WNBA Top 20@20 are the Women's National Basketball Association's Top 20 Players of All Time, chosen in 2016 on the occasion of the twentieth season of the WNBA from amongst 60 nominees compiled by the league. The group was to comprise the 20 best and most influential players of the first twenty years 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 for at least two seasons, and fit at least three of seven criteria (WNBA championship, major individual award, a selection to either the All-WNBA Team, WNBA All-Defensive Team, or WNBA All-Star Game; a current ranking among the top 30 statistical career leaders; and a selection to either the WNBA's All-Decade Team or the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time) were considered.

The Top 20 players were announced on June 21, 2016 at ESPN's SportsCenter.[1] Dawn Staley was the only member of both the WNBA's All-Decade Team (2006) and the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time (2011) absent from the Top 20 list.[2]

Players selected

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  • Note: all information only pertains to the first twenty years of the league's existence.
^ Denotes player who was still active in the WNBA at this time
~ Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Player Nationality Position Team(s) League titles League awards All-Star Games All-Decade Team 15 Years Team
Seimone Augustus^   United States SF Minnesota Lynx (2006–2019)

Los Angeles Sparks (2020)

2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 Finals MVP (2011)
ROY (2006)
All-WNBA
2006–2007, 2011, 2013–2015, 2017, 2018 Nominated
Sue Bird^   United States PG Seattle Storm (2002–2022) 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020 KPSA (2011)
All-WNBA
2002–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011, 2014–2015, 2017, 2018 Yes Yes
Swin Cash^   United States PF Detroit Shock (2002–2007)
Seattle Storm (2008–2011)
Chicago Sky (2012–2013)
Atlanta Dream (2014)
New York Liberty (2014–2016)
2003, 2006, 2010 ASG MVP (2009, 2011)
KPSA (2013)
All-WNBA
2003, 2005, 2007, 2011 Nominated Nominated
Tamika Catchings^   United States SF Indiana Fever (2002–2016) (entire career) 2012 MVP (2011)
Finals MVP (2012)
ROY (2002)
DPOY (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012)
KPSA (2010, 2013)
12×All-WNBA
2002–2007, 2009–2011 Yes Yes
Cynthia Cooper   United States SG Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2003) (entire career) 19972000 MVP (1997, 1998)
Finals MVP (1997–2000)
All-WNBA
1999, 2000, 2003 Yes Yes
Yolanda Griffith   United States C Sacramento Monarchs (1999–2007)
Seattle Storm (2008)
Indiana Fever (2009)
2005 MVP (1999)
Finals MVP (2005)
DPOY (1999)
ASG MVP (2004)
All-WNBA
1999–2001, 2003–2007 Yes Yes
Becky Hammon   United States
  Russia
PG New York Liberty (1999–2006)
San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2007–2014)
None KPSA (2014)
All-WNBA
2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011 Nominated Yes
Lauren Jackson   Australia C Seattle Storm (2001–2012) (entire career) 2004, 2010 MVP (2003, 2007, 2010)
Finals MVP (2010)
DPOY (2007)
All-WNBA
2001–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2010 Yes Yes
Lisa Leslie   United States C Los Angeles Sparks (1997–2009) (entire career) 2001, 2002 MVP (2001, 2004, 2006)
Finals MVP (2001, 2002)
ASG MVP (1999, 2001, 2002)
DPOY (2004, 2008)
12×All-WNBA
1999–2006, 2009 Yes Yes
Maya Moore^   United States SF Minnesota Lynx (2011–) 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 MVP (2014)
Finals MVP (2013)
ASG MVP (2015)
ROY (2011)
All-WNBA
2011, 2013-2015
Deanna Nolan   United States
  Russia
SG Detroit Shock (2001–2009) (entire career) 2003, 2006, 2008 Finals MVP (2006)
All-WNBA
2003-2007 Nominated Nominated
Candace Parker^   United States PF Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020)
Chicago Sky (2021-)
2016, 2021 MVP (2008, 2013)
ASG MVP (2013)
Finals MVP (2016)
ROY (2008)
All-WNBA
2011, 2013, 2014 Nominated
Ticha Penicheiro   Portugal PG Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009)
Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011)
Chicago Sky (2012)
2005 All-WNBA 1999–2002 Honorable mention Yes
Cappie Pondexter^   United States SG Phoenix Mercury (2006–2009)
New York Liberty (2010–2014)
Chicago Sky (2015-2017)
Los Angeles Sparks (2018)
Indiana Fever (2018)
2007, 2009 Finals MVP (2007)
All-WNBA
2006, 2007, 2009–2011 Yes
Katie Smith   United States SG Minnesota Lynx (1999–2005)
Detroit Shock (2005–2009)
Washington Mystics (2010)
Seattle Storm (2011–2012)
New York Liberty (2013)
2006, 2008 Finals MVP (2008)
All-WNBA
2000–2006, 2009 Yes Yes
Sheryl Swoopes   United States SF Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2002–2007)
Seattle Storm (2008)
Tulsa Shock (2011)
19972000 MVP (2000, 2002, 2005)
DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003)
ASG MVP (2005)
All-WNBA
1999, 2000, 2002–2006 Yes Yes
Diana Taurasi^   United States SG Phoenix Mercury (2004–) 2007, 2009 MVP (2009)
Finals MVP (2009)
ROY (2004)
10×All-WNBA
2004–2007, 2009–2011, 2013-2014 Honorable mention Yes
Tina Thompson   United States SF Houston Comets (1997–2008)
Los Angeles Sparks (2009–2011)
Seattle Storm (2012-2013)
19972000 ASG MVP (2000)
All-WNBA
1999–2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 Yes Yes
Teresa Weatherspoon   United States PG New York Liberty (1997–2003)
Los Angeles Sparks (2004)
None DPOY (1997, 1998)
All-WNBA
1999–2003 Honorable mention Yes
Lindsay Whalen^   United States PG Connecticut Sun (2004-2009)
Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018)
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 All-WNBA 2006, 2011, 2013-2015 No No
 
Part of the 20@20 ring ceremony, (left to right) Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, WNBA president Lisa Borders, Lindsay Whalen
  • The inaugural WNBA All-Star Game took place during the 1999 season, and the game has been contested in most years since. The 2004 edition was supplanted by a game between WNBA players from both conferences and the 2004 United States Olympic team, and the 2010 edition was a game between WNBA players from both conferences and the USA National Team. For the purposes of this article, appearances in the 2004 and 2010 games for both participating teams are considered All-Star appearances. This differs from the WNBA's practice, which does not count Team USA players in 2004 and 2010 as All-Stars, even though all members of Team USA except for Maya Moore in 2010 were WNBA players at the time of the two games. From 2008 through 2020, no All-Star Game was held in any Summer Olympic year. With the 2020 Summer Olympics being delayed to 2021 due to COVID-19, the league held an exhibition shortly before it took a break for the Olympics, with a WNBA all-star team taking on the USA national team. Unlike the analogous 2004 event, the 2021 game was officially treated as an All-Star Game.
  • Players who were voted to start in all-star games but were unable to play due to injury are nevertheless considered to have been starters; players voted as reserves who started in place of other injured players are nevertheless considered to have been reserves.

Other finalists

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1 Still active at time of Top 20 Team announcement.
2 Was in both the All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
3All-Decade honorable mention, Top 15 nominee.
4Nominated for both All-Decade and Top 15 teams.
5All-Decade nominee.
6Top 15 nominee.
7Deceased.

References

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  1. ^ "Best of the Best: WNBA to Honor 20 Greatest Players of All-Time". WNBA. June 16, 2016.
  2. ^ Brian Martin (June 21, 2016). "Left Off The List: A Look At Those Who Could Have Made WNBA Top 20@20". WNBA.
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