2001 WNBA season

2001 WNBA season
Duration May 28 - September 3
Games 32
Teams 16
Total attendance 2,322,962
Average attendance 9,074
TV partner/s ESPN, NBC
Draft
Top draft pick Australia Lauren Jackson
Picked by Seattle Storm
Regular season
Season MVP United States Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
Stat leaders
    Points K. Smith (23.1)
    Rebounds Y. Griffith (11.2)
    Assists T. Penicheiro (7.5)
Playoffs
East champions Charlotte Sting
  East runners-up   New York Liberty
West champions Los Angeles Sparks
  West runners-up   Sacramento Monarchs
Finals
Finals champions Los Angeles Sparks
  Runners-up   Charlotte Sting
Finals MVP United States Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
WNBA seasons

← 2000

2002 →

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

Season award winners

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

Playoffs

Main article: 2001 WNBA Playoffs
First Round
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

External links