2001 WNBA season

Last updated

2001 WNBA season
League Women's National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
DurationMay 28 - September 1, 2001
Number of games32
Number of teams16
Total attendance2,322,962
Average attendance9,074
TV partner(s) ESPN, NBC
2001 WNBA Draft
Top draft pick Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lauren Jackson
Picked by Seattle Storm
Regular season
Season MVP Flag of the United States.svg Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Charlotte Sting
  Eastern runners-up New York Liberty
Western champions Los Angeles Sparks
  Western runners-up Sacramento Monarchs
Finals
Champions Los Angeles Sparks
  Runners-up Charlotte Sting
Finals MVP Flag of the United States.svg Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
WNBA seasons

The 2001 WNBA season was the Women's National Basketball Association's fifth season. The season ended with the Los Angeles Sparks winning their first WNBA championship.

Contents

Regular season

Standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference WLPCTConf.GB
Cleveland Rockers x2210.68815–6–
New York Liberty x2111.65613–81.0
Miami Sol x2012.62514–72.0
Charlotte Sting x1814.56315–64.0
Orlando Miracle o1319.4069–129.0
Indiana Fever o1022.3137–1412.0
Detroit Shock o1022.3137–1412.0
Washington Mystics o1022.3134–1712.0

Western Conference

Western Conference WLPCTConf.GB
Los Angeles Sparks x284.87519–2–
Sacramento Monarchs x2012.62513–88.0
Utah Starzz x1913.59411–109.0
Houston Comets x1913.59413–89.0
Phoenix Mercury o1319.4068–1315.0
Minnesota Lynx o1220.3759–1216.0
Portland Fire o1121.3445–1617.0
Seattle Storm o1022.3136–1518.0

Note: Teams with an "X" clinched playoff spots.

Playoffs

The top four teams from each conference qualified for the playoffs and were seeded based on their regular season standings.

Conference semifinals
Best-of-3		Conference finals
Best-of-3 		WNBA Finals
Best-of-3
         
E1 Cleveland 1
E4 Charlotte 2
E4 Charlotte 2
Eastern Conference
E2 New York 1
E2 New York 2
E3 Miami 1
E4 Charlotte 0
W1 Los Angeles 2
W1 Los Angeles 2
W4 Houston 0
W1 Los Angeles 2
Western Conference
W2 Sacramento 1
W2 Sacramento 2
W3 Utah 0

Awards

Reference: [1]

Individual

AwardWinnerTeam
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
Finals MVP Lisa LeslieLos Angeles Sparks
Defensive Player of the Year Debbie Black Miami Sol
Most Improved Player Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
Shooting Champions Field goal percentage Latasha Byears Los Angeles Sparks
Free throw percentage Elena Baranova Miami Sol
Rookie of the Year Jackie Stiles Portland Fire
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Sue Wicks New York Liberty
Coach of the Year Dan Hughes Cleveland Rockers

Team

AwardPlayerTeam
All-WNBA First Team Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx
Natalie Williams Utah Starzz
Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
Merlakia Jones Cleveland Rockers
Second Team Tina Thompson Houston Comets
Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics
Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs
Ticha Penicheiro Sacramento Monarchs
Tamecka Dixon Los Angeles Sparks

Players of the Week

Week endingPlayerTeam
June 3 Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx
June 10 Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
June 17 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
June 24 Tina Thompson Houston Comets
July 1 Jackie Stiles Portland Fire
July 8 Dawn Staley Charlotte Sting
July 22 Sheri Sam Miami Sol
July 29 Natalie Williams Utah Starzz
August 5Lisa Leslie (2)Los Angeles Sparks
August 12 Andrea Stinson Charlotte Sting

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

References

  1. ↑ "2001 WNBA Season Awards - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
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