Looking back at my years covering women's basketball, I've always found something special about tracking championship lineages. There's a narrative thread that connects Cynthia Cooper's dominance in the late 90s to Breanna Stewart's modern-era excellence, and today I want to walk you through every single WNBA champion since the league's inception. I still remember watching that very first championship series in 1997, feeling the electric energy as the Houston Comets established what would become the league's first dynasty. They weren't just winning games—they were building something that would inspire generations of young athletes.
The Comets' four-peat from 1997 to 2000 remains one of my favorite stretches in basketball history, professional or otherwise. With Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson leading the charge, they compiled an impressive 28-4 record in their inaugural championship season. What many forget is how close some of those playoff series actually were—the 1999 Finals against New York went to a decisive Game 3 where Houston only won by 6 points. I've always argued that this early competitiveness helped establish the league's credibility far more than if we'd seen nothing but blowouts.
After the Comets' era concluded, we entered what I consider the league's most fascinating competitive period. The Los Angeles Sparks captured back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002 behind Lisa Leslie's phenomenal performances, but then we saw something remarkable—seven different franchises won championships over the next eight seasons. The Detroit Shock's 2003 victory particularly stands out in my memory because they remain the only team to win a championship after having the worst record in the league the previous season. That 2003 team finished the regular season at 25-9, an incredible turnaround that I haven't seen matched since.
The Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury traded championships for much of the 2010s, creating what felt like a modern rivalry despite being in different conferences. Having covered numerous Lynx playoff games during their 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 championship runs, I can confidently say their 2013 team was perhaps the most complete squad I've ever watched. They went 26-8 that season and then dominated the playoffs with a 7-1 record. Meanwhile, Diana Taurasi's Mercury teams in 2007, 2009, and 2014 played a style of basketball that was simply breathtaking to watch—their 2014 offense still holds the record for highest team scoring average in a championship season at 87.5 points per game.
Recent years have seen the emergence of new powers, with the Seattle Storm adding championships in 2018 and 2020 to their earlier 2004 and 2010 titles. What impressed me most about their 2020 bubble championship was how they maintained focus amid unprecedented circumstances, finishing with an 18-4 record in the shortened season. The Chicago Sky's 2021 victory brought yet another franchise into the champion's circle, proving the league's competitive balance has never been stronger. Just last season, the Las Vegas Aces claimed their first championship with a dominant playoff performance that saw them lose only 2 games throughout the entire postseason.
As I reflect on these 26 completed seasons, I'm struck by how the championship teams reflect the league's evolution. Early champions often relied on one or two superstars, while recent winners like the 2022 Aces demonstrate the importance of depth and versatility. The league has grown from that initial Houston Comets team that averaged 8,559 fans per game to last season's championship series that drew television audiences numbering in the millions. While writing this, I'm reminded of that line about another basketball league—"But that may still be premature as we're still at the early goings"—and it makes me appreciate how far the WNBA has come from its own early goings.
What excites me most is imagining future additions to this championship list. The league's talent pool keeps deepening, with remarkable athletes entering each year through the draft and international players adding their skills to the competition. Having witnessed every championship season firsthand, I can confidently say we're watching the golden era of women's professional basketball unfold. The narrative continues with each season, and I for one can't wait to see which team next etches its name into this growing legacy.