2012 Media Guide - WNBA.com

SEVEN CONSECUTIVE WNBA PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
September 4, 1999
New York Liberty guard Teresa Weatherspoon nails a shot from
beyond the midcourt line with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the
Liberty a 68-67 victory over the Houston Comets in Game 2 of the
WNBA Finals. The shot sends the series to a decisive Game 3,
which the Comets win to claim their third straight WNBA title.
June 7, 2000
Cleveland Rockers forward Eva Nemcova ends her record-streak
of 66 consecutive free throws with a miss against Orlando.
Nemcova did not miss from the foul line from June 14, 1999 to
June 5, 2000.
July 17, 2000
The West defeats the East 73-61 at the 2000 WNBA All-Star
Game, hosted by the Phoenix Mercury at America West Arena.
Houston’s Tina Thompson captures MVP honors.
August 25, 2000
Cleveland Rockers guard Suzie McConnell Serio is named the
recipient of the first Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award presented by
American General, named in honor of Houston’s Kim Perrot, who
died of cancer in 1999.
August 26, 2000
Cynthia Cooper turns in a clutch performance to earn her fourth
WNBA Finals MVP as the Houston Comets claim fourth straight
title by defeating the New York Liberty. In Game 1 at Madison
Square Garden, Cooper converts a crucial three-point play with
25.4 seconds remaining to push the Comets’ lead to five. In Game
2, she scores six of her 25 points in overtime and nine of
Houston’s final 18 points. It marks Cooper’s last appearance in the
WNBA Finals. She retires as the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader.
June 2, 2001
Houston’s Van Chancellor becomes first WNBA coach to record
100 victories as the Comets defeat the Detroit Shock 74-73.
June 7, 2001
Utah Starzz center Margo Dydek records the WNBA's second
triple-double, setting a league record for blocked shots in the
process as her 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks leads Utah
to an 82-79 win over Orlando.
July 3, 2001
Washington and Seattle battle through quadruple overtime – the
longest game in WNBA history – before the Mystics edge the
Storm 72-69.
July 7, 2001
Minnesota Lynx guard Katie Smith sets the WNBA single-game
scoring record with a 46-point performance, including six threepointers,
in a 100-95 overtime loss to Los Angeles.
July 14, 2001
The West wins the 2001 WNBA All-Star Game in Orlando,
defeating the East 80-72. Lisa Leslie earns her second All-Star
MVP award.
July 30, 2001
Lisa Leslie scores her 2,538th point to become the WNBA’s career
scoring leader, surpassing Cynthia Cooper.
WNBA HISTORY
Current WNBA President Laurel Richie began her post in 2011.
August 10, 2001
Katie Smith scores 22 points in Minnesota’s 65-51 win over Seattle
to break the WNBA single-season scoring record of 686 points set
by Cynthia Cooper in 1999.
August 11, 2001
Los Angeles becomes the first team to go undefeated at home for
an entire season, finishing 16-0 at the STAPLES Center.
August 27, 2001
The Charlotte Sting, after dropping the opener of the Eastern
Conference Finals at home, go into Madison Square Garden and
take both games against the Liberty to derail New York’s hopes of
making a third consecutive trip to the WNBA Finals. Charlotte
advances to the Finals after a 1-10 season start.
September 1, 2001
The Los Angeles Sparks claim their first WNBA Championship to
give the city of Los Angeles a sweep of professional basketball
titles in 2001. Lisa Leslie becomes the first WNBA player to
capture all three MVP awards in the same season, joining NBA
greats Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Willis Reed as the
only pro hoopsters to accomplish this feat.
Sparks coach Michael Cooper becomes the first person to claim
NBA and WNBA titles, having won five championships as a player
with the Lakers.
September 1, 2001
The WNBA welcomes its 10 millionth fan prior to Game 2 of the
WNBA Finals at the STAPLES Center.
November 13, 2001
The Seattle Storm win the first pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft in the
inaugural WNBA Draft Lottery.
June 4, 2002
Katie Smith becomes the WNBA’s all-time career leader for threepointers
(233), surpassing Cynthia Cooper (232).
June 5, 2002
Teresa Weatherspoon becomes the first WNBA player to record
1,000 assists during the Liberty’s 60-59 victory over the Detroit
Shock at Madison Square Garden.
June 8, 2002
The Orlando Miracle and the Cleveland Rockers square off for the
longest game in WNBA history. The Miracle claims a 103-99
victory in the 2:57 contest that spans three overtime periods.
June 22, 2002
Utah Starzz forward Natalie Williams records the first 20/20
performance in WNBA history when she scores 22 points and
grabs 20 rebounds in Utah’s 77-61 win over the Sacramento
Monarchs at ARCO Arena.
July 15, 2002
The West earns its fourth straight victory in the 2002 WNBA All-
Star Game in Washington, D.C., edging the East 81-76. Lisa
Leslie takes All-Star MVP honors for the second straight year and
third time in her career.
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