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Sue Bird cuts down the net after Seattle beat
Connecticut to win the WNBA title (Photo: Seattle Times) |
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The Cleveland Rockers folded after the 2003
season.
The 2004 season proved to be the most competitive in league history,
with almost all the teams in the league vying for playoff spots.
Following this, on October 21, 2004, Val Ackerman, the first WNBA
president, announced her resignation, effective February 1, 2005, citing
the desire to spend more time with her family. Ackerman later became
president of USA Basketball.
Seattle Storm - WNBA Champion 2004
Head Coach: Anne Donovan
* Lauren Jackson
* Sheri Sam
* Kamila Vodichkova
* Sue Bird
* Betty Lennox
Alicia Thompson
Janell Burse
Simone Edwards
Tully Bevilaqua
Adia Barnes
Michelle Greco
2004 WNBA Playoff results
WNBA FINALS
Seattle vs. Connecticut (Seattle wins series 2-1)
Game 1: Connecticut 68, Seattle 64
Game 2: Seattle 67, Connecticut 65
Game 3: Seattle 74, Connecticut 60
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Conference finals
Connecticut vs. New York (Sun win series 2-0)
Game 1: Connecticut 61, New York 51
Game 2: Connecticut 60, New York 57
First round
Sun vs. Mystics (Sun win series 2-1)
Game 1: Washington 67, Connecticut 59
Game 2: Connecticut 80, Washington 70
Game 3: Connecticut 76, Washington 56
Liberty vs. Shock (Liberty win series 2-1)
Game 1: New York 75, Detroit 62
Game 2: Detroit 76, New York 66
Game 3: New York 66, Detroit 64
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Conference finals
Seattle vs. Sacramento (Storm win series 2-1)
Game 1: Sacramento 74, Seattle 72 (OT)
Game 2: Seattle 66, Sacramento 54
Game 3: Seattle 82, Sacramento 62
First round
Monarchs vs. Sparks (Monarchs win series 2-1)
Game 1: Sacramento 72, Los Angeles 52
Game 2: Los Angeles 71, Sacramento 57
Game 3: Sacramento 73, Los Angeles 58
Storm vs. Lynx (Storm win series 2-0)
Game 1: Seattle 70, Minnesota 58
Game 2: Seattle 64, Minnesota 54
WNBA Awards 2004:
WNBA Most Valuable Player: Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles
Sparks
WNBA Rookie of the Year: Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury
WNBA Co-Most Improved Player: Wendy Palmer of the Connecticut Sun and
Kelly Miller of the Indiana Fever
WNBA Coach of the Year: Suzie McConnell Serio of Minnesota Lynx
WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Winners: Teresa Edwards of the
Minnesota Lynx
All-WNBA 1st Team:
Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles
Lauren Jackson, Seattle
Tina Thompson, Houston
Sue Bird, Seattle
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
All-WNBA 2nd Team:
Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento
Tamika Catchings, Indiana
Swin Cash, Detroit
Nikki Teasley, Los Angeles
Nykesha Sales, Connecticut
 WNBA
All-Star Game 2004:
A focused U.S. Olympic women's basketball team geared up for a run at a
third consecutive gold medal, dispatching a squad of WNBA All-Stars
74-58.
Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith had double-doubles
and combined for 38 points and 38 rebounds for the Olympians, who went
on a 30-12 run to end the first half and end any notion Bill Laimbeer
and the All-Stars had of winning the game.
Team USA
Sue Bird Storm G 5-9
Swin Cash Shock F 6-2
Tamika Catchings Fever F 6-1
Yolanda Griffith Monarchs F 6-4
Shannon Johnson Silver Stars G 5-7
Lisa Leslie Sparks C 6-5
DeLisha Milton-Jones (injured) Sparks F 6-1
Ruth Riley** Shock C 6-4
Dawn Staley Sting G 5-6
Katie Smith Lynx G 5-11
Sheryl Swoopes Comets F 6-0
Diana Taurasi Mercury G 5-11
Tina Thompson Comets F 6-2
WNBA All-Star
Nykesha Sales Sun F 6-0
Cheryl Ford Shock F 6-3
Taj McWilliams-Franklin Sun C 6-2
Nikki Teasley Sparks G 6-0
Anna DeForge Mercury G 5-10
Allison Feaster Sting F 5-11
Mwadi Mabika Sparks F 5-11
Natalie Williams Fever C 6-2
Becky Hammon Liberty G 5-6
Deanna Nolan Shock G 6-0
Lindsay Whalen Sun G 5-8
2004 Draft:
First round
1. Phoenix Diana Taurasi G Connecticut
2. Washington Alana Beard G Duke
3. Charlotte Nicole Powell G/F Stanford
4. Connecticut Lindsay Whalen G Minnesota
5. New York Shameka Christon F Arkansas
6. Minnesota Nicole Ohlde C Kansas State
7. Minnesota Vanessa Hayden C Florida
8. Phoenix Chandi Jones G Houston
9. Indiana Ebony Hoffman C USC
10. Sacramento Rebekkah Brunson F Georgetown
11. Detroit Iciss Tillis F/C Duke
12. Los Angeles Christi Thomas F Georgia
13. Detroit Shereka Wright F Purdue
Second round
14. Phoenix Ashley Robinson C Tennessee
15. Washington Kaayla Chones C N.C. State
16. Connecticut Jessica Brungo F Penn State
17. New York Amisha Carter F Louisiana Tech
18. Charlotte Kelly Mazzante G/F Penn State
19. Seattle Trina Frierson F Louisiana Tech
20. Minnesota Tasha Butts G/F Tennessee
21. San Antonio Cindy Dallas F Illinois
22. Charlotte Jenni Benningfield F Vanderbilt
23. Detroit Erika Valek G Purdue
24. Connecticut Ugo Oha C George Washington
25. Los Angeles Doneeka Hodges G LSU
26. Houston Lindsay Taylor C UC Santa Barbara
Third round
27. Phoenix Maria Villarroel G Oklahoma
28. Washington Evan Unrau F Missouri
29. Connecticut Candace Futrell F Duquesne
30. New York Cathy Joens G George Washington
31. Indiana leva Kublina C Virginia Tech
32. Detroit Jennifer Smith C Michigan
33. Minnesota Amber Jacobs G Boston College
34. San Antonio Toccara Williams G Texas A&M
35. Charlotte Jia Perkins G Texas Tech
36. Sacramento Nuria Martinez Spain
37. Houston Stacy Stephens C Texas
38. Minnesota Kate Bulger G West Virginia |
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