2017 WNBA Season
The 2017 WNBA season was the 21st season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Its regular season began on May 13 with three games, highlighted by the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Seattle Storm. It concluded on September 3. The playoffs began on September 6, and concluded on October 4, with the Minnesota Lynx defeating the Sparks in five games to win their fourth WNBA title. It was the final season for the San Antonio Stars in the city that they had called home since 2003. After the season, parent company Spurs Sports & Entertainment sold the team to MGM Resorts International, which moved the team to Las Vegas. The former Stars now play as the Las Vegas Aces. Draft The San Antonio Stars selected Kelsey Plum first in the 2017 WNBA Draft. The draft was televised nationally on the ESPN networks (Round 1 on ESPN2, Rounds 2 and 3 on ESPNU). Arena changes Two teams announced temporary arena changes for the 2017 season, both due to their r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. The league comprises 13 teams (scheduled to expand to 15 in 2026). The WNBA is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The WNBA was founded on April 24, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA); league play began in 1997. The regular season runs from May to September, with each team playing 44 games. The top eight teams (regardless of conference) qualify for the playoffs, culminating in the WNBA Finals, which is played in October. The WNBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game occurs midway through the season in July. The league hosts an annual mid-season competition, the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, Commissioner's Cup. The WNBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as the Sport governing body, governing body for basketball in the United States. History League foun ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International is an American Multinational corporation, multinational hospitality, sports and entertainment company. It operates resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Macau, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Sanya, including the Bellagio (resort), Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Las Vegas, MGM Grand and Park MGM. The company began operations in 1987 as MGM Grand, Inc. and became MGM Mirage in 2000, after acquiring Mirage Resorts. In the mid-2000s, growth of its non-gaming (lodging, food, retail) revenue began to outpace gaming receipts and demand for high-rise condominiums was surging, with median property prices in Las Vegas twice the national average. The company shifted its focus from owning and operating resorts and casinos to developing and building real estate in the leisure and gaming industry—launching the massive CityCenter mixed-use project, which was at the time of its construction the world's largest cons ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Vandersloot (born February 8, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion. She has also played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League, Mist BC in Unrivaled (basketball), Unrivaled, and teams in several other professional leagues. Vandersloot played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs women's basketball, Gonzaga Bulldogs, holding numerous records and becoming the first player to have her number retired by the program. She was the only West Coast Conference women's player to be named West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year, Player of the Year and West Coast Conference women's basketball tournament, tournament MVP three times. In her final season, she led the Bulldogs to their first-ever Elite Eight appearance, and won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award and Nancy Lieberman Award. She is the fi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Sun compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team is currently the only major league List of professional sports teams in Connecticut, professional sports team based in Connecticut. The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in 1999 WNBA season, 1999, during the league's Expansion team, expansion from ten to twelve teams, as a sister team to the National Basketball Association, NBA's Orlando Magic. In 2003, as financial strains left the team on the brink of disbanding, the Mohegan Tribe, Mohegan Indian tribe purchased and relocated the team to Mohegan Sun, becoming the first Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe to own a professional sports franchise. The team's name comes from its affiliation with Mohegan Sun and its logo is reflective of a modern interpretatio ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jonquel Jones
Jonquel Orthea Jones (born January 5, 1994) is a Bahamian professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 WNBA draft. Since May 2019, she also holds the citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing her to play for the national team. A 6'6" power forward/ center, Jones played college basketball for Clemson and George Washington. After the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she left the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg, and joined the Turkish team Çukurova Basketbol. Early life Jones was born in The Bahamas. She attended Tabernacle Baptist Academy. At age 14, she moved to Maryland, where she attended Riverdale Baptist School. Temple women's basketball head coach Diane Richardson became her legal guardian. Her nickname in high school was "Big Slim". WNBA career In 2016, Jones was acquired by the Connecticut Sun after having her draft rights traded by th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. One of eight original franchises, it was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began. The team plays their home games at PHX Arena. The Mercury have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in eighteen of its twenty-eight years in Phoenix. In 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, and 2021 the Mercury went to the WNBA Finals; they lost to Houston in 1998 and Chicago in 2021, but won the title in 2007, 2009, and 2014 over Detroit, Indiana, and Chicago respectively. The franchise has been home to players such as former UConn Diana Taurasi, Rutgers grad Cappie Pondexter, former Temple power forward Candice Dupree, former Baylor center Brittney Griner, and Australian guard Penny Taylor. In February 2023, Mat Ishbia, a former Michigan State college basketball player, completed the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Brittney Griner
Brittney Yvette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's national basketball team"Brittney Griner" United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved December 12, 2022 and a six-time WNBA All-Star. Griner was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Xcel Energy Center
Xcel Energy Center is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Completed in 2000 and often called "The X" by fans, it is named for its locally based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 17,954, the arena has four spectator levels: one suite level and three for general seating. The building is home to the National Hockey League, NHL's Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League, PWHL. The arena is owned by the city of Saint Paul and operated by the Wild's parent company, Minnesota Sports & Entertainment. It is on the same block of downtown St. Paul as the RiverCentre convention facility, the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and shares a single indoor access area with the RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium. History The arena opened on September 29, 2000. It was built on the site of the demolished St. Paul Civic Center. The push for a new arena in Saint Paul gre ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Target Center
Target Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Minneapolis that opened in 1990. It hosts major family shows, concerts, sporting events, graduations and private events. Target Corporation, founded and headquartered in Minneapolis since 1902, has held the naming rights to the arena since its opening. The arena has been the home to the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since its opening and is currently also the home of the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Minnesota Myth and the Target Center announced that the Myth would be playing their home games there for the 2024 Arena Football Season though only one game was for the team was played in the Arena until the team folded during the season. The facility has also hosted the LFL's Minnesota Valkyrie, the RHI's Minnesota Arctic Blast, the IHL's Minnesota Moose, and the Arena Football League's Minnesota Fighting Pike in the past. Target Center is the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Georgia Institute Of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public university, public research university and Institute of technology (United States), institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the largest student enrollment of the University System of Georgia, University System of Georgia institutions and satellite campuses Georgia Tech Savannah, in Savannah, Georgia, and Georgia Tech Europe, Metz, France. The school was founded as the Georgia School of Technology as part of Reconstruction era of the United States, Reconstruction efforts to build an industrial economy in the Southern United States after the American Civil War, Civil War. Initially, it offered only a degree in mechanical engineering. By 1901, its curriculum had expanded to include electrical, civil, and chemical engineering. In 1948, the school changed its name to reflect its evolution from a Vocational school, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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McCamish Pavilion
Hank McCamish Pavilion, nicknamed The Thrillerdome and originally known as Alexander Memorial Coliseum, is an list of indoor arenas, indoor arena located on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. It is the home of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets women's basketball, Yellow Jackets women's basketball teams. The venue previously hosted the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1968 to 1972 and again from 1997 to 1999. Tech's women's volleyball team occasionally uses the facility as well, primarily for NCAA tournament games and other matches that draw crowds that would overflow the Main campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology#O'Keefe Gymnasium, O'Keefe Gymnasium. History Alexander Memorial Coliseum The Alexander Coliseum opened in 1956 at the intersection of 10th Street and Fowler on the northeast end of the Georgia Tech campus. The building was named for Wil ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Philips Arena
State Farm Arena is a Multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose arena located in Atlanta, Georgia. The arena serves as the home venue for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It also served as home to the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1999 to 2011, before the team moved to Winnipeg, as well as the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 2008 to 2016 and 2019, and the temporary home of Georgia Tech basketball in 2011. It opened in 1999 as Philips Arena at a cost of $213.5 million, replacing Omni Coliseum. It is owned by the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority and operated by the Hawks, owned by Tony Ressler along with a group of investors including Grant Hill. Layout The arena seats 17,608+ for basketball and 18,000+ for concerts. The largest crowd ever for an Atlanta Hawks basketball game at the arena was Game 6 of the 2008 Eastern Conference First Round on May 2, 2008 (against the Bost ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |