Let’s be honest, the women’s NBA lives in the shadow of the NBA, which is why we won’t blame you if you thought it never existed. That said, in recent years, the WNBA (women’s NBA) has begun to forge a path for itself, and perhaps in the coming years, you’ll hear about it more.
Here’s everything you need to know about it.
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How Many Women’s NBA Teams Are There?
Currently, there are 12 teams in the WNBA, divided into the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.
The teams that form the Eastern Conference are:
- Atlanta Dream
- Chicago Sky
- Connecticut Sun
- Indiana Fever
- New York Liberty
- Washington Mystics
Those that form the Western Conference are:
- Dallas Wings
- Las Vegas Aces
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Seattle Storm
- Phoenix Mercury
- Minnesota Lynx.
When Did The WNBA Start?
Despite not being as widely known as the NBA, the WNBA has a long history. Its formation was announced in 1996, and the action started the following year with a total of eight teams.
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WNBA Teams Ownership
In the beginning, the WNBA teams were owned by NBA teams as they were formed in cities that had NBA teams. In 2002, things changed as the NBA opened doors for outsiders to own the teams which is why now, most of them aren’t under NBA ownership.
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At least five WNBA teams are owned by an NBA team; the Indiana Fever (Indiana Pacers), New York Liberty (Brooklyn Nets), Washington Mystics (Washington Wizards), Phoenix Mercury (Phoenix Suns) and the Minnesota Lynx (Minnesota Timberwolves).
Some of the teams share ownership with other sports teams and the Connecticut Sun is owned by the Mohegan Sun Casino.
The Most Successful WNBA Team
A total of 25 titles have been awarded in the WNBA history. The Minnesota Lynx, Houston Comets and Seattle Storm have taken 12 of those with each having four, making them the most successful teams in the WNBA.
The Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Dallas Wings have three championships. The Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions after they won the title in 2022.
Number Of Games Played By WNBA Teams
The league is set to play a record 40 games during the 2023 season, an increase of four games from last season. This rise is due to the growing interest in women’s NBA.
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