WNBA 2006

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Women National Basketball Association.svg Women's National Basketball Association
◄ previous 2006 season next ►
Duration May 20th - September 9th
Season games per team 34
Number of teams 14th
Spectators (total) 1,779,366 (∅: 7,476 per game)
Regular season
Best record Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Connecticut Sun
Season MVP United StatesUnited States Lisa Leslie
Top scorer United StatesUnited States Diana Taurasi
Playoffs
Eastern - Champion Detroit ShockDetroit Shock Detroit Shock
  Runner-up team      Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Connecticut Sun
Western - Champion Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Monarchs
  Runner-up team      Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks
Finals
WNBA champion Detroit ShockDetroit Shock Detroit Shock
   Runner-up      Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Monarchs
Finals MVP United StatesUnited States Deanna Nolan

The 2006 season was the tenth regular season for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). This season, the Chicago Sky were added to the league.

The WNBA Draft took place on April 5th. The first pick was the Minnesota Lynx , Seimone Augustus of Louisiana State University .

The regular season began on May 20, 2007 with the game between the reigning champions, the Sacramento Monarchs , and the Phoenix Mercury and continued uninterrupted until August 13, 2007. Lisa Leslie was chosen as Most Valuable Player and Mike Thibault as Coach of the Season. The WNBA playoffs began on August 17, 2007. The WNBA championship won for the second time since 2003, the Detroit Shock , which defeated the Sacramento Monarchs 3–2 in the final series. Shock Guard Deanna Nolan has been named Finals MVP.

The 7th WNBA All-Star Game took place on July 12, 2007 in Madison Square Garden in New York City , which the Eastern All Stars won with 98-82 against the Western All Stars. Connecticut Sun Point Guard , Katie Douglas was named MVP of the game.

Draft

Before the WNBA Draft 2006 , an expansion draft for the Chicago Sky took place on November 16, 2005 . The tenth WNBA Draft took place on April 5, 2006 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston , Massachusetts , United States . The order of selection was determined in a lottery . These won the Minnesota Lynx before the Phoenix Mercury and the Charlotte Sting .

The first pick the Lynx drew was US American Seimone Augustus (G). Phoenix then chose Cappie Pondexter (G) in second place , followed by Monique Currie (G) in third place. In total, the 14 franchises secured the rights to 42 players. The United States made up the majority with over three quarters of all female players .

Top 5 picks

Abbreviations: Pos = Position, G = Guard, F = Forward, C = Center

# Player nationality Item WNBA team College / professional team
1. Seimone Augustus United StatesUnited States United States G Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx Louisiana State University
2. Cappie Pondexter United StatesUnited States United States G Phoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury Phoenix Mercury Rutgers University
3. Monique Currie United StatesUnited States United States G Charlotte Sting Charlotte Sting Duke University
4th Sophia Young Saint Vincent GrenadinesSt. Vincent and the Grenadines St. Vincent and the Grenadines F. San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver Stars San Antonio Silver Stars Baylor University
5. Lisa Willis United StatesUnited States United States G Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks University of California in Los Angeles

Regular season

Closing tables

Abbreviations: Pl. = Place, Sp. = Games, S = wins, N = defeats, GB = games behind the leader of the conference

Explanations: _ = Playoff qualification, _ = Conference winner

Pl. Eastern Conference Sp. S. N Wins in% GB home Away
1. Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Connecticut Sun 34 26th 8th 76.5 - 14: 3 12: 5
2. Detroit ShockDetroit Shock Detroit Shock 34 23 11 67.6 3 14: 3 9: 8
3. Indiana FeverIndiana Fever Indiana Fever 34 21st 13 61.8 5 12: 5 9: 8
4th Washington MysticsWashington Mystics Washington Mystics 34 18th 16 52.9 8th 13: 4 5:12
5. New York Liberty New York Liberty 34 11 23 32.4 15th 7:10 4:13
6th Charlotte Sting Charlotte Sting 34 11 23 32.4 15th 7:10 4:13
7th Chicago SkyChicago Sky Chicago Sky 34 5 29 14.7 21st 3:14 2:15
Pl. Western Conference Sp. S. N Wins in% GB home Away
1. Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks 34 25th 9 73.5 - 15: 2 10: 7
2. Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Monarchs 34 21st 13 61.8 4th 14: 3 7:10
3. Houston CometsHouston Comets Houston Comets 34 18th 16 52.9 7th 12: 5 6:11
4th Seattle StormSeattle Storm Seattle Storm 34 18th 16 52.9 7th 10: 7 8: 9
5. Phoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury Phoenix Mercury 34 18th 16 52.9 7th 10: 7 8: 9
6th San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver Stars San Antonio Silver Stars 34 13 21st 38.2 12 6:11 7:10
7th Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx 34 10 24 29.4 15th 8: 9 2:15

Playoffs

Conference semifinals (round 1)

Eastern Conference

Connecticut Sun (1) - Washington Mystics (4)
date Away team Home team Note
18th of August Connecticut 76 61 Washington
20th of August Washington 65 68 Connecticut
Connecticut wins the series 2-0.
Detroit Shock (2) - Indiana Fever (3)
date Away team Home team Note
17th August Detroit 68 56 Indiana 3OT
August 19th Indiana 83 98 Detroit
Detroit wins the series 2-0.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Sparks (1) - Seattle Storm (4)
date Away team Home team Note
18th of August los Angeles 72 84 Seattle
20th of August Seattle 70 78 los Angeles
August 22nd Seattle 63 68 los Angeles
Los Angeles wins the series 2-1.
Sacramento Monarchs (2) - Houston Comets (3)
date Away team Home team Note
17th August Sacramento 93 78 Houston
August 19th Houston 64 92 Sacramento
Sacramento wins the series 2-0.

Conference Finals (Round 2)

Eastern Conference
Connecticut Sun (1) - Detroit Shock (2)
date Away team Home team Note
August 24th Connecticut 59 70 Detroit
26th of August Detroit 68 77 Connecticut
August 27 Detroit 79 55 Connecticut
Detroit wins the series 2-1.
Western Conference
Los Angeles Sparks (1) - Sacramento Monarchs (2)
date Away team Home team Note
August 24th los Angeles 61 64 Sacramento
26th of August Sacramento 72 58 los Angeles
Sacramento wins the series 2-0.

Finals (round 3)

Sacramento Monarchs (W2) - Detroit Shock (E2)
date Away team Home team Note
August 30th Sacramento 95 71 Detroit
September 1 Sacramento 63 73 Detroit
September 3 Detroit 69 89 Sacramento
September 6th Detroit 72 52 Sacramento
the 9th of September Sacramento 75 80 Detroit
Detroit wins the series 3-2.

WNBA championship team

(Participation in at least one playoff game)

WNBA Champion Detroit Shock

Detroit ShockDetroit Shock
 Guards: Angelina Williams , Kedra Holland-Corn

Guard Fowards: Deanna Nolan (Finals MVP) , Katie Smith

Forwards: Cheryl Ford , Swin Cash , Jacqueline Batteast

Forward Center: Plenette Pierson , Kara Braxton

Center: Ruth Riley , Irina Osipova

Head coach: Bill Laimbeer 

WNBA awards and trophies awarded

Award Player team
WNBA Finals MVP Award Deanna Nolan Detroit Shock
WNBA Most Valuable Player Award Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Tamika catchings Indiana Fever
WNBA Most Improved Player Award Erin Buescher Sacramento Monarchs
WNBA Peak Performer Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
WNBA Peak Performer Cheryl Ford Detroit Shock
WNBA Rookie of the Year Award Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Dawn Staley Houston Comets
WNBA Coach of the Year Award Mike Thibault Connecticut Sun

All-WNBA teams

All-WNBA First Team
Guards: Phoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi - Katie DouglasConnecticut SunConnecticut Sun
Forwards: Indiana FeverIndiana Fever Tamika Catchings - Lauren JacksonSeattle StormSeattle Storm
Center: Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles Sparks Lisa Leslie
All-WNBA Second Team
Guards: Washington MysticsWashington Mystics Alana Beard - (MIN) Seimone AugustusMinnesota Lynx
Forwards: Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Taj McWilliams-Franklin - Sheryl SwoopesHouston CometsHouston Comets
Center: Detroit ShockDetroit Shock Cheryl Ford

All-rookie team

All-rookie team
Minnesota Lynx(MIN) Seimone Augustus - Cappie Pondexter - Candice Dupree Sophia Young - (CHA) Monique CurriePhoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury Chicago SkyChicago Sky
San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver Stars Charlotte Sting

All-Defensive Team

All-Defensive First Team
Guards: Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Katie Douglas - Tully BevilaquaIndiana FeverIndiana Fever
Forwards: Indiana FeverIndiana Fever Tamika Catchings - Sheryl SwoopesHouston CometsHouston Comets
Center: Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles Sparks Lisa Leslie
All-Defensive Second Team
Guards: Washington MysticsWashington Mystics Alana Beard - Deanna NolanDetroit ShockDetroit Shock
Forwards: Detroit ShockDetroit Shock Cheryl Ford - (SAC) Yolanda GriffithSacramento Monarchs
Center: Connecticut SunConnecticut Sun Margo Dydek

WNBA All-Decade Team

On the occasion of the tenth birthday of the WNBA in 2006, fans, media representatives, current players and coaches chose the ten players who had the greatest influence on the success of the WNBA. The following ten players ( plus five other Honorable Mentions ) were selected from a list of 30 names:

WNBA All-Decade Team

Player team
Sue Bird Seattle Storm (2002 Award Day)
Tamika catchings Indiana Fever (2001 Award Day)
Cynthia Cooper Houston Comets (1997-2000, 2003)
Yolanda Griffith Sacramento Monarchs (1999 Award Day)
Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm (2001 Award Day)
Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks (1997 Award Day)
Katie Smith Minnesota Lynx (1999-2005), Detroit Shock (2005 Award Day)
Dawn Staley Charlotte Sting (1999-2005), Houston Comets (2005 Award Day)
Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets (1997 Award Day)
Tina Thompson Houston Comets (1997 Award Day)

All ten have won Olympic medals: Jackson won silver with Australia and the rest gold for the US . Seven of them won the WNBA championship (Swoopes, Cooper and Thompson with Houston, Leslie with Los Angeles, Bird and Jackson with Seattle and Griffith with Sacramento).

Honorable Mention

Player team
Ruthie Bolton Sacramento Monarchs (1997-2004)
Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics (1999-2004), Los Angeles Sparks (2005 Award Day)
Ticha Penicheiro Sacramento Monarchs (1998 Award Day)
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury (2004 Award Day)
Teresa Weatherspoon New York Liberty (1997-2003), Los Angeles Sparks (2004)

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