2019 WNBA season

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
2019 WNBA season
League Women's National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
Duration May 24 – October 10
Number of games 34
Number of teams 12
Total attendance 1,333,093
Average attendance 6,535[1]
TV partner(s) ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, CBSSN
Top draft pick Jackie Young
Picked by Las Vegas Aces
Season MVP United States Elena Delle Donne (Washington)
Eastern champions Washington Mystics
  Eastern runners-up Connecticut Sun
Western champions Los Angeles Sparks
  Western runners-up Las Vegas Aces
Finals champions Washington Mystics
  Runners-up Connecticut Sun
Finals MVP Belgium Emma Meesseman (Washington)
WNBA seasons

The 2019 WNBA season was the 23rd season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Seattle Storm were the defending champions. The regular season began on May 24, with the Atlanta Dream hosting the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty hosting the Indiana Fever. The season ended with the Washington Mystics securing their first WNBA Title over the Connecticut Sun three games to two, in a closely contested finals. Emma Meesseman was named Finals MVP and teammate Elena Delle Donne was named regular season MVP.

2019 WNBA draft

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: 2019 WNBA draft

The Las Vegas Aces had the first pick in the 2019 WNBA draft on April 10, marking the third straight draft in which the franchise won the lottery for the top pick.[2][3] With the top pick, the Aces selected Jackie Young from Notre Dame. The draft was televised nationally on the ESPN networks (Round 1 on ESPN2, Rounds 2 and 3 on ESPNU).

Rule changes

The WNBA Board of Governors approved two rule changes at their November 15, 2018 meeting that would go into effect during the 2019 season.[4]

  1. The "Clear Path Foul Rule" was simplified to establish "bright line" standards based on a player's positioning.
  2. The definition of a "Hostile Act" was expanded for purposes of instant replay.

Media coverage

On April 22, 2019, CBS Sports Network announced a multi-year deal with the league to broadcast 40 games a season starting in May 2019.

Transactions

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: List of 2019 WNBA season transactions

Retirement

Free agency

Free agency negotiations began on January 15, 2019, with the signing period starting on February 1, 2019.[9]

Coaching changes

Off-season
Team 2018 season 2019 season Reference
Chicago Sky Amber Stocks James Wade [10][11]
Dallas Wings Taj McWilliams-Franklin (Interim) Brian Agler [12]
Los Angeles Sparks Brian Agler Derek Fisher [13][14] Post-season
Indiana Fever Pokey Chatman [15]
New York Liberty Katie Smith [16]

Administration

  • On June 17, Cathy Engelbert became the first Commissioner of the WNBA (previous top administrators had been titled "President"). She had previously served as CEO of the U.S. member firm of the international professional services firm Deloitte.[17]

Arena changes

Regular season

All-Star Game

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: 2019 WNBA All-Star Game
July 27, 2019
3:30 p.m. ET
Team Wilson 129, Team Delle Donne 126
Scoring by quarter: 39–23, 38–40, 28–32, 24–31
Pts: Wheeler 25
Rebs: Fowles 9
Asts: Gray 10		 Pts: Ogwumike 22
Rebs: Jones 13
Asts: Toliver 9
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 9,157
Referees:
#42 Roy Gulbeyan
#13 Cheryl Flores
#15 Fatou Cissoko-Stephens

Standings

Source:[24] Template:2019 WNBA Eastern Conference standings

# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Dallas Wings 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0
2 Las Vegas Aces 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0
3 Los Angeles Sparks 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0
4 Minnesota Lynx 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0
5 Phoenix Mercury 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0
6 Seattle Storm 0 0 .000 – 0–0 0–0 0–0

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
x – Qualified for playoffs
e – Eliminated from playoffs

Statistical leaders

The following shows the leaders in each statistical category during the 2019 regular season.[25][26]

Category Player Team Statistic
Points per game Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury 20.7 ppg
Rebounds per game Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun 9.7 rpg
Assists per game Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky 9.1 apg
Steals per game Jordin Canada Seattle Storm 2.3 spg
Blocks per game Brittney Griner
Jonquel Jones		 Phoenix Mercury
Connecticut Sun		 2.0 bpg
Field goal percentage Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx 58.8%
Three point FG percentage Alysha Clark Seattle Storm 48.1%
Free throw percentage Elena Delle Donne Washington Mystics 97.4%
Points per game (team) Washington Mystics 89.3 ppg
Field goal percentage (team) Washington Mystics 46.9%

Schedule

2019 WNBA preseason
2019 WNBA regular season
2019 WNBA postseason

Playoffs

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: 2019 WNBA Playoffs

The WNBA continued its current playoff format for 2019. The top eight teams, regardless of conference, make the playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a bye to the semi-finals. The remaining six teams play in two single-elimination playoff rounds, with the third and fourth seeds receiving a bye to the second round.[27] Template:2019 WNBA Playoffs

Season award winners

Player of the Week Award

Date Awarded Eastern Conference Western Conference Reference
Player Team Player Team
June 3 Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Natasha Howard Seattle Storm [28]
June 10 Jonquel Jones (2) Connecticut Sun DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury [29]
June 17 Jonquel Jones (3) Connecticut Sun Natasha Howard (2) Seattle Storm [30]
June 24 Elena Delle Donne Washington Mystics A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces [31]
July 1 Elena Delle Donne (2) Washington Mystics A'ja Wilson (2) Las Vegas Aces [32]
July 8 Tina Charles New York Liberty Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury [33]
July 15 Jonquel Jones (4) Connecticut Sun Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles Sparks [34]
July 22 Elena Delle Donne (3) Washington Mystics Natasha Howard (3) Seattle Storm [35]
August 5 Elena Delle Donne (4) Washington Mystics Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks [36]
August 12 Elena Delle Donne (5) Washington Mystics Nneka Ogwumike (2) Los Angeles Sparks [37]
August 19 Elena Delle Donne (6) Washington Mystics Arike Ogunbowale Dallas Wings [38]
August 26 Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx [39]
September 3 Courtney Williams Connecticut Sun Brittney Griner (2) Phoenix Mercury [40]
September 9 Elena Delle Donne (7) Washington Mystics Candace Parker (2) Los Angeles Sparks [41]

Player of the Month Award

For games played Eastern Conference Western Conference Reference
Player Team Player Team
June 2019 Elena Delle Donne Washington Mystics Natasha Howard Seattle Storm [42]
July 2019 Elena Delle Donne (2) Washington Mystics Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles Sparks [43]
August 2019 Elena Delle Donne (3) Washington Mystics Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury [44]

Rookie of the Month Award

For games played Player Team Reference
June 2019 Arike Ogunbowale Dallas Wings [45]
July 2019 Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx [46]
August 2019 Arike Ogunbowale (2) Dallas Wings [47]

Coach of the Month Award

For games played Coach Team Reference
June 2019 Mike Thibault Washington Mystics [48]
July 2019 Bill Laimbeer Las Vegas Aces [49]
August 2019 Mike Thibault (2) Washington Mystics [50]

Postseason awards

Award Winner Position Team Votes/Statistic
Most Valuable Player Award Elena Delle Donne Forward/Guard Washington Mystics 41 of 43[51]
Finals MVP Award Emma Meesseman Forward Washington Mystics [52]
Rookie of the Year Award Napheesa Collier Forward Minnesota Lynx 29 of 43[53]
Most Improved Player Award Leilani Mitchell Guard Phoenix Mercury 27 of 43[54]
Defensive Player of the Year Award Natasha Howard Forward Seattle Storm 33 of 44[55]
Sixth Woman of the Year Award Dearica Hamby Forward Las Vegas Aces 41 of 43[56]
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Nneka Ogwumike Forward Los Angeles Sparks 7 of 43[57]
Peak Performer: Points Brittney Griner Center Phoenix Mercury 20.7 PPG[58]
Peak Performer: Rebounds Jonquel Jones Center Connecticut Sun 9.7 RPG[58]
Peak Performer: Assists Courtney Vandersloot Guard Chicago Sky 9.1 APG[58]
Coach of the Year Award James Wade Coach Chicago Sky 27 of 43[59]
Basketball Executive of the Year Award Cheryl Reeve General Manager/Head Coach Minnesota Lynx 28 points[60]
Team Guard Guard Forward Forward Center
All-WNBA First Team Courtney Vandersloot Chelsea Gray Elena Delle Donne Natasha Howard Brittney Griner
All-WNBA Second Team Odyssey Sims Diamond DeShields Nneka Ogwumike Jonquel Jones Liz Cambage
All-Defensive First Team[61] Jasmine Thomas Jordin Canada Natasha Howard Nneka Ogwumike Jonquel Jones
All-Defensive Second Team[61] Ariel Atkins Natasha Cloud Alysha Clark Alyssa Thomas Brittney Griner
All-Rookie Team[62] Arike Ogunbowale Jackie Young Napheesa Collier Brianna Turner Teaira McCowan

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff Appearances Finals Appearances WNBA Championships
Atlanta Dream Nicki Collen Connecticut Sun (assistant) 1 23–11 1 0 0
Chicago Sky James Wade UMMC Ekaterinburg (assistant) 0 0–0 0 0 0
Connecticut Sun Curt Miller Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 3 56–46 3 1 0
Indiana Fever Pokey Chatman Chicago Sky 2 15–53 0 0 0
New York Liberty Katie Smith New York Liberty (assistant) 1 7–27 0 0 0
Washington Mystics Mike Thibault Connecticut Sun 6 104–100 5 1 0

Western Conference

Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff Appearances Finals Appearances WNBA Championships
Dallas Wings Brian Agler Los Angeles Sparks 0 0–0 0 0 0
Las Vegas Aces Bill Laimbeer New York Liberty 1 14–20 0 0 0
Los Angeles Sparks Derek Fisher New York Knicks 0 0–0 0 0 0
Minnesota Lynx Cheryl Reeve Detroit Shock (assistant) 8 213–93 7 6 4
Phoenix Mercury Sandy Brondello Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 5 103–67 5 1 1
Seattle Storm Dan Hughes San Antonio Stars 1 26–8 1 1 1

Notes:

  • Year with team does not include 2019 season.
  • Records are from time at current team and are through the end of the 2018 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 2019 season as head coach of each team.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=2019_WNBA_season&oldid=726194934"