2012 Media Guide - WNBA.com

SEVEN CONSECUTIVE WNBA PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
September 26, 2009
Lisa Leslie tallies 22 points and 9 rebounds in the final game of her
WNBA career as the Los Angeles Sparks are defeated by the
Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference Finals. Leslie had
previously announced that 2009 would be her final season, and
retires as the all-time WNBA leader in points (6,263) and rebounds
(3,307).
September 29, 2009
The Mercury’s Diana Taurasi wins the WNBA Most Valuable
Player Award presented by Kia Motors, marking the first MVP
honor of her professional career. Taurasi tallied 20.4 points per
game and recorded 20+ points in 20 games in 2009.
October 9, 2009
The Phoenix Mercury defeats the Indiana Fever to clinch the
WNBA Championship for the second time in three years. Finals
MVP Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor led the
Mercury and held off a late rally by the tenacious Fever for a 94-86
victory in the deciding Game 5. The 2009 WNBA Finals also
featured three sellouts plus the highest total attendance figure
(82,018) in WNBA Finals history. Overall, average attendance for
the 2009 WNBA Playoffs increased 18.5% over 2008 (9,979 vs.
8,420).
October 20, 2009
The Detroit Shock relocates to Tulsa, Oklahoma under the
ownership of Bill Cameron, David Box and Tulsa Pro Hoops, LLC.
Nolan Richardson is named the team’s general manager and head
coach.
October 29, 2009
Kathy Betty becomes managing partner of the Atlanta Dream after
the investment group Dream Too, LLC purchases the team from
Terwilliger.
November 5, 2009
The Minnesota Lynx win the ninth annual WNBA Draft Lottery and
earned the top pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft. Minnesota had 428
chances out of 1,000 to receive the first overall selection by virtue
of owning New York’s combinations (261) in addition to its own
(167).
November 20, 2009
The Maloof Family announces that they will no longer operate the
Sacramento Monarchs.
December 4, 2009
The WNBA Competition Committee and Board of Governors
approves the expanded use of instant replay by game officials in
the following situations: 1.) To determine at any point during the
game whether a 24-second shot clock violation occurred prior to
the release of a successful field goal attempt or prior to a foul
being committed and 2.) To determine during the last minute of
regulation play and the last minute of any overtime period which
player last touched the ball prior to it going out-of-bounds or
whether the ball was last touched simultaneously by two
opponents.
WNBA HISTORY
December 14, 2009
The WNBA holds a Dispersal Draft of the Sacramento Monarchs
players. The New York Liberty selected Nicole Powell with the first
pick while the Minnesota Lynx chose Rebekkah Brunson second
and the Connecticut Sun took DeMya Walker third. The Chicago
Sky selected Courtney Paris and the San Antonio Silver Stars took
Laura Harper to round out the top five picks. Teams drafted in
inverse order of their regular-season finish in 2009.
January 23, 2010
The Tulsa franchise, with new ownership that brought the team
from its former home in Detroit, announces it will keep the name
“Shock,” and unveils a new logo and color scheme featuring black,
red and gold.
April 8, 2010
The 2010 WNBA Draft presented by adidas takes place at the
NBA Entertainment studios in Secaucus, NJ. Tina Charles,
Monica Wright, Kelsey Griffin, Epiphanny Prince and Jayne Appel,
respectively, were the top five selections.
May 15, 2010
The newly relocated Shock – complete with new ownership, a new
head coach in Nolan Richardson, new colors and a new logo – tipoff
their first game in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
August 8, 2010
Tina Thompson surpasses Lisa Leslie’s WNBA career scoring
mark of 6,263, making her the highest scoring player in league
history.
August 13, 2010
Phoenix’s Tangela Smith plays in her 411th career game, breaking
Vickie Johnson’s previous record for most career games played.
August 15, 2010
In a game against Indiana, rookie Tina Charles of the Connecticut
Sun sets WNBA single-season records for most double-doubles
and total rebounds in a single season.
September 7, 2010
Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry scores a WNBA Playoffs record 42
points in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals, a 105-93
victory over the New York Liberty. In that same game, New York’s
Cappie Pondexter tallies 36 points. Their combined total of 78
points set a WNBA record for most total points by two players in
the same post-season game.
September 16, 2010
The Seattle Storm won the 2010 WNBA championship by
defeating the Atlanta Dream 87-84 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals
in Atlanta's Philips Arena. The Storm swept the Dream 3-0 in the
best-of-five series and Seattle center Lauren Jackson, the league’s
regular season MVP, was named MVP of The Finals. It is the
Storm’s second championship and first since 2004.
December 3, 2010
Donna Orender steps down as WNBA President to launch her own
marketing, media and strategy company.
Phoenix beat Indiana in Game 1 of the 2009 WNBA Finals, 120-116, to record the highest-scoring game in playoff history.
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