2015 WNBA season

Last updated

2015 WNBA season
League Women's National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
DurationJune 5 – October 14, 2015
Number of games34
Number of teams12
Total attendance1,465,432
Average attendance7,183
TV partner(s) ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV
Top draft pick Flag of the United States.svg Jewell Loyd
Picked by Seattle Storm
Season MVP Flag of the United States.svg Elena Delle Donne (Chicago)
Eastern champions Indiana Fever
  Eastern runners-up New York Liberty
Western champions Minnesota Lynx
  Western runners-up Phoenix Mercury
Finals champions Minnesota Lynx
  Runners-up Indiana Fever
Finals MVP Flag of the United States.svg Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota)
WNBA seasons

The 2015 WNBA season was the 19th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season started on June 5 and concluded on September 13 and playoffs started on September 17 and concluded on October 14. [1]

Contents

The Minnesota Lynx beat the Indiana Fever 69–52 in game five of the Finals on October 14 to clinch a third WNBA title in five years. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Notable occurrences

Draft

On August 21, 2014, the 2015 WNBA Draft Lottery took place. The Seattle Storm, who had a league-worst record of 12–22 last season, won the draft lottery and had the right to pick first in the 2015 draft. In the draft, held on April 16, the Storm made Jewell Loyd of Notre Dame the top pick.

Media coverage

Games aired on ESPN (1 regular season game), ESPN2 (10 regular season games), ABC (All-Star Game) and NBA TV (47 regular season games).

Regular season

Standings

Source: [7]

Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
x - New York Liberty 2311.67612–511–613–9
x - Chicago Sky 2113.618213–48–914–8
x - Indiana Fever 2014.588311–69–813–9
x - Washington Mystics 1816.529511–67–1010–12
e - Atlanta Dream 1519.44189–86–1110–12
e - Connecticut Sun 1519.44188–97–106–16
Western Conference
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
z - Minnesota Lynx 2212.64713–49–816–6
x - Phoenix Mercury 2014.588213–47–1015–7
x - Tulsa Shock 1816.529412–56–1111–11
x - Los Angeles Sparks 1420.41289–85–1210–12
e - Seattle Storm 1024.294128–92–158–14
e - San Antonio Stars 826.235147–101–166–16

Notes

z – Clinched Conference
x – Clinched playoff spot
e – Eliminated from playoffs

Playoffs

Conference semifinals
Best-of-3
Conference finals
Best-of-3
WNBA Finals
Best-of-5
         
E1 New York 2
E4 Washington 1
E1 New York 1
Eastern Conference
E3 Indiana 2
E2 Chicago 1
E3 Indiana 2
E3 Indiana 2
W1 Minnesota 3
W1 Minnesota 2
W4 Los Angeles 1
W1 Minnesota 2
Western Conference
W2 Phoenix 0
W2 Phoenix 2
W3 Tulsa 0

Awards

Reference: [8]

Individual

AwardWinnerTeamPositionVotes/Statistic
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Elena Delle Donne Chicago Sky Forward / Guard38 out of 39 [9]
Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx Center
Rookie of the Year Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm Guard21 out of 39
Most Improved Player Kelsey Bone Connecticut Sun Center14 out of 39
Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center33 out of 39
Sixth Woman of the Year Allie Quigley Chicago SkyGuard24 out of 39
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award DeLisha Milton-Jones Atlanta Dream Forward11 out of 39
Peak Performers ScoringElena Delle DonneChicago SkyForward / Guard23.4 PPG
Rebounding Courtney Paris Tulsa Shock Center9.3 RPG
Assists Courtney Vandersloot Chicago SkyGuard5.8 APG
Coach of the Year Bill Laimbeer New York Liberty Coach23 out of 39

Team

AwardGuardGuardForwardForwardCenter
All-WNBA First Team DeWanna Bonner Angel McCoughtry Elena Delle Donne Maya Moore Tina Charles
Second Team Epiphanny Prince Courtney Vandersloot Candace Parker Tamika Catchings Brittney Griner
All-Defensive First Team Briann January Angel McCoughtry Nneka Ogwumike Tamika Catchings Brittney Griner
Second Team Tanisha Wright DeWanna Bonner Sancho Lyttle Tina Charles Kiah Stokes
All-Rookie Team Jewell Loyd Brittany Boyd Ramu Tokashiki Natalie Achonwa (tie) Kiah Stokes
Ana Dabović (tie)

Players of the Week

Week endingEastern ConferenceWestern Conference
PlayerTeamPlayerTeam
June 14 Elena Delle Donne (3) Chicago Sky DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
June 21 Skylar Diggins Tulsa Shock
June 28 Lindsay Whalen Minnesota Lynx
July 5 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles Sparks
July 13 Cappie Pondexter Chicago Sky Maya Moore (3)Minnesota Lynx
July 20 Tina Charles (2) New York Liberty
August 3
August 10Elena Delle Donne (4)Chicago Sky Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury
August 17 Epiphanny Prince New York LibertyMaya Moore (4)Minnesota Lynx
August 24Elena Delle Donne (5)Chicago Sky Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks
August 31Epiphanny Prince (2)New York Liberty Odyssey Sims Tulsa Shock
September 8 Courtney Vandersloot Chicago SkyCandace Parker (2)Los Angeles Sparks

Players of the Month

MonthEastern ConferenceWestern Conference
PlayerTeamPlayerTeam
June Elena Delle Donne Chicago Sky Skylar Diggins Tulsa Shock
July Tina Charles New York Liberty Maya Moore Minnesota Lynx
August Epiphanny Prince New York Liberty Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks

Rookies of the Month

MonthPlayerTeam
June Natalie Achonwa Indiana Fever
July Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm
August Kiah Stokes New York Liberty

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

References

  1. WNBA Announces ESPN Schedule - Hartford Courant
  2. "Minnesota Lynx capture third title in five years win in crucial Game 5". Fox Sports. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  3. "Everything comes together at right time for WNBA champion Lynx". ESPN. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  4. "Lynx capture 3rd title in 5 years with 69-52 win over Fever in Game 5". Chicago Tribune. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  5. "Big Crowd and Defense Spur Lynx to Another Title". New York Times. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  6. A Russian team paid Diana Taurasi to sit out 2015 WNBA season | SB Nation
  7. "Standings - WNBA".
  8. "2015 WNBA Season Awards - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  9. "Sky's Elena Delle Donne Named 2015 WNBA Most Valuable Player Presented By Samsung". WNBA . September 15, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2024.