2001 WNBA season

2001 WNBA season
LeagueWomen's National Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationMay 28 - September 1, 2001
Number of games32
Number of teams16
Total attendance2,322,962
Average attendance9,074
TV partner(s)ESPN, NBC
2001 WNBA Draft
Top draft pickAustralia Lauren Jackson
Picked bySeattle Storm
Regular season
Season MVPUnited States Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
Playoffs
Eastern championsCharlotte Sting
  Eastern runners-upNew York Liberty
Western championsLos Angeles Sparks
  Western runners-upSacramento Monarchs
Finals
ChampionsLos Angeles Sparks
  Runners-upCharlotte Sting
Finals MVPUnited States Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)

The 2001 WNBA season was the Women's National Basketball Association's fifth season. The season ended with the Los Angeles Sparks winning their first WNBA championship.

Regular season

Standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Cleveland Rockers x 22 10 .688 15–6 –
New York Liberty x 21 11 .656 13–8 1.0
Miami Sol x 20 12 .625 14–7 2.0
Charlotte Sting x 18 14 .563 15–6 4.0
Orlando Miracle o 13 19 .406 9–12 9.0
Indiana Fever o 10 22 .313 7–14 12.0
Detroit Shock o 10 22 .313 7–14 12.0
Washington Mystics o 10 22 .313 4–17 12.0

Western Conference

Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Los Angeles Sparks x 28 4 .875 19–2 –
Sacramento Monarchs x 20 12 .625 13–8 8.0
Utah Starzz x 19 13 .594 11–10 9.0
Houston Comets x 19 13 .594 13–8 9.0
Phoenix Mercury o 13 19 .406 8–13 15.0
Minnesota Lynx o 12 20 .375 9–12 16.0
Portland Fire o 11 21 .344 5–16 17.0
Seattle Storm o 10 22 .313 6–15 18.0

Note: Teams with an "X" clinched playoff spots.

Playoffs

Main article: 2001 WNBA playoffs
See also: 2001 WNBA Finals

The top four teams from each conference qualified for the playoffs and were seeded based on their regular season standings.

Conference semifinals
Best-of-3 		Conference finals
Best-of-3 		WNBA Finals
Best-of-3
         
E1 Cleveland 1
E4 Charlotte 2
E4 Charlotte 2
Eastern Conference
E2 New York 1
E2 New York 2
E3 Miami 1
E4 Charlotte 0
W1 Los Angeles 2
W1 Los Angeles 2
W4 Houston 0
W1 Los Angeles 2
Western Conference
W2 Sacramento 1
W2 Sacramento 2
W3 Utah 0
  • Bold – Series winner
  • Italics – Team with home-court advantage

Awards

Reference:[1]

Individual

Award Winner Team
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
Finals MVP Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
Defensive Player of the Year Debbie Black Miami Sol
Most Improved Player Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
Shooting Champions Field goal percentage Latasha Byears Los Angeles Sparks
Free throw percentage Elena Baranova Miami Sol
Rookie of the Year Jackie Stiles Portland Fire
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Sue Wicks New York Liberty
Coach of the Year Dan Hughes Cleveland Rockers

Team

Award Player Team
All-WNBA First Team Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx
Natalie Williams Utah Starzz
Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
Merlakia Jones Cleveland Rockers
Second Team Tina Thompson Houston Comets
Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics
Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs
Ticha Penicheiro Sacramento Monarchs
Tamecka Dixon Los Angeles Sparks

Players of the Week

Week ending Player Team
June 3 Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx
June 10 Janeth Arcain Houston Comets
June 17 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
June 24 Tina Thompson Houston Comets
July 1 Jackie Stiles Portland Fire
July 8 Dawn Staley Charlotte Sting
July 22 Sheri Sam Miami Sol
July 29 Natalie Williams Utah Starzz
August 5 Lisa Leslie (2) Los Angeles Sparks
August 12 Andrea Stinson Charlotte Sting

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

References

  1. ^ "2001 WNBA Season Awards - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
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