1999 Houston Comets season

Last updated

1999 Houston Comets season
Coach Van Chancellor
Arena Compaq Center
Attendance11,906 per game
Results
Record266 (.813)
Place1st (Western)
Playoff finishWon WNBA Finals

The 1999 WNBA season was the third season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won their third WNBA Finals.

Contents

WNBA draft

PickPlayerNationalitySchool/Club Team
12Natalia ZasulskayaFlag of Russia.svg  Russia Russia
24Sonja HenningFlag of the United States.svg  United States Stanford
36 Kara Wolters Flag of the United States.svg  United States UConn
48Jennifer RizzottiFlag of the United States.svg  United States UConn

[1]

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Conference WLPCTConf.GB
New York Liberty x1814.56312–8
Detroit Shock x1517.46912–83.0
Charlotte Sting x1517.46912–83.0
Orlando Miracle o1517.4699–113.0
Washington Mystics o1220.37510–106.0
Cleveland Rockers o725.2195–1511.0

Season Schedule

DateOpponentScoreResultRecord
June 10@ Orlando 77-63Win1-0
June 12 Washington 88-63Win2-0
June 17 Utah 93-73Win3-0
June 19@ Minnesota 69-55Win4-0
June 22 Los Angeles 84-76Win5-0
June 24@ Detroit 77-65Win6-0
June 25@ Washington 72-69Win7-0
June 28 Orlando 66-68Loss7-1
June 30@ Utah 78-68Win8-1
July 1 Cleveland 76-64Win9-1
July 3 New York 65-50Win10-1
July 6 Minnesota 80-54Win11-1
July 8@ Sacramento 63-74Loss11-2
July 9@ Phoenix 71-70Win12-2
July 11 Sacramento 68-63Win13-2
July 16@ Utah 88-84Win14-2
July 18@ Los Angeles 65-78Loss14-3
July 19@ Phoenix 48-60Loss14-4
July 23@ Charlotte 75-62Win15-4
July 25@ Minnesota 62-57Win16-4
July 27 Detroit 85-46Win17-4
July 29@ Cleveland 71-65Win18-4
July 31 Phoenix 77-70Win19-4
August 2 Sacramento 75-70Win20-4
August 6 Charlotte 81-51Win21-4
August 8@ New York 71-74Loss21-5
August 12 Los Angeles 83-61Win22-5
August 14 Minnesota 71-53Win23-5
August 16 Utah 80-71Win24-5
August 18 Phoenix 70-60Win25-5
August 20@ Los Angeles 64-68Loss25-6
August 21@ Sacramento 74-65Win26-6
August 26 (West Finals, G1)@ Los Angeles 60-75Loss0-1
August 29 (West Finals, G2) Los Angeles 83-55Win1-1
August 30 (West Finals, G3) Los Angeles 72-62Win2-1
September 2 (WNBA Finals, G1)@ New York 73-60Win3-1
September 4 (WNBA Finals, G2) New York 67-68Loss3-2
September 5 (WNBA Finals, G3) New York 59-47Win4-2

Playoffs

Led by what was already known as the Big Three, (Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson), the Comets survived a highlight film last second, court to court game winning shot by the Liberty's Teresa Weatherspoon in Game 2 of the finals to beat the Liberty in three games and win their third straight title, this one after the death of teammate Kim Perrot, who died of cancer.

[2]

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's National Basketball Association</span> Professional womens basketball league in the United States

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Comets</span> WNBA womens basketball team

The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Houston. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. They are one of two teams in the WNBA that are undefeated in the WNBA Finals; the Seattle Storm are the other. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and are tied with the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm for the most championships of any WNBA franchise. Despite all of their success, the team was folded and disbanded by the league in 2008 during the height of the Great Recession because new ownership could not be found.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Sparks</span> Womens basketball team

The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began. Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. As of 2023, the Sparks are the most recent franchise to win back-to-back titles.

Kim Perrot was an American basketball player. She played in the WNBA for the Houston Comets and won three championships, the 3rd one being a posthumous honor by the Comets after her passing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynthia Cooper-Dyke</span> American basketball coach and former player

Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke is an American basketball coach and former player who has won championships in college, in the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered by many as one of the greatest female basketball players ever. In 2011, Cooper-Dyke was voted by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history. Upon the league's formation, she played for the Houston Comets from 1997 to 2000, being named the Most Valuable Player of the WNBA Finals in all four seasons, and returned to play again in 2003. Cooper-Dyke still holds the record for most Finals MVPs with four. On April 30, 2019, she was introduced as the head coach for the Texas Southern Lady Tigers basketball team, a position she held in the 2012–13 season. She has also coached at USC, UNC Wilmington, Prairie View A&M, and, professionally, for the Phoenix Mercury. Cooper-Dyke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheryl Swoopes</span> American basketball player

Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American former professional basketball player. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game. Swoopes has won three Olympic gold medals and is one of eleven women's basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a Fiba world cup gold, and a WNBA title. She was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2017, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Thompson</span> Basketball player

Tina Marie Thompson is an American former WNBA professional basketball player and coach. Most recently, she served as the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team from 2018 to 2022. Thompson was inducted into both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Chancellor</span> American basketball player and coach

Van Winston Chancellor is an American former college and professional basketball coach. He coached University of Mississippi women's basketball, Louisiana State University women's basketball, and the professional Houston Comets. He was named head coach of the Lady Tigers on April 11, 2007, replacing Pokey Chatman. In 2001, Chancellor was elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2007. Chancellor currently serves as an analyst for Southland Conference games on ESPN3.

The 1997 WNBA draft was the inaugural draft held by the WNBA through which teams could select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. Unlike later drafts, this draft was unique because there were three different stages in which teams built their rosters.

The following are the basketball events of the year 2000 throughout the world.

The Women's National Basketball Association's All-Decade Team were chosen in 2006 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the WNBA from amongst 30 nominees compiled by the league by fan, media, coach, and player voting. The team was to comprise the 10 best and most influential players of the first decade of the WNBA, with consideration also accorded to sportsmanship, community service, leadership, and contribution to the growth of women's basketball; only players to have competed in the WNBA were eligible, but extra-league achievements were considered.

The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won the inaugural WNBA Finals.

The 2000 WNBA season was the fourth season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won their fourth WNBA Finals and their last title in franchise history before disbanding in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 WNBA Championship</span> First championship of the WNBA

The 1997 WNBA Championship was the championship game of the 1997 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Houston Comets, top-seeded team of the league, defeated the New York Liberty, second-seeded team, 65-51 to win the league's inaugural championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 WNBA Championship</span> Review of the playoffs

The 1998 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 1998 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Houston Comets, top-seeded team of the league, defeated the Phoenix Mercury, third-seeded team of the league, two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Houston's second straight title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mistie Bass</span> American basketball player (born 1983)

Mistie McCray Bass is an American professional women's basketball player who is currently a free agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 WNBA Championship</span>

The 2000 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2000 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Houston Comets, second-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, first-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a best-of-three series. This was Houston's fourth title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 WNBA Championship</span>

The 1999 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 1999 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Houston Comets, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Houston's third title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 WNBA All-Star Game</span>

The 2011 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 23, 2011 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, home of the San Antonio Silver Stars. The game was the 10th WNBA All-Star Game, which has been held annually since 1999 except in 2004, 2008, and 2010. This was the first time San Antonio hosted the basketball showcase, and only the second time in league history for the game to be held by a Western Conference franchise.

The USC Trojans women's basketball team, or the Women of Troy, is the collegiate women's basketball team that represents the University of Southern California, in the Pac-12 Conference. The team rose to prominence in 1976, at which time scholarships became available to female basketball players. They were the first Division I team to give these scholarships.

References

  1. "Houston Comets Draft History". WNBA.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  2. "1999 Houston Comets Stats".
  3. 1 2 3 "Postseason Awards: 1999". WNBA.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.