Wikipedia

2017 WNBA season

The 2017 WNBA season was the 21st season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Its regular season began on May 13 with three games, highlighted by the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Seattle Storm. It concluded on September 3. The playoffs began on September 6, and concluded on October 4, with the Minnesota Lynx defeating the Sparks in five games to win their fourth WNBA title.[2]

2017 WNBA season
LeagueWomen's National Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationMay 3 – September 17, 2017
Games34
Teams12
Total attendance1,574,078[1]
Average attendance7,716[1]
TV partner(s)ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV
Draft
Top draft pickUnited States Kelsey Plum
Picked bySan Antonio Stars
Regular season
Top seedMinnesota Lynx
Season MVPUnited States Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota)
Top scorerUnited States Brittney Griner (Phoenix)
Playoffs
Finals championsMinnesota Lynx
  Runners-upLos Angeles Sparks
Finals MVPUnited States Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota)
WNBA seasons

It was the final season for the San Antonio Stars in the city that they had called home since 2003. After the season, parent company Spurs Sports & Entertainment sold the team to MGM Resorts International, which moved the team to Las Vegas.[3] The former Stars now play as the Las Vegas Aces.[4]

Draft

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The San Antonio Stars selected Kelsey Plum first in the 2017 WNBA Draft.[5] The draft was televised nationally on the ESPN networks (Round 1 on ESPN2, Rounds 2 and 3 on ESPNU).

Arena changes

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Two teams announced temporary arena changes for the 2017 season, both due to their regular arenas undergoing renovations during the WNBA season.

Regular season

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Standings

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Source:[8]

# Eastern Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 New York Liberty - (3)2212.647-13–49–810–6
2 Connecticut Sun - (4)2113.636112–59–610–6
3 Washington Mystics - (6)1816.529411–67–1012-4
4 Chicago Sky - e1222.353104–138–96–10
5 Atlanta Dream - e1222.353109–83–145–11
6 Indiana Fever - e925.265136–113–144–12
# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Minnesota Lynx - (1)277.794–15–212–513–3
2 Los Angeles Sparks - (2)268.765116–110–712–4
3 Phoenix Mercury - (5)1816.52999–89–87–9
4 Dallas Wings - (7)1618.4711110–76–117–9
5 Seattle Storm - (8)1519.4411210–75–128–8
6 San Antonio Stars - e826.235196–112–151–15

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing
Playoff Seeds shown next to team name
e – Eliminated from playoffs

Playoffs

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First round
Single elimination
(Sept. 6)		Second round
Single elimination
(Sept. 10)		Semifinals
Best-of-5
(Sept. 12 – Sept. 17)		WNBA Finals
Best-of-5
(Sept. 24 – Oct. 4)
2Los Angeles Sparks3
4Connecticut Sun835Phoenix Mercury0
5Phoenix Mercury795Phoenix Mercury881Minnesota Lynx3
8Seattle Storm692Los Angeles Sparks2
1Minnesota Lynx3
3New York Liberty686Washington Mystics0
6Washington Mystics866Washington Mystics82
7Dallas Wings76

Note: Teams re-seeded after second round and semi-finals.

  • Bold – Game or series winner
  • Italic – Team with home-court advantage

Individual statistic leaders

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Regular season

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Category Player Team Statistic
Points per gameBrittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury21.9 PPG
Rebounds per gameJonquel JonesConnecticut Sun11.9 RPG
Assists per gameCourtney VanderslootChicago Sky8.1 APG
Steals per gameAlana BeardLos Angeles Sparks2.1 SPG
Blocks per gameBrittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury2.5 BPG
Field goal percentageSylvia FowlesMinnesota Lynx65.5%
Three point percentageChelsea GrayLos Angeles Sparks48.2%
Free throw percentageElena Delle DonneWashington Mystics95.3%

Playoffs

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Category Player Team Statistic
Points per gameBreanna StewartSeattle Storm23.0 PPG
Rebounds per gameJonquel JonesConnecticut Sun15.0 RPG
Assists per gameChelsea GrayLos Angeles Sparks6.7 APG
Steals per gameJewell LoydSeattle Storm3.0 SPG
Blocks per gameCourtney Paris
Candace Parker
Breanna Stewart		Dallas Wings
Los Angeles Sparks
Seattle Storm		2.0 BPG
Field goal percentage8 TiedVarious100%
Three point percentageRebecca Allen
Rachel Banham		New York Liberty
Connecticut Sun		100%
Free throw percentage18 TiedVarious100%

Awards

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Reference:[9]

Individual

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Award Winner Team Position Votes/Statistic
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx Center 35 of 40[10]
Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles Minnesota Lynx Center
Rookie of the Year Allisha Gray Dallas Wings Guard 30 of 40
Most Improved Player Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Forward/Center 32 of 40
Defensive Player of the Year Alana Beard Los Angeles Sparks Guard 28 of 40
Sixth Woman of the Year Sugar Rodgers New York Liberty Guard 15 of 40
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Sue Bird Seattle Storm Guard 20 of 40
Peak Performers Scoring Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center 21.9 PPG
Rebounding Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun Center 11.9 RPG
Assists Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky Guard 8.1 APG
Coach of the Year Curt Miller Connecticut Sun Coach 36 of 40
Basketball Executive of the Year Curt Miller Connecticut Sun General manager 6 of 12

Team

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Players of the Week

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Week ending Eastern Conference Western Conference
Player Team Player Team
May 22Layshia ClarendonAtlanta DreamSylvia Fowles (2)Minnesota Lynx
May 29Epiphanny PrinceNew York Liberty
June 4Tina Charles (2)New York LibertyDiana TaurasiPhoenix Mercury
June 11Sylvia Fowles (3)Minnesota Lynx
June 18Jonquel JonesConnecticut SunCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks
June 25Alyssa ThomasConnecticut SunSkylar Diggins-SmithDallas Wings
July 2Jasmine ThomasConnecticut SunCandace Parker (2)Los Angeles Sparks
July 9Alyssa Thomas (2) Connecticut SunBrittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury
July 16Stefanie DolsonChicago SkyBreanna StewartSeattle Storm
July 23Tina Charles (4) New York LibertySylvia Fowles (4)Minnesota Lynx
July 30Candace Parker (3) Los Angeles Sparks
August 7Courtney VanderslootChicago SkyGlory JohnsonDallas Wings
August 14Jonquel Jones (2)Connecticut SunSylvia Fowles (5)Minnesota Lynx
August 21Tina Charles (7) New York LibertyBreanna Stewart (2) Seattle Storm
August 28Candace Parker (4)Los Angeles Sparks
September 5Brittney Griner (2)Phoenix Mercury

Players of the Month

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Month Eastern Conference Western Conference
Player Team Player Team
MayTiffany HayesAtlanta DreamSylvia Fowles (3)Minnesota Lynx
JuneJonquel JonesConnecticut Sun
JulyTina Charles (2)New York Liberty
AugustCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks

Rookies of the Month

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Month Player Team
MayAllisha Gray (2)Dallas Wings
June
JulyBrittney Sykes (2)Atlanta Dream
August

Coaches of the Month

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Coaches

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Eastern Conference

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Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff appearances Finals Appearances WNBA Championships
Atlanta Dream Michael Cooper USC 3 51–51 1 0 0
Chicago Sky Amber Stocks Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 0 0–0 0 0 0
Connecticut Sun Curt Miller Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 1 14–20 0 0 0
Indiana Fever Pokey Chatman Chicago Sky 0 0–0 0 0 0
New York Liberty Bill Laimbeer Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) 4 70–66 3 0 0
Washington Mystics Mike Thibault Connecticut Sun 4 64–72 3 0 0

Western Conference

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Team Head coach Previous job Years with team Record with team Playoff appearances Finals Appearances WNBA Championships
Dallas Wings Fred Williams Atlanta Dream 3 41–61 1 0 0
Los Angeles Sparks Brian Agler Seattle Storm 2 40–28 2 1 1
Minnesota Lynx Cheryl Reeve Detroit Shock (assistant) 7 168–70 6 5 3
Phoenix Mercury Sandy Brondello Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) 3 65–37 3 1 1
San Antonio Stars Vickie Johnson San Antonio Stars (assistant) 0 0–0 0 0 0
Seattle Storm Jenny Boucek Seattle Storm (assistant) 10 26–42 1 0 0

Notes:

  • Year with team does not include 2017 season.
  • Records are from time at current team and are through the end the 2016 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 2017 season as head coach of each team.

References

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  1. 1 2 "WNBA Scores Highest Attendance In Six Years During Record-Breaking Season". wnba.com. WNBA. September 6, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  2. ↑ "WNBA's 2017 Season Tips Off May 13". WNBA.com. November 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ "WNBA Announces Relocation of San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas" (Press release). WNBA. October 17, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  4. ↑ "MGM Resorts Selects 'Las Vegas Aces' As New Name For WNBA Franchise" (Press release). WNBA. December 11, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ "San Antonio Stars Select Washington's Kelsey Plum With No. 1 Pick in WNBA Draft". WNBA.com. April 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Atlanta Dream Announces Georgia Tech as Home for 2017 & 2018 Seasons". WNBA. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Lynx to play 2017 home games at Xcel Energy Center". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Standings - WNBA".
  9. ↑ "2017 WNBA Season Awards - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  10. ↑ Borzi, Pat (September 14, 2017). "Sylvia Fowles wins 1st MVP award after lifting Lynx with big year". ESPN. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
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