Who is the best WNBA player of all time? The 10 greatest female hoopers listed

Female basketball players have been setting impressive court records since the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) inaugural season in 1997. Who is the best WNBA player of all time? Get acquainted with these legends of women’s basketball and their career achievements.

Who is considered the best WNBA player of all time? It may be challenging to pick out one greatest hoopers of all time because of the factors to consider, including performance, championships, and scoring record. However, these women have set the pace in basketball with their consistency and talent. Who is the best WNBA of all time? Read on and find out.

Who is the best WNBA player of all time?

The WNBA was founded in 1996 and had its first championship in 1997. Some of these women have been around since the start of the league, maintaining top spots in various capacities as they usher in newer players. Here are the best female WNBA basketball players of all time:

Single NBA players in 2023: A list of NBA players that are currently single

NBA

1. Diana Taurasi

• Full name: Diana Lorena Taurasi
• Date of birth: June 11, 1982
• Team: Phoenix Mercury
• Position: Point guard

Who is the best WNBA player of all time? According to ESPN and other sources, Diana Taurasi is the best female basketballer of all time. She is an American national who joined the basketball association in 2004.

Taurasi has been part of the Phoenix Mercury throughout her career. The 40-year-old is from Glendale, California and boasts three championships (2007, 2009, and 2014). In addition, she is the all-time leading scorer and the only player with over 9,000 points. Taurasi is known for her offensive prowess and has the highest offensive win share total of 60.49.

2. Tamika Catchings

• Full name: Tamika Devonne Catchings
• Date of birth: July 21, 1979
• Team: Indiana Fever
• Position: Small forward

Who are the 15 best left-handed basketball players in the league right now?

NBA

Tamika, who also ranks among the best WNBA basketball players of all time, was born in Stratford, New Jersey, and is the daughter of Harvey Catchings, who was in the NBA between 1974 and 1985. Catchings was drafted by the Indiana Pacers of the WNBA in 2001. She did not play with any other team throughout her career.

The player won one championship in 2012 and is the only player in the WNBA to rank top 10 in steals, points, rebounds, and assists. Moreover, the retired player is a five-time Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time All-WNBA First Team.

3. Cynthia Cooper

• Full name: Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dykе
• Date of birth: April 14, 1963
• Team: Houston Comets
• Position: Point guard, shooting guard

Cynthia is known as one of the best scorers in the WNBA and was the first MVP of the league. She joined the Houston Comets in 1997 and played with them until 2000 when she became the Phoenix Mercury coach.

Ranking the 10 best Asian NBA players to ever play the game

NBA

In 2003, Cooper went back to the court for one year before retiring in 2004. Her career stats include 21 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.56 steals.

4. Lauren Jackson

• Full name: Lauren Elizabeth Jackson
• Date of birth: May 11, 1981
• Team: Southside Flyers
• Position: Power forward, centre

Lauren, an Australian national born in May 1981, is among WNBA’s most famous players. She is a two-time championship winner (2004 and 2010) and a three-time MVP (2003, 2007, 2010). Lauren started playing professionally in 1997 with the Australian Institute of Sport, then joined the Canberra Capitals of the WNBA between 1999 and 2006.

The 42-year-old plays for the Southside Flyers, which she joined in 2022. She is ranked among the best WNBA players in 2023. In 2019, Jackson was listed in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.

5. Lisa Leslie

• Full name: Lisa Deshaun Leslie
• Date of birth: July 7, 1972
• Team: Los Angeles Sparks
• Position: Centre

Ranking the 15 best light skin basketball players in the NBA right now

NBA

Lisa Leslie was born in Compton, California, in July 1972. She started playing in college (University of South Carolina) but started playing professionally in 1997.

Leslie is among the WNBA players' best centres. She played for the Los Angeles Sparks until 2009. The athlete won two championships in 2000 and 2001 and three MVPs (2001, 2004, and 2006). Lisa made history by becoming the first player in the WNBA to dunk. She also represented her country at the Olympics.

6. Maya Moore

• Full name: Maya April Moore
• Date of birth: June 11, 1989
• Team: Minnesota Lynx
• Position: Small forward

Maya comes from Jefferson City, Missouri, and is one of the best WNBA players of all time. She played for the Minnesota Lynx between 2011 and 2018. She has four championships and one Finals MVP. Moore also represented America at the Olympics.

Who is the best baseball player of all time? The 10 greatest baseball players ever ranked

Baseball

In 2013, Moore won the Spanish League and EuroLeague titles with Rod Casares Valencia. She also won the Chinese League title consecutively between 2013 and 2015. The former small forward left the pitch in 2019 to pursue Criminal Justice reforms.

7. Candace Parker

• Full name: Candace Nicole Parker
• Date of birth: April 19, 1986
• Team: Las Vegas Aces, Chicago Sparks
• Position: Power forward

Candace was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in April 1986. The 37-year-old started playing in high school, where she won the USA Today Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. In December 2001, Parker made the first slam dunk by a female athlete in Illinois. She was also the first woman to win the slam dunk contest at the McDonald’s All-American game in 2004.

Parker, one of the best WNBA players in the world, is a one-time championship winner (2016), two-time MVP, and a finals MVP (2013). The 2008 Rookie of the Year played for the Los Angeles Sparks from 2008 to 2020 and the Chicago Sky between 2021 and 2022. She is currently the power forward for the Las Vegas Aces.

A ranked list of the 10 best and oldest NBA players in the league right now

NBA

8. Sheryl Swoopes

• Full name: Sheryl Denise Swoopes
• Date of birth: March 25, 1971
• Teams: Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, Tulsa Shock
• Position: Shooting guard, small forward

Sheryl is a retired basketball player born in 1971. She played for three teams during her career, attaining four consecutive championships between 1997 and 2000. Sheryl was the first player signed in the WNBA in 1997 and was named one of the league’s top 15 players of all time in 2011.

Swoopes has three Olympic gold medals and is one of eleven female players to attain a gold medal, an NCAA championship, a Fiba World Cup Gold, and a WNBA title. She was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

9. Sylvia Fowles

• Full name: Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles
• Date of birth: October 6, 1985
• Teams: Chicago Sky, Minnesota Lynx
• Position: Centre

A list of the best madden players in each position right now

NFL

Sylvia was born in Miami, Florida, and joined WNBA’s Chicago Sky in the 2008 Draft. She stayed with them until 2014, winning two WNBA All-Star awards. Fowles then moved to the Minnesota Lynx, where she played from 2015 to 2022.

The incredible centre is a two-time championship (2015 and 2017). In 2020, Sylvia reigned as the top WNBA career rebound leader. She has also played for teams overseas, including Russia’s Spartak Moscow between 2008 and 2010 and China between 2013 and 2018.

10. Sue Bird

• Full name: Suzanne Brigit Bird
• Date of birth: October 16, 1980
• Team: Seattle Storms
• Positions: Point guard

Sue Bird is one of the top 10 best WNBA players of all time. She was in the WNBA for 22 years, playing for the Seattle Storms as a point guard. She is the only player in the league to win WNBA titles in three decades (2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020). She retired in 2022 after playing in 19 seasons.

Best rebounders of all time: who are the best rebounders in basketball history?

NBA

Bird won the Commissioner’s Cup Champion in 2021 and ranks second in three-pointers. The athlete has also represented her country at the Olympics and played for Russia between 2004 and 2005.

Who are the best WNBA players of all time? These women, some retired and others still actively playing, have made a lasting impact on the basketball scene. As the league grows, these individuals' performances and records will serve as a benchmark for upcoming players.

READ ALSO: Top 20 most attractive WNBA players

Sports Brief published a list of the top 20 most attractive players in the WNBA. These gorgeous women are endowed with stunning physical features that hardly go unnoticed. Who are some of these athletes?

Chelsea Dungee is one of the hottest female basketball players. The American sportswoman started playing in college. Others include Australian Liz Cambage, Lexie Brown, and Tiffany Mitchell. Check out the above article for the complete list of WNBA beauties.