10 Most Iconic Moments in WNBA History
In its first 25 years, the WNBA has built a distinct identity. Big plays have defined the court, but off it, players have challenged norms, spoken out, and pushed the league into conversations few others have entered. It’s evolved on its own terms, shaped by athletes who never waited for permission.
Let’s go back and relive some of the greatest moments we witnessed in WNBA history.
Say Her Name Season
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The 2020 season was more about the jerseys than the box scores. Players across the league dedicated the season to Breonna Taylor and other Black women lost to violence. Angel McCoughtry pushed for Taylor’s name to appear on jerseys.
June 21, 1997: Game On
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Inside the Forum in Inglewood, 14,000 fans witnessed Penny Toler score the WNBA’s first points. The Los Angeles Sparks hosted the New York Liberty, and the broadcast on CBS brought professional women’s basketball into homes nationwide. It was proof that the league had arrived for real.
CBA Shake-Up of 2020
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When the players said they wanted more, they meant all of it: better pay, family planning support, travel upgrades, and a real seat at the business table. The 2020 collective bargaining agreement delivered on that wish list. Max contracts nearly doubled, revenue-sharing arrived, and full-paid maternity leave became standard.
Houston Comets: The Original Dynasty
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No team dominated like the Houston Comets. Cynthia Cooper showed up in her 30s and still cooked for everyone. Sheryl Swoopes did a little of everything, and Tina Thompson made scoring look effortless. Four straight championships, four Finals MVPs (all Cooper), and a fanbase that packed the stands like clockwork.
That Time Warmup Shirts Helped Flip a Senate Seat
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When Atlanta Dream players wore “Vote Warnock” tees, they boldly threatened their team’s co-owner, who publicly criticized Black Lives Matter. Social media lit up, and campaign donations skyrocketed. Raphael Warnock surged in the polls and, months later, won a Senate seat. The shirts became a symbol of political agency through sport.
T-Spoon’s Half-Court Prayer
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In the 1999 Finals, Teresa Weatherspoon hit one of the wildest game-winners in league history. With 2.4 seconds left and trailing, she launched a prayer from beyond half court. It gave New York the win and forced a Game 3. The Comets still won the title, but T-Spoon stole that night.
Candace Parker Takes the Mic
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Already a two-time MVP and walking highlight reel, Parker added another layer to her résumé as a TNT broadcaster. While sitting alongside Shaq and Chuck on Inside the NBA, she brought IQ and grace under pressure. She joined the boys’ club and rewrote the dress code.
Ticha’s No-Look Symphony
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Ticha Penicheiro’s playmaking was performance art. She held the assist record until Sue Bird surpassed it. Her creativity from the point guard position helped define the early WNBA style. More than numbers, her flair made passing a centerpiece of the league’s identity.
Mystics Stage a Silent Thunderclap
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On August 26, 2020, Mystics players spelled “Jacob Blake” on T-shirts with red paint simulating bullet wounds. They didn’t play that night. No one in the league did. The league-wide pause to reckon with violence, race, and justice was a powerful strategy.
Above the Rim Moments
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Lisa Leslie’s 2002 dunk was a breakthrough. Six years later, Candace Parker added hers. Brittney Griner brought regularity to it. But dunking was never the point—it was the punctuation. These above-the-rim plays changed public perception and reminded viewers that women’s basketball had athleticism to match its skill and strategy.
Orange Hoodies, Everywhere
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Funny how a sweatshirt can turn into a symbol. The WNBA’s orange hoodie hit like wildfire in 2020. NBA stars rocked it courtside, and musicians posted selfies. Fans snapped them up as it quickly became the league’s top-selling merchandise and won the “Best Fashion Statement” award.
Lauren Jackson: A Storm from Down Under
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Lauren Jackson was 6’5” with a three-point shot and low-post dominance, so she didn’t exactly fit into a box. And that’s exactly why she mattered. As a three-time MVP from Australia, Jackson’s game blurred position lines. She made space for global talent to be taken seriously in a league that was growing up fast.
Skylar Diggins-Smith: More Than a Point Guard
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Diggins-Smith’s Roc Nation and high-profile endorsements changed the template for personal branding in women’s sports. Her style, voice, and visibility brought fans who didn’t follow basketball into the fold. She helped normalize athletes as multi-dimensional figures.
Nancy Lieberman and a Private Promise
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Years before the league launched, NBA commissioner David Stern shared his vision in private with Nancy Lieberman. In a closed-door chat in the 1980s, Stern confided that before his tenure ended, a women’s pro league would exist. That promise planted the seed for what became the WNBA over a decade later.
Brunson’s Rings, Plural
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No player has won more WNBA titles than Rebekkah Brunson. While playing with multiple teams, including the Sacramento Monarchs and the Minnesota Lynx, Brunson accumulated five rings with relentless defense and rebounding. She chased wins, and fame crawled right behind it. Now, as a coach, her leadership still shapes the league’s future off the court.
Hamby’s Shot Heard ‘Round the WNBA
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In 2019’s single-elimination playoff, Las Vegas’s Dearica Hamby turned chaos into a win. She intercepted a wild Chicago pass and fired up an off-balance shot from deep without realizing how much time remained. It fell. That gutsy play sent the Aces forward and instantly entered highlight reels across the sports world.
Whitney Houston Sings at the First All-Star Game
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The 1999 All-Star Game already felt special. Then Whitney Houston stepped up in a red jumpsuit and sang. It was like the ultimate moment with goosebumps, silence, and tears. For players like Ticha Penicheiro, it remains unforgettable as a career highlight that transcended the court.
2016: Lynx Lead, Others Follow
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At the height of their dynasty, the Minnesota Lynx were raising voices just as they were winning titles. After police killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, they wore shirts calling for justice. Some officers walked off their security posts. The Lynx stood taller. It was a before-and-after moment for activism in pro sports.
Jerseys With a Story
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In 2021, Nike dropped the Rebel, Heroine, and Explorer jersey lines, and suddenly, game-day gear had a plot. The Rebel set especially caught fire with bold designs and powerful symbolism. The collection gave fans and players alike a reason to wear WNBA gear with pride and purpose.
Peddy’s Plot Twist
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Days after being cut by the Mystics, Shey Peddy found herself in a playoff game against the Mystics. With the clock ticking down, she buried the game-winner. It was a walk-off bucket with layers of backstory and one unforgettable punctuation mark.
Atlanta ’96: When the Superteam Set the Stage
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Before there was a league, there was a squad that made it all possible. Leslie, Swoopes, Staley, and others powered Team USA to Olympic gold in ’96. But what they really won was attention. Sponsors noticed. Fans tuned in. And one year later, the WNBA was born.