To Celebrate Its 25th Anniversary, the WNBA Names Its Greatest 25 Players Ever. But Who’s the G.O.A.T.?

Back in 1996, to commemorate its 50th season, the NBA announced the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history to much fanfare. With a collective resumé that consists of over a hundred NBA championship rings and nearly a million points scored, this prestigious list includes the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. It also gave teenage hoop fanatics like me plenty to argue about on those bus rides to and from school, as I have vivid memories of my bus driver—and gym teacher—fuming at the glaring omissions of Bob McAdoo and Alex English. (For the record, I felt the exact same way about Gary Payton.)

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Fast forward to 2021, and to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the WNBA has unveiled a similar list comprised of its greatest players throughout the course of its 25-year history. Of course, Diana Taurasi—my personal pick for favorite WNBA player ever—made the cut, but who else is on the list? I’m glad you asked:

Seimone Augustus

Sue Bird

Swin Cash

Tamika Catchings

Tina Charles

Cynthia Cooper

Elena Delle Donne

Sylvia Fowles

Yolanda Griffith

Brittney Griner

Becky Hammon

Lauren Jackson

Lisa Leslie

Angel McCoughtry

Maya Moore

Nneka Ogwumike

Candace Parker

Tichia Penicheiro

Cappie Pondexter

Katie Smith

Breanna Stewart

Sheryl Swoopes

Diana Taurasi

Tina Thompson

Lindsay Whalen

And here’s why each of these players was selected:

The nominees were required to have played 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.

The fact that community involvement factored into the selection process is super interesting, and also reflective of the times we live in now in which players are judged for their actions off the court just as much as they are for their performance on it.

“These athletes have played the game at the highest level on the court—they are scorers and rebounders, assist makers and defensive stoppers, leaders, and mentors,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “In the community, they have powerful voices, individually and collectively, speaking out on important issues in our society. Together, they have transformed the way the game is played, changed the way athletes are viewed, become incredible role models, and inspired generations of young, diverse athletes.”

Lists of this magnitude inevitably lead to arguments about who the greatest player of all time is, and while I would probably give the nod to either Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, or Cynthia Cooper—never forget how important Coop was to the WNBA during its infancy or the fact that she joined the league at 34 and was still busting everyone’s asses—the WNBA is giving fans the opportunity to decide for themselves by putting it to a vote.

Through their “Vote for the G.O.A.T.” campaign, fans have until Sept. 19 at 11:59 p.m. EST to cast their vote via Twitter (by using the hashtag #WNBAGoatVote), on WNBA.com, or on the WNBA App. The winner will be announced during the WNBA Finals and at least I have a kindred spirit on this debate in Sue Bird, who believes it’s Taurasi who deserves this distinction.

“There’s no question in my mind who it is,” Bird said on Tuesday before her Seattle Storm faced off against the Washington Mystics. “I’ve always said it’s really what separates her, I think. Yes, it’s the amazing play. Yes, it’s the championships and the winning, of course. But the other two things are her style and the swag with which she did it and the last thing—which to me is the most important—is the fact that she’s been able to make her teammates better. There’s something about her style that’s infectious. Whoever’s on the court with her raises their game. I think for me that’s why she’s the G.O.A.T.”

Congratulations to everyone who was selected. Who do you think is the WNBA’s greatest player of all time?