The 100 Greatest Women's Basketball Players of All Time

Women's basketball has never been louder, and that's not an accident. The 2024 WNBA season drew record television audiences. College games were selling out football stadiums. Names like Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson were crossing over into mainstream sports conversation in a way that hadn't happened since the late 1990s, when the WNBA was brand new and Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie were doing the same thing for a different generation.

But the game didn't start in 2024. It didn't start in 1997 either. It runs back through ABL rosters and Olympic squads and Soviet national teams and Brazilian club programs and European leagues that kept the sport alive for decades before American audiences paid attention. This list tries to honor all of it.

We pulled from ten sources, cross-referenced rankings from Ainsworth Sports, ESPN, Interbasket, Paris Basketball, and The Run Sports, and built a list of 100 players that spans eight decades, six continents, and every era the game has gone through. Some names you'll recognize immediately. Others you might not, and that's part of the point.

Explanation

Women's basketball has a visibility problem that has nothing to do with quality. For most of its history, the sport produced extraordinary athletes competing at the highest level while drawing a fraction of the attention their male counterparts received. The gap wasn't about talent. It was about infrastructure, investment, and airtime. Understanding that context is the only way to read a list like this fairly.

The statistical case for players like Uljana Semjonova or Hortencia Marcari requires some digging precisely because the coverage didn't exist at the time. Semjonova, the 7'2" Soviet center who went undefeated in international competition for nearly two decades, is barely a footnote in Western basketball writing. Marcari, who won four World Championship gold medals with Brazil and is widely considered the greatest South American women's player ever, has no Wikipedia page in English that does her justice.

The records exist, but you have to go looking for them in FIBA archives and academic sports history work, which is part of why lists like this one tend to skew heavily toward the WNBA era and undersell the broader global picture.

The WNBA changed things structurally in 1997, and its founding generation deserves enormous credit for building something from scratch. 

Cynthia Cooper, who was 34 when the league launched and had already spent her prime in European leagues, went on to win four consecutive championships with Houston. Sheryl Swoopes became the first player signed by the league and its first true marketing face. Lisa Leslie, who would eventually dunk, win three MVPs, and become the sport's defining ambassador, was 25 years old when she played her first WNBA game.

These women weren't just athletes. They were building a product that had no guarantee of survival, in a sports market that wasn't sure it wanted them yet.

The current moment, driven partly by Caitlin Clark's cultural reach and A'ja Wilson's on-court dominance, owes a specific debt to that founding generation. Clark's record-breaking 2024 rookie season drew comparisons to Magic Johnson's arrival in the NBA, not just in talent but in attendance impact. According to Indiana Fever data, road game attendance increased by an average of over 3,000 fans per game during her rookie year.

That kind of pull is rare in any sport. Writers and analysts on X like Howard Megdal, who runs High Post Hoops and has covered the WNBA more seriously than almost anyone, have documented this shift in real time. Megdal's work, alongside outlets like The Athletic's WNBA desk and The Next's college basketball coverage, represents the best of what serious women's basketball journalism looks like right now.

What this list ultimately reflects is a sport in the middle of its most interesting period. The back half of the rankings, players 51 through 100, is full of names that represent depth the casual fan might not know but the serious one absolutely does. Seimone Augustus winning four titles as a supporting player on those Lynx dynasties.

Ticha Penicheiro threading passes through traffic that nobody else saw. Teresa Weatherspoon hitting a half-court shot in the 1999 Finals that people who were in the building still talk about. The game has always had this. It just hasn't always had an audience large enough to match it.

The list that follows is long by design. One hundred players, ranked, with a short case made for each one. You don't have to agree with the order, and honestly some of these placements could move ten spots in either direction without anyone being seriously wrong. What matters more than the exact numbers is the full picture they add up to: a sport with more history than it gets credit for, more global reach than most fans realize, and more talent per era than the coverage ever suggested. Start at the top or find a name you know and work outward from there.

Here’s the List:

A'ja Wilson

Three MVPs in a short stretch, an Olympic gold medal, and a scoring season in 2024 that nobody had seen before in the WNBA. Wilson is the best player in the league right now and has been for a while. She plays with intensity and a competitive edge that makes her genuinely fun to watch even when her team is winning by 20.

Nationality: United States
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Position: Forward
Read more on A'ja Wilson here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/aja_wilson

Adrienne Goodson

A well-traveled journeywoman who carved out a long career across multiple WNBA franchises through consistent scoring and reliability. Goodson was the kind of player teams turned to when they needed production without drama, and she delivered often enough to earn an All-Star selection and genuine respect around the league.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward 
Read more on Adrienne Goodson here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/adrienne-goodson

Alana Beard

Two Defensive Player of the Year awards and a championship with Los Angeles. Beard was the kind of defender who changed how teams approached their offensive planning, the one opposing coaches put in the scouting report as "do not let her get comfortable." She was also a solid contributor offensively, which made her a genuinely two-way problem.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Alana Beard here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/alana-beard

Alessandra Oliveira

A Brazilian center who competed in international basketball for well over a decade and was part of the Brazilian teams that made South American women's basketball a force at the global level. Oliveira was a physical presence who held her own against the best competition in the world at multiple World Championships.

Nationality: Brazil
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Alessandra Oliveira here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/alessandra-santos-de-oliveira

Aliyah Boston

An NCAA champion at South Carolina under Dawn Staley, and already a WNBA All-Star in her first couple of seasons. Boston plays a mature, position-sound game that looks like it was built for the long haul. She doesn't try to do too much, which in a young player is rarer than it sounds and usually ages very well.

Nationality: United States
Team: Indiana Fever
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Aliyah Boston here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/aliyah-boston

Alyssa Thomas

One of the most complete forwards in the WNBA right now. Thomas does everything: rebounds, defends, passes, finishes. She set the single-season assists record for any position in 2025, which is remarkable for a power forward, and she's won two championships with Connecticut. She's been criminally overlooked for most of her career, but the people who watch closely know exactly what she is.

Nationality: United States
Team: 
Position: 
Read more on Alyssa Thomas here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/alyssa-thomas

Amaya Valdemoro

A Spanish pioneer who was one of the first players from her country to make a real impact in the WNBA. Valdemoro was a skilled guard with a complete offensive game, and she was a central figure for the Spanish national team during a period when Spain began establishing itself as a genuine European power in women's basketball.

Nationality: Spain
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Amaya Valdemoro here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/amaya-valdemoro

Andrea Stinson

One of the founding generations of WNBA stars who helped establish what the league was going to look like. Stinson was a four-time All-Star and a reliable scorer from the league's earliest days, the kind of player who made the product feel credible when everything was still new and uncertain.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Guard
Read more on Andrea Stinson here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/andrea-stinson

Angel McCoughtry

Two scoring titles and one of the most explosive offensive games in WNBA history during her time with Atlanta. McCoughtry was the kind of player who could take over games, and she did it often enough that she earned five All-Star selections. Injuries cut into her peak years, but at her best she was nearly unstoppable in transition and at the free throw line.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Angel McCoughtry here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/angel-mc-coughtry

Ann Meyers Drysdale

The first woman ever to sign a contract with an NBA team, a tryout with the Indiana Pacers in 1979 that she earned on merit. Meyers was the best player of her generation in the US, a four-time All-American at UCLA who could do everything on the floor. The professional infrastructure for women's basketball didn't exist during her playing peak, which is the main reason her story doesn't get told enough.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Ann Meyers Drysdale here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/ann-meyers-drysdale

Arike Ogunbowale

Two scoring titles and one of the most electric offensive players in the current league. Ogunbowale is a shot creator with almost no conscience, the kind of guard who'll take and make shots that other players wouldn't consider attempting. She's been the entire offense for Dallas for stretches, which would drag down lesser players but seems to energize her.

Nationality: United States
Team: Dallas Wings
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Arike Ogunbowale here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/arike-ogunbowale

Becky Hammon

Six All-Star selections during a career in which she overcame being cut from the US national team to become one of the best players of her era. Hammon's basketball IQ was elite. She later became one of the first full-time female assistant coaches in the NBA with San Antonio, which is a whole separate legacy, but her playing career stands on its own just fine.

Nationality: Russia
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Becky Hammon here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/becky-hammon

Bev Smith

An ABL pioneer and international player who came before most of the professional infrastructure existed. Smith had to build her career through overseas leagues and national team competition, which she did with enough success to be remembered as one of the better players of her era. The fact that players like her existed without a proper league to play in for most of their careers is the real story.

Nationality: Canada
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Bev Smith here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/bev-smith

Breanna Stewart

Two MVPs, two WNBA titles with two different franchises, and she's still playing at her peak. Stewart came into the league in 2016 and was dominant almost immediately. She's an unusual combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ that made her hard to guard from day one.

Nationality: United Sattes
Team: New York Liberty
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Breanna Stewart here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/breanna-stewart

Bridgette Gordon

A founding-era WNBA player who had already accomplished plenty before the league started. Gordon was part of championship-caliber rosters and contributed as a veteran presence and scorer when the league was still figuring out what it was going to be. Her career represents that first generation who made the whole thing possible.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Bridgette Gordon here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/bridgette-gordon

Brittney Griner

Two scoring titles, a championship with Phoenix in 2021, and one of the most physically imposing presences the women's game has ever seen. Griner's shot-blocking and finishing around the rim were truly in a class of their own. Her career story is also impossible to tell without acknowledging the year she spent wrongfully detained in Russia, and what it said about her resilience that she came back and kept playing well.

Nationality: United States
Team: Connecticut Sun
Position: Center
Read more on Brittney Griner here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/brittney-griner

Caitlin Clark

NCAA all-time leading scorer, WNBA Rookie of the Year, a single-season assists record in her debut year, and the kind of cultural impact that genuinely moved the needle for women's basketball viewership. She's averaging over 22 points and 8.5 assists in 2026. The ceiling from here is interesting to think about.

Nationality: United States
Team: Indiana Fever
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Caitlin Clark here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/caitlin-clark

Candace Parker

Two MVPs, two championships with different teams late in her career, and an effortless game that made everything look easy. Parker won Rookie of the Year the same season she won MVP, which had never happened before. She could handle the ball like a point guard, post up like a center, and pass out of double teams with perfect timing.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Candace Parker here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/candace-parker

Candice Dupree

The most games played in WNBA history, which requires not just longevity but the continued ability to contribute at a level teams actually want. Dupree was a reliable, versatile forward for multiple franchises over nearly two decades, and her durability and consistency are genuinely impressive when you look at the full picture.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Candice Dupree here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/candice-dupree

Cappie Pondexter

Two championships, two scoring titles, and a flair for the dramatic that made her one of the most watchable players of her generation. Pondexter had that quality where you didn't want to look away during crunch time because she might do something you hadn't seen before. She could create off the dribble, shoot off the catch, and handle the ball under pressure without flinching.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Cappie Pondexter here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/cappie-pondexter

Catarina Pollini

An Italian center and one of the foundational players in Italian women's basketball history. Pollini competed at the top level of European competition for years and was part of Italian national teams that were competitive on the world stage during the late 1980s and 90s, a period when Italian women's basketball was genuinely strong.

Nationality: Italy
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Catarina Pollini here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/catarina-pollini

Chamique Holdsclaw

The best college player of her generation at the time she finished at Tennessee. Holdsclaw won three consecutive NCAA titles with the Lady Vols and came into the WNBA with enormous expectations that she largely met before injuries and personal struggles interrupted what looked like a certain all-time great career. The talent was never in question.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Chamique Holdsclaw here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/chamique-holdsclaw

Chelsea Gray

Two championships, a Finals MVP, and one of the most composed point guards of the current era. Gray runs the Las Vegas offense with a calm that doesn't quite match how difficult what she's doing actually is. She doesn't force anything, doesn't take bad shots, and seems to always find the right play. That's harder than it looks.

Nationality: United States
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Chelsea Gray here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/chelsea-gray

Cheryl Ford

Champion with Detroit, and the daughter of NBA legend Karl Malone, though she built her own reputation entirely on her own terms. Ford was a rebounding machine, one of the best the league has seen, and her ability to clean the glass gave Detroit a second-chance points advantage that mattered in close games.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Cheryl Ford here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/cheryl-ford

Cheryl Miller

Possibly the greatest college player in the history of the women's game. Miller led USC to two NCAA titles, was a four-time All-American, and won Olympic gold in 1984. A knee injury ended her career before she ever got to play professionally at a high level. What she showed was enough to earn her place on this list without any argument.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Cheryl Miller here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/cheryl-miller

Courtney Vandersloot

The all-time assists leader in WNBA history, which is a record that reflects her entire philosophy of playing. Vandersloot has always prioritized making the right play over the exciting play, and four championships across her career suggest that approach worked. She's one of the smartest point guards in the history of the league.

Nationality: United States
Team: Chicago Sky
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Courtney Vandersloot here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/courtney-vandersloot

Courtney Williams

One of the more entertaining players to watch in the current era, a guard who plays with a flair and confidence that sometimes tips into chaos but mostly works in her favor. Williams is a strong finisher at the rim and a creative ball-handler who has been a useful piece on winning teams while also being capable of carrying a bad one. She's a champion and a personality the league is better for having.

Nationality: United States
Team: Minnesota Lynx
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Courtney Williams here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/courtney-williams

Crystal Langhorne

A champion with Seattle and one of the more efficient big players of her generation. Langhorne was not asked to do a lot of flashy things, but she did the unglamorous work of setting screens, finishing cuts, and grabbing rebounds with remarkable consistency over a long career. Her field goal percentage across multiple seasons was among the best in the league.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Crystal Langhorne here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/crystal-langhorne

Cynthia Cooper

Before there was a single WNBA season, Cooper had already built a legendary career in Europe. When the league launched in 1997, she was 34 years old and proceeded to win four consecutive championships with Houston and two Finals MVP awards. Her scoring in those early seasons was staggering. She showed up when the league needed stars the most.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Cynthia Cooper here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/cynthia-cooper

Dawn Staley

Her playing career alone would get her on this list. Three Olympics, a WNBA career as one of the best point guards of the early league years, and a reputation as one of the toughest competitors around. But then the coaching career happened, and she became arguably the greatest women's college basketball coach alive. It's a rare double legacy.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Dawn Staley here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/dawn-staley

Deanna Nolan

Three championships with Detroit and one of the better shooting guards of the mid-2000s WNBA. Nolan could really score, with a quick release and the confidence to take big shots in big moments. She was a cornerstone of the Shock's back-to-back title runs and a three-time All-Star who gave Detroit a genuine second offensive option alongside Katie Smith.

Nationality: Russia
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Deanna Nolan here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/deanna-nolan

Dearica Hamby

A champion with Las Vegas and a multiple-time winner of the Sixth Woman Award, which undersells her because she was genuinely starter-quality for most of her career. Hamby is a smart, skilled forward who rebounds well above her size and finishes with both hands. Her situation in Las Vegas ended poorly off the court, but the basketball ability was never the issue.

Nationality: United States
Team: Los Angeles Sparks
Position: Forward
Read more on Dearica Hamby here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/dearica-hamby

DeLisha Milton-Jones

Three championships across a long career with multiple franchises, which is the kind of résumé that speaks for itself. Milton-Jones was a versatile forward who could defend, score in the mid-range, and do the connective work that doesn't show up anywhere except the win column. She was still contributing at a high level well into her thirties.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on DeLisha Milton-Joneshere: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/de-lisha-milton-jones

DeWanna Bonner

Three championships and one of the longest, most consistent careers in WNBA history. Bonner has been an All-Star contributor for well over a decade across multiple franchises, the kind of reliable wing scorer who makes any team better. She's not flashy, but she's been good for so long that the total weight of what she's done demands respect.

Nationality: North Macedonia
Team: Phoenix Mercury
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on DeWanna Bonner here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/de-wanna-bonner

Diana Taurasi

Five WNBA championships, the league's all-time leading scorer, and a career spanning more than two decades without any real dip in quality. She plays with a swagger that borders on reckless but somehow keeps working. In international basketball she's equally decorated, having won Olympic gold with the US national team multiple times. Taurasi just wins.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Diana Taurasi here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/diana-taurasi

Elena Baranova

A Russian pioneer in the WNBA who helped open the door for international players in the league. Baranova was a versatile big who could step outside and shoot, which was unusual for a center in the late 1990s, and she was an effective presence for several franchises during a career that ran longer than most.

Nationality: Russia
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Elena Baranova here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/elena-baranova

Elena Delle Donne

Rookie of the Year, MVP, champion, and one of the most skilled players the league has ever had. Delle Donne can shoot from everywhere, including a mid-range game she developed to an almost old-school level of reliability. Injuries shortened parts of her career but her efficiency numbers during her healthy seasons are remarkable.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Elena Delle Donne here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/elena-delle-donne

Emma Meesseman

Finals MVP with Washington in 2019 and one of the best European players to come through the WNBA. Meesseman is a deceptively skilled forward who can score from multiple spots, pass out of the high post, and defend bigger players. She's often underestimated on paper but consistently performs when it matters, which is the best kind of player to have.

Nationality: Belgium
Team: Fenerbahçe
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Emma Meesseman here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/emma-meesseman

Epiphanny Prince

A champion and All-Star whose career took her through multiple WNBA franchises and a long, successful run in European leagues. Prince was a scoring guard with the ability to get hot quickly and carry an offense for stretches, and she was a useful professional for a long time in multiple basketball contexts.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Epiphanny Prince here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/epiphanny-prince

Erika de Souza

Brazil's best center and one of the better shot-blockers in WNBA history. De Souza had long arms, good timing, and a physical presence that made driving the lane genuinely unpleasant. She was a cornerstone of the Brazilian national team for years and contributed steadily in the WNBA across a career that lasted longer than most centers manage.

Nationality: Brazil
Team: BC Castors Braine
Position: Center
Read more on Erika de Souza here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/erika-de-souza

Glory Johnson

A champion with Phoenix and a DPOY candidate during her best seasons. Johnson was a physical, active forward who rebounded hard and defended with real energy. She had a career that was interrupted by circumstances off the court, which makes it hard to know exactly what the ceiling was, but at her best she was a genuine asset on a good team.

Nationality: United States
Team: Unemployed
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Glory Johnson here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/glory-johnson

Hana Horakova

The definitive face of modern Czech basketball and one of the most accomplished European guards of the 2000s. Horáková was an elite playmaker and defender who led the Czech Republic to a historic silver medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, earning tournament MVP honors over a star-studded field of WNBA icons. A EuroBasket champion and EuroLeague legend, she was named the FIBA Europe Women's Player of the Year in 2010, cementing her legacy as a giant of the international game.

Nationality: Czech
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Hana Horakova here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/hana-horakova

Hortencia Marcari

Brazilian basketball royalty. Marcari won four World Championship gold medals and was the face of the Brazilian national program for well over a decade. She was a scorer first but a complete player, and she's still considered the greatest women's basketball player to ever come out of South America by most people who follow the game closely.

Nationality: Brazil
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Hortencia Marcari here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/hortencia-marcari

Isabelle Fijalkowski

A French center who had a productive WNBA career while also being a cornerstone of the French national program for years. Fijalkowski was skilled in the post, mobile for her size, and consistent enough to be a useful piece on multiple teams. France's women's basketball history has a lot of her fingerprints on it.

Nationality: France
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Isabelle Fijalkowski here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/isabelle-fijalkowski

Jackie Young

Four All-Star appearances and a champion with Las Vegas, where she went from a raw but athletic prospect to a legitimate two-way contributor on one of the best teams in the league. Young is durable, coachable, and has gotten better every year she's been in the league, which is exactly the kind of development arc that builds long careers.

Nationality: United States
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Jackie Young here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/jackie-young

Janeth Arcain

Brazil's other legend from that golden generation. Arcain played alongside Hortencia and helped build the Brazilian national team into a world power. She also had a solid WNBA career with Houston, winning a championship and earning recognition as one of the better international players to ever come to the league.

Nationality: Brazil
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Janeth Arcain here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/janeth-arcain

Jennifer Gillom

Two Olympic gold medals and a WNBA career that started when she was already in her early thirties, which meant most people saw only the tail end of her best years. Gillom was a skilled post player and scorer who had built a long, decorated career in Europe before the league existed. Her international reputation was substantial.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Jennifer Gillom here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/jennifer-gillom

Jewell Loyd

A scoring champion, a champion, and one of the most dangerous offensive guards in the current game. Loyd developed steadily in Seattle until she became genuinely hard to stop in isolation, and her 2023 scoring title felt like the moment the rest of the league officially caught up to what people in Seattle already knew. She's a legitimate star.

Nationality: United States
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Jewell Loyd here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/jewell-loyd

Jonquel Jones

MVP in 2021, two championships, and a skill set that doesn't fit neatly into any one category. Jones is a big who can shoot from deep, switch defensively, and create for others, the kind of player who became more valuable as the game evolved toward versatility. She took a while to get full recognition but the basketball community caught up eventually.

Nationality: Bahamas
Team: New York Liberty
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Jonquel Jones here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/jonquel-jones

Jurgita Streimikyte

A Lithuanian forward who was one of the better European players of the late 1980s and 90s. Streimikyte competed at the top level of international basketball during a period when the Soviet bloc produced an enormous amount of talent, and she held her own consistently in that environment, which was not easy to do.

Nationality: Lithuania
Team: Retired
Position: Small Foward
Read more on Jurgita Streimikyte here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/jurgita-streimikyte

Katie Douglas

A champion with Indiana and one of the more versatile players of her era. Douglas could play multiple positions, guard multiple positions, and score reliably from mid-range and beyond. She wasn't flashy but she was steady, the kind of player whose value becomes clearer when she's gone than when she was there.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Katie Douglas here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/katie-douglas

Katie Smith

Three championships and one of the best pure shooters the league has ever had. Smith was a threat from deep before three-point shooting became central to the game, and she was also a solid defender and smart passer. She finished among the all-time leaders in points and was a consistent presence in the league from its very first season.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Katie Smith here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/katie-smith

Katrina McClain

A dominant force in the pre-WNBA era who won two Olympic gold medals and was one of the best players in the world during the late 1980s and early 90s. McClain played most of her best basketball in Europe and with the national team, and by the time the WNBA launched she was past her peak. Her reputation among people who followed women's basketball through that era is very high.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Katrina McClain here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/katrina-mc-clain

Kelsey Plum

A champion with Las Vegas, a three-point contest winner, and one of the more creative offensive guards in the current game. Plum went from being a forgotten first-round pick to a genuine contributor on a championship team, which required real development and real work. She's a good story and a good player.

Nationality: United States
Team: Los Angeles Sparks
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Kelsey Plum here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/kelsey-plum

Kristi Toliver

A champion with Los Angeles and a three-time All-Star who was one of the better shooting point guards of her era. Toliver could really shoot, particularly off the catch in rhythm, and she was a reliable veteran presence on multiple good teams. She later moved into coaching, which surprised nobody who watched her play.

Nationality: Slovak
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Kristi Toliver here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/kristi-toliver

Lauren Jackson

Australia's greatest basketball export, probably ever. Three WNBA MVPs with the Seattle Storm, two championships, and an international career that ran parallel and was just as impressive. She's one of the few players whose dominance was so complete that opposing coaches would change their entire game plan around stopping her.

Nationality: Australia
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Lauren Jackson here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/lauren-jackson

Lindsay Whalen

Four championships with Minnesota and arguably the most important player in the history of that franchise. Whalen's court vision and decision-making were exceptional, and she had a toughness that elevated her teams in the playoffs specifically. She's a Hall of Famer and went on to coach the Minnesota Lynx, which felt right.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Lindsay Whalen here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/lindsay-whalen

Lisa Leslie

She did everything first and better than almost anyone. Three WNBA MVPs, four championships with the Los Angeles Sparks, and the first player in league history to dunk in a game. She was 6'5", moved like a guard, and played with a kind of composed dominance you rarely see. A two-time Olympic gold medalist before the WNBA even existed. She set the standard.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Lisa Leslie here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/lisa-leslie

Liz Cambage

Holds the WNBA single-game scoring record with 53 points, which she set in 2018 and which still stands. Cambage was the most physically dominant center of her era when healthy and motivated, a near-impossible matchup for any defense. The "when healthy and motivated" qualifier is what keeps the conversation complicated, but the talent was genuinely generational.

Nationality: Australia
Team: Sichuan Yuanda
Position: Center
Read more on Liz Cambage here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/liz-cambage

Margo Dydek

The tallest player in WNBA history at 7'2", and genuinely skilled, not just tall. Dydek was a shot-blocking force and a real offensive presence in the post, and she was a foundational player for Poland internationally. Her career was cut short and she passed away in 2011, which makes her legacy bittersweet, but what she accomplished in the league was real.

Nationality: Poland
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Margo Dydek here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/margo-dydek

Maria Paula Silva

A Brazil international star from an era when South American women's basketball was producing talent that didn't always get the global coverage it deserved. Silva was a prolific scorer in international competition and her career numbers across World Championships and Pan American Games are among the best of her generation.

Nationality: Brazil
Team: Retired
Position: Guard
Read more on Maria Paula Silva here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/maria-paula-silva

Maya Moore

Four championships, a Rookie of the Year, an MVP, and she walked away from the game voluntarily at the height of her powers to pursue criminal justice work. That decision didn't diminish the career; it just made it more complicated. Moore was one of the most complete players the league had ever seen, with a killer instinct in big moments that put her in rarefied company.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Maya Moore here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/maya-moore

Miao Lijie

China's entry on this list, a guard who was part of the Chinese national team program that produced some of the more competitive Asian teams in international women's basketball. Lijie had a WNBA career and represented China across multiple international competitions, carrying on a tradition of skilled Chinese guards that the program had been developing for years.

Nationality: China
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Miao Lijie here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/miao-lijie

Michele Timms

An Australian pioneer who had already built a substantial international career before coming to the WNBA. Timms was a feisty, competitive point guard who could score and defend, and she brought a toughness to Phoenix that the franchise leaned on heavily in its early years. She was one of the first international players to really make an impact in the league.

Nationality: Australia
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Michele Timms here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/michele-timms

Mwadi Mabika

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mabika had an international career that took her across multiple continents before she became a WNBA champion with Los Angeles. She was a scoring guard with athleticism and competitive toughness, and her path to success in the sport was more complicated than most players on this list.

Nationality: Democratic Republic of Congo
Team: Retired
Position: Guard
Read more on Mwadi Mabika here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/mwadi-mabika

Napheesa Collier

The best defensive player in the league right now, and also a very good offensive one. Collier has been named Defensive Player of the Year and has quietly built an All-Star caliber career with Minnesota while also co-founding Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league that gave WNBA players somewhere competitive to play in the offseason. She's still ascending.

Nationality: United States
Team: Minnesota Lynx
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Napheesa Collier here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/napheesa-collier

Natalia Zasulskaya

A Soviet and later Russian international star whose career bridged the end of the Soviet era and the early years of professional women's basketball in Europe. Zasulskaya was a physical forward who competed at the highest international level for over a decade and was regarded as one of the better European players of her generation.

Nationality: Russia
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Natalia Zasulskaya here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/natalia-zasulskaya

Natalie Williams

WNBA MVP and DPOY in the same season, 2001, with Utah. Williams came from a unique athletic background: she also played professional volleyball, and brought a physical intensity to the game that was difficult to prepare for. She didn't have the longest prime but it was a very bright one.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Natalie Williams here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/natalie-williams

Natasha Howard

A Defensive Player of the Year winner and champion who was one of the more quietly dominant forwards of her era. Howard could protect the rim, switch onto guards defensively, and score efficiently on the other end. She didn't generate enormous headlines but coaches and opponents knew exactly what she was capable of.

Nationality: United States
Team: Minnesota Lynx
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Natasha Howard here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/natasha-howard

Nikki McCray

Two championships with Houston in the very early WNBA years and three All-Star appearances. McCray was a quick, athletic guard who could defend and score, the kind of player who set the tone for what a two-way wing looked like in the league's first generation. She was also a key contributor for the US national team during that period.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Nikki McCray here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/nikki-mc-cray

Nneka Ogwumike

MVP in 2016, champion with Los Angeles, eight All-Star selections and counting. Ogwumike is efficient almost to a fault, one of those players who just doesn't waste possessions. She's also been a significant voice in the WNBA Players Association during a period when the league's labor dynamics changed considerably.

Nationality: United States
Team: Los Angeles Sparks
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Nneka Ogwumike here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/nneka-ogwumike

Nykesha Sales

Four All-Star appearances and one of the better wing scorers of the late 1990s and 2000s. Sales had a smooth offensive game and could score from multiple areas, and she was a consistent presence for Connecticut across the better part of a decade. She's also the subject of one of the more unusual and touching moments in WNBA history, when opposing players allowed her to score while injured to break a record.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Nykesga Sales here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/nykesha-sales

Olga Sukharnova

A Soviet-era guard who was one of the more prolific scorers in international women's basketball during the 1970s. Sukharnova played in an era when the Soviet national team was essentially unbeatable, which means her medals count for a lot, and she was one of the primary offensive contributors on those rosters.

Nationality: Russia
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Olga Sukharnova here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/olga-sukharnova

Penny Taylor

Three championships with Phoenix and a long international career representing Australia with consistent excellence. Taylor was a versatile wing who could shoot, handle, and defend, the kind of player whose value showed up more in winning percentage than in individual stats. She and Diana Taurasi formed one of the better partnerships in WNBA history.

Nationality: Australia
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Penny Taylor here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/penny-taylor

Razija Mujanovic

A Yugoslav and later Bosnian legend who was one of the best players in European women's basketball during the 1980s and early 90s. Mujanovic was a dominant center who won multiple European championships and competed at a level that put her among the best in the world at her peak, even if that peak came before international coverage of the women's game was widespread.

Nationality: Bosnian
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Razija Mujanovic here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/razija-mujanovic

Rhyne Howard

The 2022 Rookie of the Year and already one of the more complete young guards in the league. Howard can defend, shoot off the catch, create off the dribble, and handle the ball under pressure: the full package. She's only a few years into her career and the numbers are already very good.

Nationality: United States
Team: Atlanta Dream
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Rhyne Howard here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/rhyne-howard

Ruthie Bolton

Two Olympic gold medals and a champion with Sacramento, with a backstory that made her easy to root for. Bolton came to basketball relatively late compared to most players at her level and still became one of the better guards of the early WNBA years. She had quickness, competitive fire, and a shooting ability that made her dangerous off the bench or in the starting lineup.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Guard
Read more on Ruthie Bolton here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/rhyne-howard

Sabrina Ionescu

he NCAA's all-time triple-double leader and now one of the best guards in the WNBA. Ionescu won the three-point contest and has steadily developed into a complete offensive player who can score off the dribble, off the catch, and from deep with equal confidence. She's still young and the trajectory is pointing up.

Nationality: United States
Team: New York Liberty
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Sabrina Ionescu here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/sabrina_ionescu

Sancho Lyttle

A DPOY winner and one of the better defensive forwards of her era. Lyttle never had huge offensive numbers but she was valuable enough that multiple good teams kept wanting her, and her defensive reputation was strong throughout the league. Three All-Star appearances confirm she was recognized by her peers as well.

Nationality: Spain
Team: Retired
Position: Power Forward
Read more on Sancho Lyttle here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/sancho-lyttle

Sandrine Gruda

A French center who won a championship with Connecticut and was one of the more consistent international players to come through the WNBA. Gruda was skilled in the post, mobile enough to defend in space, and a key piece of the French national team that became one of Europe's best programs over the past two decades.

Nationality: France
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Sandrine Gruda here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/sandrine-gruda

Satou Sabally

The best German player in WNBA history and still only in her mid-twenties. Sabally has the length, skill, and versatility to eventually add a great deal more to her résumé, and she's been an All-Star already. She can play three or four positions, shoot from deep, and create off the dribble, which makes her the kind of player who fits almost any system.

Nationality: Germany
Team: New York Liberty
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Satou Sabally here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/satou-sabally

Seimone Augustus

Four championships with Minnesota and one of the most reliable catch-and-shoot players the league has seen. Augustus was the kind of scorer who didn't need much space or time, just a clean look and she was going to make you pay. She spent most of her career being slightly underappreciated nationally while being absolutely essential to the Lynx dynasty locally.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Seimone Augustus here: https://sportsdna.ai/athletes/seimone-augustus

Shannon Johnson

A three-time All-Star and one of the faster point guards of the early WNBA era. Johnson could push pace in ways most defenses struggled to keep up with, and she was an assists leader who also contributed as a scorer. She moved around a fair bit across her career but was consistently effective regardless of where she landed.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Shannon Johnson here:

Sheri Sam

A reliable, professional forward who put together a solid WNBA career across several franchises without ever making enormous noise. Sam scored consistently, defended without embarrassing herself, and was the kind of player coaches trusted in important moments even if she wasn't the one drawing up the play. Two All-Star appearances reflect a career that was better than its public profile.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Sheri Sam here:

Sheryl Swoopes

The first player ever signed by the WNBA and one of the main reasons the league got off the ground the way it did. Three MVPs, three championships with Houston, and a defensive presence that gave her the nickname "the female Michael Jordan" at various points, which sounds like a cliché but wasn't entirely wrong. She was a genuine two-way force.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Shooting Guard
Read more on Sheryl Swoopes here:

Skylar Diggins

Seven All-Star appearances and one of the best shot creators the league has produced in the past decade. Diggins can get her own shot in a way that very few guards in the WNBA can match, and she's done it across multiple teams and through some significant personal challenges. Her consistency at a high level for this long is the argument.

Nationality: United States
Team: Chicago Sky
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Skylar Diggins here:

Sophia Young

A champion with San Antonio and one of the more physical forwards of her era. Young was a relentless worker who used strength and positioning to carve out production even against bigger defenders. She was the kind of player whose impact was felt more in person than on a box score, and she earned two All-Star nods to go with her title.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forard
Read more on Sophia Young here:

Sue Bird

Five WNBA championships, four Olympic gold medals, and 21 seasons in Seattle without ever embarrassing herself. Bird was never the flashiest player on the floor but she made her teams run smoothly, and in close games she was exactly who you wanted with the ball. Her longevity alone is something that may never be replicated.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Sue Bird here:

Swin Cash

Three championships with three different teams, which tells you a lot about what kind of player Cash was. Teams wanted her because she made things better, not louder. A smart, versatile forward who defended multiple positions and contributed in ways that didn't always show up on the stat sheet. She had a real career post-basketball in front office work too, but the playing résumé is the reason she's here.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Swin Cash here:

Sylvia Fowles

One of the best defensive players and rebounders the women's game has ever produced. Fowles won the MVP in 2017 after a two-year stretch where she was basically unguardable in the post. She was the anchor for Minnesota's championship run and finished her career as one of the most efficient players statistically in WNBA history.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Sylvia Fowles here:

Tamika Catchings

Five Defensive Player of the Year awards. Five. Catchings was the kind of player who made the game miserable for opponents on both ends of the floor, and she did it for over a decade in Indiana. She retired as one of the most decorated players in WNBA history and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer without anyone seriously arguing otherwise.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Tamika Catchings here:

Tari Phillips

A physical, tough forward who built a career in the ABL and early WNBA years through sheer force of will. Phillips wasn't the most skilled player on any roster she was part of, but she was often the hardest to move in the paint, and winning teams tend to need exactly that. She won a championship and earned her place in the history of the early professional era.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Tari Phillips here:

Teresa Edwards

Five Olympics, four gold medals, and a career that started before most of her national team teammates were out of high school. Edwards was the engine of the US women's national team for 20 years and played in the early WNBA after already being a legend internationally. Her longevity and consistency at the highest level are almost without parallel.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Teresa Edwards here:

Teresa Weatherspoon

DPOY winner and author of one of the most famous shots in WNBA history, a half-court buzzer-beater in the 1999 Finals that forced a deciding game. Weatherspoon was a defensive nightmare, relentless and physical in ways that wore opponents down over the course of games. The buzzer-beater is the clip everyone shows, but the defense is the real legacy.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Guard
Read more on Teresa Weatherspoon here:

Ticha Penicheiro

Four-time assists leader and one of the most creative passers in WNBA history. Penicheiro had court vision that genuinely surprised people, the ability to thread passes into spaces that didn't look open until the ball was already there. She was the engine of some very good Sacramento teams and a four-time All-Star who made everyone around her better.

Nationality: Portugal
Team: Retired
Position: Point Guard
Read more on Ticha Penicheiro here:

Tina Charles

The most underrated player on this list. Charles spent years putting up huge numbers without ever getting the attention she deserved, partly because she spent time on teams that weren't winning. Seven All-Star selections, an MVP, a Rookie of the Year award. Her post game was as polished as anyone's in the league during her prime.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Tina Charles here:

Tina Thompson

Four championships with Houston in the early WNBA years and a career that lasted long enough to stack up some of the best statistical totals in league history. Thompson was the quiet cornerstone of those Comets dynasties, a versatile forward who could score in multiple ways and made the right play more often than she got credit for.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Small Forward
Read more on Tina Thompson here:

Uljana Semjonova

Soviet-era legends don't always get their due in Western basketball conversations, but Semjonova was something else entirely. She stood 7'2" and played on a Soviet national team that went undefeated in international competition for 18 years. Undefeated. She won two Olympic gold medals and multiple World Championships. The WNBA didn't exist when she played, but her dominance was absurd by any era's standards.

Nationality: Latvia
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Uljana Semjonova here:

Vicky Bullett

Two championships and an Olympic gold medal, with a career split between the US national team and early professional leagues in Europe and then the WNBA. Bullett was an athletic, versatile forward who could defend multiple positions and contributed on winning teams at every level she competed.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Forward
Read more on Vicky Bullett here:

Yolanda Griffith

MVP in 1999, DPOY the same year, champion with Sacramento. Griffith was a relentless, physical presence who earned everything she got through effort and positioning rather than flash. Her per-game numbers from her peak years hold up well even by modern standards, and she was central to the Monarchs being genuinely good for a while.

Nationality: United States
Team: Retired
Position: Center
Read more on Yolanda Griffith here: