First dunk in wnba history books

Parker added 12 points 35 fg, 01 3pt, 68 ft, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in the 9566 road loss at washington on tuesday. The first ever nba slam dunk contest was held at the 1984 allstar weekend in denver, co. The making of a champion by lisa leslie, larry burnett hardcover from dafina isbn. Aug 23, 2011 as part of the wnba s celebration of its 15year history, a panel of league executives has picked out the 15 greatest moments.

Synopsis in 2001, lisa leslie was the first wnba player to. But even the common parts of the game like the slam dunk have a beginning. It was created by the nba board of governors as a womens analogue to the nba, and in the early 21st century the wnba became the most successful american womens professional sports league ever. Zach lavine outlasted aaron gordon in a classic 2016 slam dunk contest, which will go down as one of the best ever. She played college basketball for the baylor lady bears in waco, texas.

History of the dunk shot in basketball from its humble beginnings to its ban by the ncaa, followed by its huge rise in popularity due to the likes of michael jordan, kobe bryant, vince carter and. Liz cambage continues historic play as she sets new wnba. Aug 25, 2014 brittney griner continues to make wnba history with her dunking ability the phoenix mercury star made it into the record books last year by becoming the first wnba player to dunk twice during a. Donate to support the continued activism of the wnba. A brief history of the be true to your school nike dunk.

Only two other players, candace parker and lisa leslie, have dunked in the history of the wnba. While the history of the first dunk is a bit convoluted, there are some specific instances that helped give birth. Brittney griner continues to make wnba history with her dunking ability the phoenix mercury star made it into the record books last year by becoming the. National basketball association sprang past opponents and into history. The first mvp in the wnba was cynthia cooper, the guard for the houston comets in 1997. Brittney griner sets wnba record with two dunks in debut.

Leslie makes wnba history the florida times union, august. May 27, 20 rookie brittney griner became the third wnba player ever to dunk in a game and first to do it twice, throwing down two slams in her first wnba game on monday. Brittney griner becomes first player to dunk twice in. Rookie brittney griner became the third wnba player ever to dunk in a game and first to do it twice, throwing down two slams in her first wnba game on monday. Griner wnba dunks record first game business insider. Since then, there have only been two years in which the dunk contest did not occur 1998 and 1999.

Jan 26, 2014 in addition, leslie would be the first wnba player to dunk in an allstar game, doing so in 2005. In the wnba s first season, eight teams competedthe original franchises were located in charlotte, cleveland, detroit, houston, new york, phoenix, sacramento and utah. Brittney yevette griner born october 18, 1990 is an american professional basketball player for the phoenix mercury of the womens national basketball association wnba. Feb 16, 20 michael jordan vs dominique wilkins dunk off 1988 slam dunk contest best slam dunk contest ever. Throwing down three dunks in an wnba allstar game was a first for any player. History of nba allstar slam dunk contest winners nba. Liz cambage continues historic play as she sets new wnba records. In addition, leslie would be the first wnba player to dunk in an allstar game, doing so in 2005. At the 2012 london olympics, liz cambage of the australian opals became the first woman to dunk in the olympics, scoring against russia. Sep 11, 2015 lisa leslie was the first woman in wnba history to dunk in a game, but shes so much more than that dunk. Brittney griner will continue to call the valley home. Lisa leslie made history in 2002 when she scored the first dunk in a wnba game. Brittney griner becomes first player to dunk twice.

In 2015, she was inducted into the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame. Leslie was the first player to dunk in a wnba game. Oct 23, 2015 history of the dunk shot in basketball from its humble beginnings to its ban by the ncaa, followed by its huge rise in popularity due to the likes of michael jordan, kobe bryant, vince carter and. Leslie sprinted down the court after catching a pass, soared. She is the only ncaa basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. Spurned on in part by the successful performance of the womens basketball team at the 1996 summer games, the wnba was explicitly positioned as the fulfillment of title ix and something that everybody women and men should become a supporter of. On july 30, 2002, lisa leslie became the first woman to dunk the ball during a wnba game. As part of the wnbas celebration of its 15year history, a panel of league executives has picked out the 15 greatest moments. The story behind the first known dunk in college basketball. The full records of the wnba organization are housed in an offsite facility of the columbia university library. Griner put on a show for fans in las vegas last summer when she threw down three dunks in the 2019 wnba allstar game, becoming the first player in league history to record more than one dunk in an allstar game. The following game, against the washington mystics. The wnbas first season began on june 21, 1997 with a game between the new york liberty and the.

I remember watching the replay nearly 10 years later. The 26yearold cambage, however, was just getting started. In her wnba debut on 27 may 20, griner dunked twice. The womens national book association papers document the history and work of the womens national book association from their founding in 1917 until today. In her wnba debut, brittney griner tied the career wnba dunks record.

The best womens basketball players in wnba history. How dunking and talking about dunking has affected. As of 2018, she has wnba dunks, including the first in a playoff game 25 august 2014. On january 27, 1976 at mcnichols sports arena during halftime of the 1976 aba all star game the firstever slam dunk contest was held, which was won by julius erving of the new york nets over david thompson of the denver nuggets, artis gilmore of the kentucky colonels, and george gervin and larry kenon of the san antonio spurs. On june 29, 2014, griner had set a wnba record with 11 blocks in a regular season game win against the tulsa shock, along with 21 points and 8 rebounds. In 2012, the threetime allamerican was named the ap player of the. There have been 27 different dunkers to win the contest in the events 34year history. See more ideas about lisa leslie, wnba, womens basketball.

Womens national basketball association wnba, american womens professional basketball league that began play in 1997. Shes someone who truly changed the game a true hall of famer. A brief history of the be true to your school nike dunk series we look back at the colorways that started it all for both the nike dunk and nikes team shoe series as part of this years march. For any playerwnba or nba for that matterit would be a career defining moment. Griner didnt wast anytime throwing down her second dunk about a minute later. Her pair of slams were the fourth and fifth in wnba history. The second player to dunk in a game was another sparks player who is the current franchise. Aug 03, 2018 for any playerwnba or nba for that matterit would be a career defining moment. Oct 22, 2015 todd warshawgetty images sportgetty images. Entering the 2020 wnba season, the rest of the league has combined for only three regular season dunks in the wnbas 23 seasons. Leslie made history in the 2002 allstar game when she became the first to dunk in a womens pro game.

Jul 28, 2018 liz cambage, the recordholder for singlegame wnba scoring, threw down a dunk in the closing seconds of team parkers 119112 win over team delle donne. One of those stories is about the first dunk in the womens game and how it almost never made a highlight reel because the tape of the moment was nearly lost to history. The wnba was created by the national basketball association nba board of governors as a womens analogue to the nba. Leslie was the first player to ever dunk in a wnba game, forever changing how many casual fans viewed womens basketball and she had maybe the single most dominant game in league history in 2004, when she finished the night with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks. Liz cambage, the recordholder for singlegame wnba scoring, threw down a dunk in the closing seconds of team parkers 119112 win over team delle. Lisa leslie was the first woman in wnba history to dunk in a game, but shes so much more than that dunk.

The first wnba season was a huge success, and after just two years of winning the hearts of womens basketball fans, wnba games were made available in 125 different countries. Dunk number three came later in the first half where griner went with the twohanded slam. On january 27, 1976 at mcnichols sports arena during halftime of the 1976 aba all star game the first ever slam dunk contest was held, which was won by julius erving of the new york nets over david thompson of the denver nuggets, artis gilmore of the kentucky colonels, and george gervin and larry kenon of the san antonio spurs. Brittney griner had as many dunks in her first wnba game as. We should have won this game for that reason alone, sparks coach michael cooper said after the game. Tuesday night, lisa leslie already threetime mvp of the five yearold womens national basketball association sprang past opponents and into history.

In 2006 wnba fans voted it the greatest milestone in wnba history. History of the slam dunk in basketball sportskeeda. Lisa leslie was an allstar basketball player, olympic gold medalist and wnba league mvp. The nba owned each of the franchises until 2002, when it began allowing the sale of. Fun basketball facts you may not know about the wnba.

Leslie was also inducted into the womens basketball hall of fame in 2015. A slam dunk, also simply dunk, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by putting the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands above the rim. Twenty years later, a look back at wnbas first game. Mar 30, 2018 in honor of womens history month, look back on all the dunks in wnba history.

Apr 05, 2016 one of those stories is about the first dunk in the womens game and how it almost never made a highlight reel because the tape of the moment was nearly lost to history. Brittney griner throws down first dunk in wnba playoff history. Brittney griner uses fast break to throw down 1st dunk in. In honor of womens history month, look back on all the dunks in wnba history. Candace parker is the only other wnba player to dunk twice in her. Jul 27, 2019 griner didnt wast anytime throwing down her second dunk about a minute later. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the top 15 players in wnba history. Michael jordan vs dominique wilkins dunkoff 1988 slam dunk contest best slam dunk contest ever.