Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and Lauren Jackson headline 25 best WNBA players through league’s first 25 years

SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm was well represented as nearly one in three players on the WNBA’s W25 list of the top 25 players through the first 25 years have donned a Storm uniform. The list released by the league Sunday afternoon, features a pair of current Seattle stars in Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart among 10 active players and Storm legend Lauren Jackson in a group of 15 retired WNBA standouts.

Five other members of the W25 spent time in a Storm uniform: Swin Cash (3 seasons: 2008-11), Yolanda Griffith (1 season: 2008), Katie Smith (2 seasons: 2011-12), Sheryl Swoopes (1 season: 2008) and Tina Thompson (2 seasons: 2012-13).

The selection of “The W25” began with a list of 72 nominees chosen based on factors such as on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship and community service, and contributions to team success. A select panel of media members and women’s basketball pioneers and advocates then cast the votes that determined “The W25.”

The nominees were required to have been a member of a WNBA team for at least two seasons and met four of the following seven criteria: won a major individual award; selected to either the All-WNBA First Team or All-WNBA Second Team; selected to either the WNBA All-Defensive First Team or WNBA All-Defensive Second Team; selected to the WNBA All-Star Game; a member of a WNBA Championship team; currently ranked among the top 40 career leaders in at least one major statistical category; and/or a recipient of the WNBA’s season-long Community Assist Award.

Beginning today at 5 p.m. ET, fans will be able to vote for the member of “The W25” they believe is the greatest of all time through the “Vote for the GOAT” program. Fans can vote for their GOAT by calling out their pick from among “The W25” with the hashtag #WNBAGoatVote on Twitter, on WNBA.com or on the WNBA App.  Fan voting will conclude at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 19. The GOAT will be unveiled during the WNBA Finals 2021 presented by YouTube TV.

 

How fans can vote:

• WNBA.com voting page at wnba.com/goatvote: Fans can fill out one ballot per day (per day is defined as once every 24 hours) on WNBA.com/goatvote from a desktop or mobile browser.
• WNBA App: Fans can access the ballot through both the “Latest” and “More” tabs on the WNBA App, which is available on Android and iOS. Fans can fill out one ballot per day.
• Twitter: Fans can tweet in their votes for their favorite player with the below criteria:
  • An eligible vote consists of:
    • • The campaign hashtag (e.g.: #WNBAGoatVote) with the player name from The W25 list with or without a space (e.g.: Jane Doe or JaneDoe) or
      • The W25 player’s Twitter handle (e.g. @WNBAplayerJaneDoe)
  • Example of a Valid Vote: “I just voted Jane Doe for the #WNBAGoatVote” or “I just voted for @JaneDoeWNBAPlayer for the #WNBAGoatVote”
  • Retweets will count as a valid vote

 

“It’s a huge honor to be named among the top 25 players in league history and I’m in awe that I’m a part of such a prestigious list,” said Bird. “It’s been incredible to experience the rise in the level of competition in the past 25 years and I’m excited to see what the future holds for this league.”

Bird headlined a group of 10 current WNBA players to earn the honor. The WNBA’s all-time assist leader is a four-time WNBA champion and has spent her entire career with the Seattle Storm. In 18 seasons, Bird has either scored or assisted on 27.7% of the baskets scored in Storm history, despite not playing in four complete seasons with the team. She also holds the WNBA record with 12 WNBA All-Star game selections and is the only player in league history to appear in 500+ games.

Stewart, another of the 10 active players to be named to the list, has already made a name for herself in just her fifth season in the league. In addition to winning two WNBA Championships, two Finals MVP honors, and a regular-season MVP award, Stewart recently became the fourth-fastest player to 2,500 career points and is on pace to be the second-fastest to 3,000, needing just 27 points over her next two games to reach the mark. In addition, she was named the MVP of the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship game in August.

Jackson, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this month, was a seven-time All-Star, who won three MVP awards and a Finals MVP in 12 seasons with the Storm. The only player in Storm history with her number retired, Jackson led the league in scoring three times and finished her career averaging 18.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 317 games.

The complete W25 team can be found on the WNBA website.

 

—— StormBasketball.com ——

 

Biographical sketches of W25 members who played with the Seattle Storm:

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (2002-present)

The WNBA’s career leader in assists and games played also holds the record for most All-Star Game selections (12). A four-time champion with the Storm, Bird also is an eight-time All-WNBA pick and three-time Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award winner.

 

Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (2016-present)

In four full seasons in the league, Stewart has earned two championships, two Finals MVPs and a regular-season MVP award. A former WNBA Rookie of the Year, she has been voted to the All-WNBA Team three times and All-Defensive Team twice. She also was MVP of the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game in 2021.

 

Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (2001-12)

One of only three players to earn MVP honors three times, Jackson won two championships with the Storm. She was a Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time All-WNBA selection, five-time All-Defensive Team pick and seven-time All-Star. Jackson led the league in scoring three times and in rebounding once.

 

Swin Cash, Detroit Shock (2002-07), Seattle Storm (2008-11), Chicago Sky (2012-13), Atlanta Dream (2014), New York Liberty (2014-16)

The three-time champion (twice with the Shock and once with the Storm) was a four-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA pick. Cash also was an All-Defensive choice and Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award winner.

 

Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento Monarchs (1999-2007), Seattle Storm (2008), Indiana Fever (2009)

A former league MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Griffith won a championship with the Monarchs. She also was a five-time All-WNBA pick, seven-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive choice.

 

Katie Smith, Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005), Detroit Shock (2005-2009), Washington Mystics (2010), Seattle Storm (2011-12), New York Liberty (2013)

Smith won two championships and a Finals MVP award with the Shock. She ranks eighth in league history with 6,452 points. The four-time All-WNBA pick and seven-time All-Star earned All-Defensive honors once and led the league in scoring in one season.  Smith is currently an assistant coach with the Lynx.

 

Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets (1997-2000, 2002-2007), Seattle Storm (2008), Tulsa Shock (2011)

Swoopes is the only player in WNBA history to be the regular-season MVP three times and Defensive Player of the Year three times. Swoopes, who won four titles with the Comets, was a two-time scoring leader, seven-time All-WNBA pick, and six-time All-Star.

 

Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (1997-2008), Los Angeles Sparks (2009-11), Seattle Storm (2012-13)

Thompson’s 7,488 career points rank second in WNBA history. A four-time champion with the Comets, she was an eight-time All-WNBA pick and was selected to participate in nine All-Star Games. Thompson is currently the head coach of the women’s basketball team at the University of Virginia.