WNBA Season Draws to a Close
2002 Rookie Class Makes Big Noise

For the second consecutive season, the Los Angeles Sparks are the champions of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Sparks completed a two-game-sweep of the New York Liberty to take the crown.

The Sparks pulled out a hard-fought 71-63 Game One win in New York City's Madison Square Garden on August 29. The series shifted to the West Coast for Game Two at the Staples Center on August 31. Rookie forward Nikki Teasley nailed a 21-foot three-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining to seal the 69-66 victory. The Liberty had come back to tie the game at 66 with just 18.2 seconds to play before Teasley's incredible shot.

For the second time, Sparks center Lisa Leslie was Finals WNBA MVP.

Before the playoffs, the WNBA regular season brought no shortage of excitement and thrills. The six seasons the league has existed make it the longest-running professional Women's Basketball league in United States history.

Along the way, the defending champion Sparks set out on their goal to an undefeated season. While they did not realize that goal, they secured the regular-season Western Conference title once again en route to back-to-back titles.

Legendary coach Marianne Stanley led the Washington Mystics to their first winning record, while picking up the Coach of the Year award.

Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets returned to post an incredible season, taking home MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors.

But the rookies were the talk of the league. From four University of Connecticut stars, fresh off of an undefeated National Championship run - Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird, Detroit Shock forward Swin Cash, Minnesota Lynx forward Tamika Williams and Mystics forward Asjha Jones -- to Mystics All-Star forward Stacey Dales-Schuman, the class made a lot of noise. None made more than Indiana Fever rookie forward Tamika Catchings. She led the team to its first playoff birth in its four-year existence, finished among the league leaders in most statistical categories and was the high scorer for the Eastern Conference in the July All-Star Game. For her efforts, Catchings was selected Rookie of the Year.

The following is a recap of this season's award winners and other news from the WNBA season.

2002 All-WNBA Teams Presented By Bud Light

Other players receiving votes: Lauren Jackson, 77; Margo Dydek, 66; Marie Ferdinand, 57; Ticha Penicheiro, 47; Dawn Staley, 27; Jennifer Azzi, 23; Andrea Stinson, 23; Yolanda Griffith, 21; Swin Cash, 18; Tammy Sutton-Brown, 12; Adrienne Goodson, 14; Tamecka Dixon, 14; Teresa Weatherspoon, 11; Allison Feaster, 6; Ukari Figgs, 6; Jennifer Gillom, 6; Janeth Arcain, 5; Ruthie Bolton, 5; Debbie Black, 5; Sheri Sam, 5; Vickie Johnson, 3; Tangela Smith, 3; Merlakia Jones, 3; Coco Miller, 3; Becky Hammon, 3.

Each All-WNBA player will receive a Tiffany-designed trophy. In addition, Bud Light will present each member of the First Team with $10,000 and each member of the Second Team with $5,000.

Swoopes, Catchings, Stanley Lead 2002 WNBA Award Winners
Swoopes, who missed the 2001 season with a torn ACL, capped a tremendous return to the WNBA by being named the recipient of the 2002 WNBA Most Valuable Player presented by Buick, as well as being honored on Sunday as the 2002 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The 6-0 veteran forward finished the regular season as the WNBA's third-leading scorer (18.5 ppg) and second in steals (2.75), while leading the Comets to a 24-8 mark on the way to her second MVP award. She will receive $25,000 from the league in conjunction with the award, and Buick presented her with a new 2003 Buick Rendezvous.

Swoopes received 482 points and 29 first-place votes from a national panel of 60 sportswriters and broadcasters in MVP balloting. Last season's winner, Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks, finished second (380 points), and the breakout rookie season of Catchings resulted in a third-place finish (356 votes). Washington's Chamique Holdsclaw (169) and Bird (75) rounded out the top five in votes received.

In voting for the top Defensive Player, which Swoopes won for the second time in her career, she received 22 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, followed by Catchings with 18 votes.

Swoopes' comeback was a catalyst for Houston qualifying for its sixth straight appearance in the playoffs, making them the only team to compete in every WNBA postseason. Swoopes, the leading vote-getter for this year's WNBA All-Star Game, is a three-time All-WNBA selection and four-time world champion, and is the only player in league history to record 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists and 300 steals. She also led a tenacious Houston defensive unit that held opponents to league-lows of 59.1 points per game and .375 shooting from the floor.

Catchings became the first WNBA player to record 60 three-pointers and 80 steals in a single season. Catchings received 48 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to capture Rookie of the Year honors. Bird received eight votes, followed by Cash with three votes and Nikki Teasley of the Los Angeles Sparks with one vote.

Catchings, who led the WNBA in steals with an average of 2.94 a game, led all rookies in scoring (18.6 ppg, 2nd in the WNBA), rebounding (8.6 rpg, 4th), three-pointers made (76, 2nd), blocked shots (1.34 bpg, T-6th) and minutes (36.4 mpg, 2nd), and finished third in assists (3.7 apg, 10th).

Coach Stanley, in her first season as head coach of the Mystics, received 22 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Others receiving votes were Seattle's Lin Dunn (9), New York's Richie Adubato (8), Portland's Linda Hargrove (8), Houston's Van Chancellor (7), Charlotte's Anne Donovan (3), Utah's Candi Harvey (2) and Indiana's Nell Fortner (1).

Stanley guided Washington to a 17-15 mark and a two-game sweep of Charlotte in the opening round of the WNBA Playoffs, as the Mystics improved from a 10-22 record last season.

Coco Miller of the Mystics, who averaged 9.3 points, 2.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds this season, was named 2002 WNBA Most Improved Player of the Year after receiving 14 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Other players receiving votes included New York's Tamika Whitmore (12), Los Angeles' Mwadi Mabika (9) Sacramento's Tangela Smith (5) and Portland's DeMya Walker (5), among others.

Miller, the Mystics' third-leading scorer, reached highs in every statistical category this season. She started all 32 games for Washington and logged 28.3 minutes a game to spark Washington to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jennifer Gillom of the Phoenix Mercury was named the recipient of the 2002 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award presented by AIG VALIC, designed to honor a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.

Gillom received 16 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Finishing second and third respectively in the balloting, were Jennifer Azzi of the Utah Starzz and Bird.

The award is named in honor of the late point guard Kim Perrot, who helped guide the Houston Comets to their first two WNBA Championships. Perrot passed away in August 1999 after a seven-month battle with cancer.

Holdsclaw, who finished the season as the WNBA's leading scorer and rebounder, won both awards for the 2002 Bud Light Peak Performers, honoring the league's champion in those two categories. Bud Light will award $25,000 to Holdsclaw, with a portion of those proceeds going to a charity of her choice.

Holdsclaw averaged 19.9 points and 11.6 rebounds, tops in the WNBA in both departments. Despite injuries, Chamique led the Mystics to their best regular-season performance in franchise history, while individually having one of her best seasons in her young career.

General Motors, WNBA Extend Marketing Partnership

General Motors and the WNBA announced they have agreed to extend their long-term marketing partnership, which dates back to the league's inception in 1997, with a new multi-year agreement.

Through its WNBA partnership, GM will utilize the league's extensive media assets through an integrated marketing approach, including in-game advertising and courtside signage during nationally televised WNBA games on ABC Sports, ESPN, Inc. and Oxygen Media, as well as an interactive presence on WNBA.com.

GM will continue to sponsor the "Player of the Game" for each nationally televised WNBA game, which will also include a $1,000 donation to the "Make-A-Wish Foundation" in that player's name. Over the past two seasons, GM has donated more than $100,000 to the Foundation on behalf of WNBA players. The league's Most Valuable Player Award is also sponsored by GM and the recipient will receive a new GM vehicle.

-- WNBA with the assist