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2003 WNBA season
League Women's National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
DurationMay 22 - September 16, 2003
Number of games34
Number of teams14
Total attendance2,100,630
Average attendance8,826
TV partner(s) ABC, ESPN, Oxygen
2003 WNBA Draft
Top draft pick United States LaToya Thomas
Picked by Cleveland Rockers
Regular season
Season MVP Australia Lauren Jackson ( Seattle)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Detroit Shock
  Eastern runners-up Connecticut Sun
Western champions Los Angeles Sparks
  Western runners-up Sacramento Monarchs
Finals
Champions Detroit Shock
  Runners-up Los Angeles Sparks
Finals MVP United States Ruth Riley ( Detroit)
WNBA seasons

The 2003 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's seventh season. It was first season in which teams either folded or relocated, as well as the first to have teams that were not co-owned with NBA teams. The Orlando Miracle relocated to Connecticut and became the Connecticut Sun, the Utah Starzz relocated to San Antonio, Texas and became the San Antonio Silver Stars. Meanwhile, both the Miami Sol and the Portland Fire folded, while the Charlotte Sting became the second WNBA team without a brother NBA team. The schedule increased from 32 games per team to 34. The season ended with the Detroit Shock winning their first WNBA Championship.

Regular season standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Detroit Shock x 25 9 .735 13–4 12–5 18–6
Charlotte Sting x 18 16 .529 7.0 13–4 5–12 12–12
Connecticut Sun x 18 16 .529 7.0 10–7 8–9 11–13
Cleveland Rockers x 17 17 .500 8.0 11–6 6–11 13–11
Indiana Fever o 16 18 .471 9.0 11–6 5–12 12–12
New York Liberty o 16 18 .471 9.0 11–6 5–12 11–13
Washington Mystics o 9 25 .265 16.0 3–14 6–11 7–17

Western Conference

Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Los Angeles Sparks x 24 10 .706 11–6 13–4 17–7
Houston Comets x 20 14 .588 4.0 14–3 6–11 14–10
Sacramento Monarchs x 19 15 .559 5.0 12–5 7–10 13–11
Minnesota Lynx x 18 16 .529 6.0 11–6 7–10 14–10
Seattle Storm o 18 16 .529 6.0 13–4 5–12 11–13
San Antonio Silver Stars o 12 22 .353 12.0 9–8 3–14 10–14
Phoenix Mercury o 8 26 .235 16.0 6–11 2–15 5–19

Season award winners

Award Winner Team
WNBA Finals MVP Award Ruth Riley Detroit Shock
WNBA Most Valuable Player Award Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Sheryl Swoopes Houston Comets
WNBA Most Improved Player Award Michelle Snow Houston Comets
WNBA Peak Performer Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm
WNBA Peak Performer Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics
WNBA Rookie of the Year Award Cheryl Ford Detroit Shock
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Edna Campbell Sacramento Monarchs
WNBA Coach of the Year Award Bill Laimbeer Detroit Shock

Playoffs

First Round
Best of 3
Conference Finals
Best of 3
WNBA Finals
Best of 3
         
E1 Detroit 2
E4 Cleveland 1
E1 Detroit 2
Eastern Conference
E3 Connecticut 0
E2 Charlotte 0
E3 Connecticut 2
E1 Detroit 2
W1 Los Angeles 1
W1 Los Angeles 2
W4 Minnesota 1
W1 Los Angeles 2
Western Conference
W3 Sacramento 1
W2 Houston 1
W3 Sacramento 2

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

External links