The 2017 WNBA season was the 21st season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Its regular season began on May 13 with three games, highlighted by the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Seattle Storm. It concluded on September 3. The playoffs began on September 6, and concluded on October 4, with the Minnesota Lynx defeating the Sparks in five games to win their fourth WNBA title.
It was the final season for the San Antonio Stars in the city that they had called home since 2003. After the season, parent company Spurs Sports & Entertainment sold the team to MGM Resorts International, which moved the team to Las Vegas. The former Stars now play as the Las Vegas Aces.
Draft
The San Antonio Stars selected Kelsey Plum first in the 2017 WNBA Draft. The draft was televised nationally on the ESPN networks (Round 1 on ESPN2, Rounds 2 and 3 on ESPNU).
Arena changes Two teams announced temporary arena changes for the 2017 season, both due to their regular arenas undergoing renovations during the WNBA season. The Atlanta Dream announced that they would move from Philips Arena to McCamish Pavilion on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Minnesota Lynx announced that they would move from Target Center to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for the 2017 season.
Regular season Standings Source:
Playoffs
Individual statistic leaders
Regular season CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic Points per game Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury 21.9 PPG Rebounds per game Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun 11.9 RPG Assists per game Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky 8.1 APG Steals per game Alana Beard Los Angeles Sparks 2.1 SPG Blocks per game Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury 2.5 BPG Field goal percentage Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx 65.5% Three point percentage Chelsea Gray Los Angeles Sparks 48.2% Free throw percentage Elena Delle Donne Washington Mystics 95.3%
Playoffs CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic Points per game Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm 23.0 PPG Rebounds per game Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun 15.0 RPG Assists per game Chelsea Gray Los Angeles Sparks 6.7 APG Steals per game Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm 3.0 SPG Blocks per game Courtney ParisCandace ParkerBreanna Stewart Dallas WingsLos Angeles SparksSeattle Storm 2.0 BPG Field goal percentage 8 Tied Various 100% Three point percentage Rebecca AllenRachel Banham New York LibertyConnecticut Sun 100% Free throw percentage 18 Tied Various 100%
Awards
Reference:
Individual AwardWinnerTeamPositionVotes/Statistic Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx Center 35 of 40 Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx Center Rookie of the Year Allisha Gray Dallas Wings Guard 30 of 40 Most Improved Player Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Forward/Center 32 of 40 Defensive Player of the Year Alana Beard Los Angeles Sparks Guard 28 of 40 Sixth Woman of the Year Sugar Rodgers New York Liberty Guard 15 of 40 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Sue Bird Seattle Storm Guard 20 of 40 Peak PerformersScoring Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center 21.9 PPGRebounding Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Center 11.9 RPGAssists Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky Guard 8.1 APG Coach of the Year Curt Miller Connecticut Sun Coach 36 of 40 Basketball Executive of the Year Curt Miller Connecticut Sun General manager 6 of 12
Team AwardGuardGuardForwardForwardCenter All-WNBAFirst TeamSkylar Diggins-SmithMaya MooreCandace ParkerTina CharlesSylvia FowlesSecond TeamChelsea GrayDiana TaurasiNneka OgwumikeJonquel JonesBrittney Griner All-DefensiveFirst TeamJasmine ThomasAlana BeardNneka OgwumikeTina CharlesSylvia FowlesSecond TeamBriann JanuaryMaya MooreAlyssa ThomasRebekkah BrunsonBrittney Griner All-Rookie Team Allisha Gray Brittney Sykes Kelsey Plum Kaela Davis Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Players of the Week Week endingEastern ConferenceWestern ConferencePlayerTeamPlayerTeam May 22 Layshia Clarendon Atlanta Dream Sylvia Fowles (2) Minnesota Lynx May 29 Epiphanny Prince New York Liberty June 4 Tina Charles (2) New York Liberty Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury June 11 Sylvia Fowles (3) Minnesota Lynx June 18 Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks June 25 Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun Skylar Diggins-Smith Dallas Wings July 2 Jasmine Thomas Connecticut Sun Candace Parker (2) Los Angeles Sparks July 9 Alyssa Thomas (2) Connecticut Sun Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury July 16 Stefanie Dolson Chicago Sky Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm July 23 Tina Charles (4) New York Liberty Sylvia Fowles (4) Minnesota Lynx July 30 Candace Parker (3) Los Angeles Sparks August 7 Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky Glory Johnson Dallas Wings August 14 Jonquel Jones (2) Connecticut Sun Sylvia Fowles (5) Minnesota Lynx August 21 Tina Charles (7) New York Liberty Breanna Stewart (2) Seattle Storm August 28 Candace Parker (4) Los Angeles Sparks September 5 Brittney Griner (2) Phoenix Mercury
Players of the Month MonthEastern ConferenceWestern ConferencePlayerTeamPlayerTeam May Tiffany Hayes Atlanta Dream Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx June Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun July Tina Charles New York Liberty August Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks
Rookies of the Month MonthPlayerTeam May Allisha Gray Dallas Wings June July Brittney Sykes Atlanta Dream August
Coaches of the Month MonthCoachTeam May Cheryl Reeve Minnesota Lynx June Brian Agler Los Angeles Sparks July Curt Miller Connecticut Sun August Bill Laimbeer New York Liberty
Coaches
Eastern Conference
Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff appearances Finals Appearances WNBA ChampionshipsAtlanta Dream Michael Cooper USC 3 51–51 1 0 0Chicago Sky Amber Stocks Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 0 0–0 0 0 0Connecticut Sun Curt Miller Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 1 14–20 0 0 0Indiana Fever Pokey Chatman Chicago Sky 0 0–0 0 0 0New York Liberty Bill Laimbeer Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) 4 70–66 3 0 0Washington Mystics Mike Thibault Connecticut Sun 4 64–72 3 0 0
Western Conference
Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff appearances Finals Appearances WNBA ChampionshipsDallas Wings Fred Williams Atlanta Dream 3 41–61 1 0 0Los Angeles Sparks Brian Agler Seattle Storm 2 40–28 2 1 1Minnesota Lynx Cheryl Reeve Detroit Shock (assistant) 7 168–70 6 5 3Phoenix Mercury Sandy Brondello Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 3 65–37 3 1 1San Antonio Stars Vickie Johnson San Antonio Stars (assistant) 0 0–0 0 0 0Seattle Storm Jenny Boucek Seattle Storm (assistant) 10 26–42 1 0 0
Notes: Year with team does not include 2017 season. Records are from time at current team and are through the end the 2016 season. Playoff appearances are from time at current team only. WNBA Finals and Championships do not include time with other teams. Coaches shown are the coaches who began the 2017 season as head coach of each team.
References