Center, Seattle Storm 

Becky Hammon, Guard, San Antonio Silver Stars

Diana Taurasi, Forward, Phoenix Mercury

Deanna Nolan, Guard, Detroit Shock

Penny Taylor, Forward, Phoenix Mercury

Second Team

Tamika Catchings, Forward, Indiana Fever

Katie Douglas, Guard, Connecticut Sun

Tina Thompson, Center, Houston Comets

Seimone Augustus, Guard, Minnesota Lynx 

Sophia Young, Forward, San Antonio Silver Stars 

2008

First Team

Candace Parker, Forward, Los Angeles Sparks

Lisa Leslie, Center, Los Angeles Sparks

Lindsay Whalen, Guard, Connecticut Sun

Diana Taurasi, Guard/Forward, Phoenix Mercury

Sophia Young, Forward, San Antonio Silver Stars

Second Team

Sue Bird, Guard, Seattle Storm 

Becky Hammon, Guard, San Antonio Silver Stars

Asjha Jones, Forward, Connecticut Sun

Deanna Nolan, Guard/Forward, Detroit Shock

Lauren Jackson, Center, Seattle Storm

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> WNBA 10th Anniversary All-Decade Team

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (2002-Current) 

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever (2001-Current) 

Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets (1997-2000, 2003) 

Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento Monarchs (1999-Current) 

Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (2001-Current) 

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks (1997-Current) 

Katie Smith, Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005), Detroit Shock (2005-Current) 

Dawn Staley, Charlotte Sting (1999-2005), Houston Comets (2005-Current) 

Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets (1997-Current) 

Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (1997-Current) 

Honorable Mentions

Ruthie Bolton, Sacramento Monarchs (1997-2004) 

Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics (1999-2004), Los Angeles Sparks (2005-Current) 

Ticha Penicheiro, Sacramento Monarchs (1998-Current) 

Diana Taurasi ,Phoenix Mercury (2004-Current) 

Teresa Weatherspoon, New York Liberty (1997-2003), Los Angeles Sparks (2004)

 

Career Leaders