2006 WNBA season

2006 WNBA season
Year	2006
League	Women's National Basketball Association
Sport	Basketball
Duration	May 20 – September 16, 2006
Finals champion	Detroit Shock
Finals mvp	Deanna Nolan
Mvp	Lisa Leslie
Top scorer	Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)
Eastern champion	Detroit Shock
Western champion	Sacramento Monarchs
No of teams	14
Tv	ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
Playoffs	2006 WNBA Playoffs
Next season	2007 WNBA season
Prev season	2005 WNBA season

2006 WNBA season was the tenth anniversary campaign of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season featured the debut of the Chicago Sky as the league's fourteenth franchise and culminated in the Detroit Shock capturing their second championship in four years. Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks was named the Most Valuable Player, while Deanna Nolan earned Finals MVP honors. The Sacramento Monarchs, defending champions from 2005, returned to the WNBA Finals but were defeated by the Shock in a decisive fifth game.

Regular season

The regular season commenced on May 20 and concluded on August 13, with each of the fourteen teams playing a 34-game schedule. The Eastern Conference was led by the Connecticut Sun, who posted the league's best record at 26–8 behind the play of Katie Douglas and Nykesha Sales. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Sparks and the Sacramento Monarchs finished tied atop the standings with 25–9 records. The expansion Chicago Sky, led by head coach Dave Cowens, struggled in their inaugural campaign, finishing with a 5–29 record. Notable individual performances included Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury winning the scoring title, while Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets continued to be a foundational star.

Playoffs

The 2006 WNBA Playoffs followed an altered format, with the top four teams from each conference qualifying and the first round being a best-of-three series. In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Shock, seeded fourth, upset the top-seeded Connecticut Sun in three games, while the second-seeded Charlotte Sting fell to the third-seeded Indiana Fever. The Shock then defeated the Indiana Fever in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the Western Conference, the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs advanced past the Houston Comets and then defeated the Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a Finals rematch with the Shock from 2003. The 2006 WNBA Finals was a hard-fought, best-of-five series, with the Detroit Shock ultimately prevailing over the Sacramento Monarchs in Game 5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Standings and statistics

The final standings saw the Connecticut Sun (26–8) lead the Eastern Conference, followed by the Charlotte Sting (18–16), Indiana Fever (21–13), and Detroit Shock (23–11). The Washington Mystics and New York Liberty missed the postseason. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Sparks and Sacramento Monarchs tied at 25–9, with the Houston Comets (18–16) and Seattle Storm (18–16) also qualifying. The Phoenix Mercury, Minnesota Lynx, and San Antonio Silver Stars did not advance. Diana Taurasi led the league in scoring at 25.3 points per game, while Lisa Leslie averaged 20.0 points and 9.5 rebounds. Sheryl Swoopes and Tamika Catchings were also among the league leaders in multiple statistical categories.

Awards and honors

Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks received the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and was also named the Defensive Player of the Year. Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx was unanimously selected as the Rookie of the Year. The WNBA Most Improved Player Award was given to Erin Buescher of the Sacramento Monarchs. The WNBA Coach of the Year Award was awarded to Mike Thibault of the Connecticut Sun. Deanna Nolan was named Finals MVP after leading the Detroit Shock to the championship. The All-WNBA First Team included Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas, and Lauren Jackson.

Coaches

Several notable coaches led teams during this season, including Bill Laimbeer of the champion Detroit Shock and John Whisenant of the Western Conference champion Sacramento Monarchs. Mike Thibault guided the Connecticut Sun to the league's best record, while Michael Cooper led the Los Angeles Sparks. The expansion Chicago Sky were coached by NBA legend Dave Cowens. Other head coaches included Dan Hughes of the San Antonio Silver Stars, Anne Donovan of the Seattle Storm, and Paul Westhead of the Phoenix Mercury.

Notable events

The season was marked by the debut of the Chicago Sky, bringing the WNBA to fourteen teams. The league celebrated its tenth anniversary with special events and merchandise. Sheryl Swoopes publicly acknowledged her sexual orientation, becoming one of the most prominent athletes to do so at the time. The 2006 WNBA All-Star Game was not held due to the 2006 FIBA World Championship for women, in which many WNBA stars, including Lisa Leslie and Diana Taurasi, competed for the USA Basketball team. The postseason was notable for the Detroit Shock's underdog run from the fourth seed to the championship, defeating the Connecticut Sun and Sacramento Monarchs along the way.

Category:WNBA seasons Category:2006 in basketball Category:2006 in American sports