2012 Media Guide - WNBA.com

SEVEN CONSECUTIVE WNBA PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
July 27, 2007
Lauren Jackson scores her 4,000th career point during a 89-75
win over the Indiana Fever, becoming the youngest and fastest
player in league history to reach the milestone. Jackson reaches
the milestone in 209 games.
September 5, 2007
Lauren Jackson is named MVP of the league for the second time
after having also earned the honor in 2003. Jackson led the WNBA
in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles and was also named
the WNBA’s Player of the Week on five occasions. Jackson joined
Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper as the only
players in WNBA history to capture multiple MVP honors.
September 16, 2007
The 2007 WNBA Finals see the Phoenix Mercury win their firstever
championship behind the play of Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor
and Cappie Pondexter, who was named Finals MVP. It marked
the first time that a the WNBA Championship has been won on the
road, and Mercury head coach Paul Westhead became the first
head coach to win both a WNBA title and an NBA title (1980, Los
Angeles Lakers). Total attendance for the 2007 WNBA Finals
between the Phoenix Mercury and the Detroit Shock was 74,178,
establishing a new all-time WNBA Finals record. In addition, Game
5’s crowd of 22,076 at The Palace of Auburn Hills tied the all-time,
single-game attendance record for the WNBA Finals.
October 17, 2007
WNBA President Donna Orender announces that the City of
Atlanta was awarded a WNBA expansion team for the 2008
season. The new team will be owned and operated by Atlanta
businessman J. Ronald Terwilliger.
October 23, 2007
The Los Angeles Sparks win the seventh annual Draft Lottery and
earned the top pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft. The Sparks won the
lottery for the first time in franchise history, after tying the
Minnesota Lynx for fewest wins in 2007.
January 23, 2008
The Atlanta expansion franchise unveils their team name, logo and
colors. The Atlanta Dream’s color scheme will consist of sky blue
and red.
January 28, 2008
The WNBA and the WNBAPA sign the league’s third collective
bargaining agreement covering six seasons, commencing with the
2008 season and continuing through 2013.
January 29, 2008
Rule changes are announced for the 2008 season and include the
following: the inbounding rule will permit a player to pass the ball
anywhere (frontcourt or backcourt) on the court during the final
minute of the fourth period and the final minute of any overtime
period; players not occupying lane spaces shall now remain
behind the three-point line (above the free-throw line extended)
during free-throws; and instant-replay rules will now require
automatic video reviews by the officiating crew in the case of
flagrant fouls that result in ejections and other player altercations.
February 6, 2008
The WNBA holds an Expansion Draft to build the inaugural roster
of the Atlanta Dream. The Dream selected one player from each
team, including Betty Lennox, Katie Feenstra, Erika DeSouza and
Kristin Haynie. The Dream also orchestrated trades for Iziane
Castro Marques and Ivory Latta.
WNBA HISTORY
February 28, 2008
Force 10 Hoops, L.L.C., the entity owned by Seattle
businesswomen and civic leaders Anne Levinson, Ginny Gilder,
Lisa Brummel and Dawn Trudeau, purchases the Seattle Storm.
Seven WNBA teams now fall under the independent ownership
model: the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun,
Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm and
Washington Mystics.
April 4, 2008
North Carolina State Head Coach Kay Yow is honored with the
WNBA’s Inspiring Coach Award during the Women’s Final Four
activities in Tampa, Florida.
April 9, 2008
The 2008 WNBA Draft presented by adidas takes place in Tampa,
marking the third year that the draft was held immediately following
the NCAA Women’s Division I Championship Game and
conducted in the same city as the Final Four. Candace Parker,
Sylvia Fowles and Candice Wiggins were selected as the top three
overall picks.
May 17, 2008
Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks nearly posts a tripledouble
in her pro debut on vs. Phoenix. She had 34 points, 12
rebounds and 8 assists. Her 34 points broke the record for a
rookie in a debut game.
May 29, 2008
On May 29 in a double-overtime loss at Indiana, Candace Parker
becomes the first player in WNBA history to record a 5x5, which is
total of five or more in five different categories. Parker had 16
points, 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and five steals.
June 6, 2008
Tina Thompson of the Houston Comets becomes just the second
player in WNBA history to reach the 5,000 point milestone, joining
Lisa Leslie.
June 22 & 24, 2008
Candace Parker dunks in back-to-back games, joining Lisa Leslie
as the only players to have dunked in a WNBA game.
June 24, 2008
Tamika Catchings became the first recipient of the Dawn Staley
Leadership Award, recognizing the player who best exemplifies
the characteristics of a leader in the community and reflects
Staley’s leadership, spirit, charitable efforts and love for the game.
June 28, 2008
Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks becomes the first WNBA
player to record 3,000 career rebounds.
July 30, 2008
Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC News’ Good Morning America,
is honored as the recipient of the 2008 WNBA Inspiration Award.
Roberts is the keynote speaker at the WNBA Inspiring Women
Luncheon in San Francisco, an event that also honored the U.S.
Olympic Women’s Basketball Team and served as a final send-off
to the Beijing for the Olympic Games.
Tamika Catchings, president of the WNBAPA, was instrumental in reaching a new collective bargaining agreement in 2008.
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