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. 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.

Players selected 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 time of award~Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Player Nationality Position Team(s)League titlesLeague awardsAll-Star GamesAll-Decade Team15 Years Team Seimone Augustus^ SF Minnesota Lynx (2006–2019) Los Angeles Sparks (2020) 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 Finals MVP (2011)ROY (2006)6×All-WNBA 2006–2007, 2011, 2013–2015, 2017, 2018 Sue Bird^ PG Seattle Storm (2002–2022) 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020 KPSA (2011)8×All-WNBA 2002–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011, 2014–2015, 2017, 2018 Swin Cash^ 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)2×All-WNBA 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011 Tamika Catchings^ 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 Cynthia Cooper SG Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2003) (entire career) 1997–2000 MVP (1997, 1998)Finals MVP (1997–2000)4×All-WNBA 1999, 2000, 2003 Yolanda Griffith C Sacramento Monarchs (1999–2007)Seattle Storm (2008)Indiana Fever (2009) 2005 MVP (1999)Finals MVP (2005)DPOY (1999)ASG MVP (2004)5×All-WNBA 1999–2001, 2003–2007 Becky Hammon PG New York Liberty (1999–2006)San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2007–2014) None KPSA (2014)4×All-WNBA 2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011 Lauren Jackson C Seattle Storm (2001–2012) (entire career) 2004, 2010 MVP (2003, 2007, 2010)Finals MVP (2010)DPOY (2007)8×All-WNBA 2001–2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2010 Lisa Leslie 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 Maya Moore^ SF Minnesota Lynx (2011–) 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 MVP (2014)Finals MVP (2013)ASG MVP (2015)ROY (2011)4×All-WNBA 2011, 2013-2015 Deanna Nolan SG Detroit Shock (2001–2009) (entire career) 2003, 2006, 2008 Finals MVP (2006)5×All-WNBA 2003-2007 Candace Parker^ PF Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020)Chicago Sky (2021-) 2016, 2021 MVP (2008, 2013)ASG MVP (2013)Finals MVP (2016)ROY (2008)6×All-WNBA 2011, 2013, 2014 Ticha Penicheiro PG Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009)Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011)Chicago Sky (2012) 2005 3×All-WNBA 1999–2002 Cappie Pondexter^ 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)4×All-WNBA 2006, 2007, 2009–2011 Katie Smith 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)4×All-WNBA 2000–2006, 2009 Sheryl Swoopes SF Houston Comets (1997–2000, 2002–2007)Seattle Storm (2008)Tulsa Shock (2011) 1997–2000 MVP (2000, 2002, 2005)DPOY (2000, 2002, 2003)ASG MVP (2005)7×All-WNBA 1999, 2000, 2002–2006 Diana Taurasi^ SG Phoenix Mercury (2004–) 2007, 2009 MVP (2009)Finals MVP (2009)ROY (2004)10×All-WNBA 2004–2007, 2009–2011, 2013-2014 Tina Thompson SF Houston Comets (1997–2008)Los Angeles Sparks (2009–2011) Seattle Storm (2012-2013) 1997–2000 ASG MVP (2000)8×All-WNBA 1999–2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 Teresa Weatherspoon PG New York Liberty (1997–2003)Los Angeles Sparks (2004) None DPOY (1997, 1998)4×All-WNBA 1999–2003 Lindsay Whalen^ PG Connecticut Sun (2004-2009)Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018) 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 5×All-WNBA 2006, 2011, 2013-2015

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

Janeth Arcain5 Alana Beard1 Ruthie Bolton3 DeWanna Bonner1 Rebekkah Brunson1 Tina Charles1 Elena Delle Donne1 Érika de Souza1 Skylar Diggins1 Tamecka Dixon5 Katie Douglas6 Candice Dupree1 Margo Dydek7 Cheryl Ford6 Sylvia Fowles1 Jennifer Gillom5 Brittney Griner1 Chamique Holdsclaw3 Shannon Johnson4 Vickie Johnson5 Crystal Langhorne1 Kara Lawson Betty Lennox Mwadi Mabika5 Angel McCoughtry1 Taj McWilliams-Franklin4 DeLisha Milton-Jones4 Nneka Ogwumike1 Wendy Palmer Plenette Pierson1 Nicole Powell Ruth Riley Danielle Robinson1 Nykesha Sales4 Tangela Smith6 Dawn Staley2 Nikki Teasley Penny Taylor1, 6 Natalie Williams4 Sophia Young

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

External links Official announcement on WNBA.com