2001 WNBA season

The 2001 WNBA season was the Women's National Basketball Association's fifth season. The season ended with the Los Angeles Sparks winning their first WNBA championship.

2001 WNBA season
League	Women's National Basketball Association
Sport	Basketball
Duration	May 28 - September 1, 2001
Number of games	32
Number of teams	16
Total attendance	2,322,962
Average attendance	9,074
TV partner(s)	ESPN, NBC
2001 WNBA Draft
Top draft pick	Lauren Jackson
Picked by	Seattle Storm
Regular season
Season MVP	Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
Playoffs
Eastern champions	Charlotte Sting
Eastern runners-up	New York Liberty
Western champions	Los Angeles Sparks
Western runners-up	Sacramento Monarchs
Finals
Champions	Los Angeles Sparks
Runners-up	Charlotte Sting
Finals MVP	Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)

Regular season

Standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference	W	L	PCT	Conf.	GB
Cleveland Rockers x	22	10	.688	15–6	–
New York Liberty x	21	11	.656	13–8	1.0
Miami Sol x	20	12	.625	14–7	2.0
Charlotte Sting x	18	14	.563	15–6	4.0
Orlando Miracle o	13	19	.406	9–12	9.0
Indiana Fever o	10	22	.313	7–14	12.0
Detroit Shock o	10	22	.313	7–14	12.0
Washington Mystics o	10	22	.313	4–17	12.0

Western Conference

Western Conference	W	L	PCT	Conf.	GB
Los Angeles Sparks x	28	4	.875	19–2	–
Sacramento Monarchs x	20	12	.625	13–8	8.0
Utah Starzz x	19	13	.594	11–10	9.0
Houston Comets x	19	13	.594	13–8	9.0
Phoenix Mercury o	13	19	.406	8–13	15.0
Minnesota Lynx o	12	20	.375	9–12	16.0
Portland Fire o	11	21	.344	5–16	17.0
Seattle Storm o	10	22	.313	6–15	18.0

Note: Teams with an "X" clinched playoff spots.

Playoffs

Main article: 2001 WNBA playoffs

See also: 2001 WNBA Finals

The top four teams from each conference qualified for the playoffs and were seeded based on their regular season standings.

Conference semifinals Best-of-3

Conference finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

Cleveland

1

E4

Charlotte

2

E4

Charlotte

2

Eastern Conference

E2

New York

1

E2

New York

2

E3

Miami

1

E4

Charlotte

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Houston

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

Western Conference

W2

Sacramento

1

W2

Sacramento

2

W3

Utah

0

• Bold – Series winner
• Italics – Team with home-court advantage

Awards

Reference:^[1]

Individual

Award		Winner	Team
Most Valuable Player (MVP)		Lisa Leslie	Los Angeles Sparks
Finals MVP		Lisa Leslie	Los Angeles Sparks
Defensive Player of the Year		Debbie Black	Miami Sol
Most Improved Player		Janeth Arcain	Houston Comets
Shooting Champions	Field goal percentage	Latasha Byears	Los Angeles Sparks
	Free throw percentage	Elena Baranova	Miami Sol
Rookie of the Year		Jackie Stiles	Portland Fire
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award		Sue Wicks	New York Liberty
Coach of the Year		Dan Hughes	Cleveland Rockers

Team

Award		Player	Team
All-WNBA	First Team	Katie Smith	Minnesota Lynx
		Natalie Williams	Utah Starzz
		Lisa Leslie	Los Angeles Sparks
		Janeth Arcain	Houston Comets
		Merlakia Jones	Cleveland Rockers
	Second Team	Tina Thompson	Houston Comets
		Chamique Holdsclaw	Washington Mystics
		Yolanda Griffith	Sacramento Monarchs
		Ticha Penicheiro	Sacramento Monarchs
		Tamecka Dixon	Los Angeles Sparks

Players of the Week

Week ending	Player	Team
June 3	Katie Smith	Minnesota Lynx
June 10	Janeth Arcain	Houston Comets
June 17	Lisa Leslie	Los Angeles Sparks
June 24	Tina Thompson	Houston Comets
July 1	Jackie Stiles	Portland Fire
July 8	Dawn Staley	Charlotte Sting
July 22	Sheri Sam	Miami Sol
July 29	Natalie Williams	Utah Starzz
August 5	Lisa Leslie (2)	Los Angeles Sparks
August 12	Andrea Stinson	Charlotte Sting

Coaches

Eastern Conference

• Charlotte Sting: Anne Donovan
• Cleveland Rockers: Dan Hughes
• Detroit Shock: Greg Williams
• Indiana Fever: Nell Fortner
• Miami Sol: Ron Rothstein
• New York Liberty: Richie Adubato
• Orlando Miracle: Carolyn Peck
• Washington Mystics: Tom Maher

Western Conference

• Houston Comets: Van Chancellor
• Los Angeles Sparks: Michael Cooper
• Minnesota Lynx: Brian Agler
• Phoenix Mercury: Cynthia Cooper
• Portland Fire: Linda Hargrove
• Sacramento Monarchs: Maura McHugh
• Seattle Storm: Lin Dunn
• Utah Starzz: Fred Williams and Candi Harvey