2015 WNBA season

The 2015 WNBA season was the 19th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season started on June 5 and playoffs concluded on October 14.[1]

2015 WNBA season
LeagueWomen's National Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationJune 5 – October 14
Number of games34
Number of teams12
Total attendance1,465,432
Average attendance7,183
TV partner(s)ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV
Top draft pick Jewell Loyd
Picked bySeattle Storm
Season MVP Elena Delle Donne (Chicago)
Eastern championsIndiana Fever
  Eastern runners-upNew York Liberty
Western championsMinnesota Lynx
  Western runners-upPhoenix Mercury
Finals championsMinnesota Lynx
  Runners-upIndiana Fever
Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota)

The Minnesota Lynx beat the Indiana Fever 69–52 in game five of the Finals on October 14 to clinch a third WNBA title in five years.[2][3][4][5]

TV and Internet coverage

Games aired on ESPN (1 regular season game), ESPN2 (10 regular season games), ABC (All-Star Game) and NBA TV (47 regular season games).

Notable occurrences
  • On February 3, 2015, the Phoenix Mercury announced that superstar Diana Taurasi would not play in 2015. Her Russian club team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, offered her more than her WNBA season salary to rest during the 2015 WNBA season. Some in the league feared this would cause more star players to reach similar agreements.[6]
  • On June 4, 2015, Tulsa player Glory Johnson announced that she is pregnant and would miss all of the 2015 WNBA season.
  • On July 23, 2015, The WNBA approved the relocation of the Tulsa Shock to Dallas-Fort Worth. The move is the first franchise relocation or fold since the 2009 Sacramento Monarchs folded, and the Detroit Shock moved to Tulsa. At the time, the Shock were the only WNBA franchise to relocate twice.
  • On October 14, 2015, The Minnesota Lynx won their third WNBA title in five years, beating the Indiana Fever 3-2.
  • On November 4, 2015, shortly after the 2015 season concluded, WNBA President Laurel Richie announced her resignation, effective November 9, 2015. She was the league's 3rd president.

2015 WNBA draft
Main article: 2015 WNBA draft

On August 21, 2014, the 2015 WNBA Draft Lottery took place. The Seattle Storm, who had a league-worst record of 12–22 last season, won the draft lottery and had the right to pick first in the 2015 draft. In the draft, held on April 16, the Storm made Jewell Loyd of Notre Dame the top pick.

Team standings

Source:[7]

Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
x - New York Liberty2311.676–12–511–613–9
x - Chicago Sky2113.618213–48–914–8
x - Indiana Fever2014.588311–69–813–9
x - Washington Mystics1816.529511–67–1010–12
e - Atlanta Dream1519.44189–86–1110–12
e - Connecticut Sun1519.44188–97–106–16
Western Conference
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
z - Minnesota Lynx2212.647–13–49–816–6
x - Phoenix Mercury2014.588213–47–1015–7
x - Tulsa Shock1816.529412–56–1111–11
x - Los Angeles Sparks1420.41289–85–1210–12
e - Seattle Storm1024.294128–92–158–14
e - San Antonio Stars826.235147–101–166–16

Notes

z – Clinched Conference
x – Clinched playoff spot
e – Eliminated from playoffs

Playoffs
Main article: 2015 WNBA Playoffs
Conference Semi-Finals:
Best-of-3 		Conference Finals:
Best-of-3 		WNBA Finals:
Best-of-5
         
E1 New York 2
E4 Washington 1
E1 New York 1
Eastern Conference
E3 Indiana 2
E2 Chicago 1
E3 Indiana 2
E3 Indiana 2
W1 Minnesota 3
W1 Minnesota 2
W4 Los Angeles 1
W1 Minnesota 2
Western Conference
W2 Phoenix 0
W2 Phoenix 2
W3 Tulsa 0

Bold Series winner
italics Team with home-court advantage

Season award winners

Player of the Week award
For games
played beginning		 Eastern Conference Western Conference
Player Team Player Team
June 5, 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkyDeWanna BonnerPhoenix Mercury
June 15, 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkySkylar DigginsTulsa Shock
June 22, 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkyLindsay WhalenMinnesota Lynx
June 29, 2015Tamika CatchingsIndiana FeverNneka OgwumikeLos Angeles Sparks
July 6, 2015Cappie PondexterChicago SkyMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx
July 13, 2015Tina CharlesNew York LibertyMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx
July 20, 2015Tina CharlesNew York LibertyMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx
August 3, 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkyBrittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury
August 10, 2015Epiphanny PrinceNew York LibertyMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx
August 17, 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkyCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks
August 24, 2015Epiphanny PrinceNew York LibertyOdyssey SimsTulsa Shock
August 31, 2015Courtney VanderslootChicago SkyCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks
September 7, 2015Kelsey BoneConnecticut SunMonique CurriePhoenix Mercury

Player of the Month award
For games played Eastern Conference Western Conference
Player Team Player Team
June 2015Elena Delle DonneChicago SkySkylar DigginsTulsa Shock
July 2015Tina CharlesNew York LibertyMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx
August 2015Epiphanny PrinceNew York LibertyCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks

Rookie of the Month award
For games played Player Team
June 2015Natalie AchonwaIndiana Fever
July 2015Jewell LoydSeattle Storm
August 2015Kiah StokesNew York Liberty

Postseason awards
Award Winner Position Team Votes/Statistic
Most Valuable Player Award Elena Delle Donne Forward / Guard Chicago Sky 385 out of 999
Finals MVP Award Sylvia Fowles Center Minnesota Lynx
Rookie of the Year Award Jewell Loyd Guard Seattle Storm 21 out of 39
Most Improved Player Award Kelsey Bone Center Connecticut Sun 14 out of 39
Defensive Player of the Year Award Brittney Griner Center Phoenix Mercury 33 out of 39
Sixth Woman of the Year Award Allie Quigley Guard Chicago Sky 24 out of 39
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award DeLisha Milton-Jones Forward Atlanta Dream 11 out of 39
Peak Performer: Points Elena Delle Donne Forward / Guard Chicago Sky 23.4 PPG
Peak Performer: Rebounds Courtney Paris Center Tulsa Shock 9.3 RPG
Peak Performer: Assists Courtney Vandersloot Guard Chicago Sky 5.8 APG
Coach of the Year Award Bill Laimbeer Coach New York Liberty 23 out of 39
Team Guard Guard Forward Forward Center
All-WNBA First Team DeWanna Bonner Angel McCoughtry Elena Delle Donne Maya Moore Tina Charles
All-WNBA Second Team Epiphanny Prince Courtney Vandersloot Candace Parker Tamika Catchings Brittney Griner
All-Defensive First Team Briann January Angel McCoughtry Nneka Ogwumike Tamika Catchings Brittney Griner
All-Defensive Second Team Tanisha Wright DeWanna Bonner Sancho Lyttle Tina Charles Kiah Stokes
All-Rookie Team Jewell Loyd
Ana Dabović		 Brittany Boyd Ramu Tokashiki Natalie Achonwa Kiah Stokes

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

References
  1. WNBA Announces ESPN Schedule - Hartford Courant
  2. "Minnesota Lynx capture third title in five years win in crucial Game 5". Fox Sports. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  3. "Everything comes together at right time for WNBA champion Lynx". ESPN. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  4. "Lynx capture 3rd title in 5 years with 69-52 win over Fever in Game 5". Chicago Tribune. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  5. "Big Crowd and Defense Spur Lynx to Another Title". New York Times. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  6. A Russian team paid Diana Taurasi to sit out 2015 WNBA season | SB Nation
  7. http://www.wnba.com/standings/#?season=2015


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