Looking back on 10 years of the WNBA

Lisa Leslie, rear left, and the L.A. Sparks tipped off the WNBA era on June 21, 1997. (ANDY HAYT / GETTY IMAGES, 1997)

April 1996: NBA Board of Governors approve a business plan to start the WNBA.

June 1996: NBC signs as first television partner. Later, ESPN and Lifetime announce broadcasting deals.

August 1996: Val Ackerman named inaugural WNBA president by NBA commissioner David Stern.

Oct. 23, 1996: Olympic forward Sheryl Swoopes is the WNBA's first signed player.

Oct. 30, 1996: WNBA names its eight charter teams (Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Charlotte, Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix).

March 1997: "We Got Next" slogan is launched as inaugural marketing campaign.

April 1997: Houston selects forward Tina Thompson with the first pick of the first WNBA draft.

June 21, 1997: In the first game, at the Forum in Los Angeles, New York defeats the Sparks, 67-57. Sparks guard Penny Toler scored the first basket.

June 25, 1997: Swoopes gave birth to son Jordan, becoming the first player to be placed on the injured list due to pregnancy.

Aug. 30, 1997: Houston defeats New York 65-51 to win the first title.

August 1997: Cynthia Cooper named inaugural regular-season and championship game MVP, averaging 28 points in two postseason games.

October 1997: Detroit and Washington added as first expansion teams for 1998 season.

April 1998: Utah makes Polish center Margo Dydek, 7 feet 2, the first international player drafted No. 1 overall.

August 1998: WNBA plays first best-of-three format in Finals.

May 1999: New York vice president/general manager Carol Blazejowski acknowledges she is a lesbian, the first WNBA executive or player to do so.

May 4, 1999: Defunct American Basketball League players, including those with the Seattle Reign, merge into the WNBA's college/international draft.

June 7, 1999: WNBA announces largest expansion; teams in Seattle, Miami, Portland and Indiana will round out a 16-team league to play in the 2000 season.

July 14, 1999: Inaugural All-Star Game is played at New York's Madison Square Garden, Whitney Houston sings the national anthem and West wins, 79-61.

August 1999: Houston Comets guard Kim Perrot dies of lung and brain cancer; league names its sportsmanship award after her.

Aug. 26, 2000: Houston wins its fourth straight WNBA championship.

July 8, 2001: Minnesota guard Katie Smith sets scoring record with 46 points in a 100-95 overtime loss to Los Angeles.

Sept. 1, 2001: Sparks center Lisa Leslie becomes first player to win the regular-season, Finals, and All-Star game MVP awards. Los Angeles wins its first of two consecutive championships.

April 2002: The Seattle Storm is the first team to get back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks, selecting point guard Sue Bird in the league's first use of the lottery system.

May 2002: New York forward Sue Wicks is the first WNBA player to say she is a lesbian.

May 25, 2002: WNBA tips off season with ABC Sports as a new television partner, agreeing to coverage through 2008.

July 30, 2002: Leslie throws down the WNBA's first dunk, on a fast break against Miami.

Oct. 8, 2002: NBA Board of Governors vote to restructure the WNBA to allow teams to be located in non-NBA cities under independent ownership. Existing teams can also relocate or dismantle.

Oct. 21, 2002: Orlando Miracle opt to relocate.

Nov. 27, 2002: Miami Sol folds.

Dec. 5, 2002: Utah Starzz become the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Dec. 30, 2002: Portland Fire folds.

Jan. 28, 2003: The Mohegan Tribe of Indians became the first non-NBA owner, awarded the Orlando franchise to form the Connecticut Sun.

Sept. 14, 2003: Storm forward Lauren Jackson, an Australia native, becomes the youngest (22) and first international player to win the WNBA's MVP award.

Sept. 16, 2003: The Detroit Shock wins WNBA championship before a record 22,076 fans.

Aug. 2-31, 2004: WNBA "goes dark" so players can compete in the Olympics.

Oct. 12, 2004: Storm coach Anne Donovan becomes first woman to win a WNBA title. The Finals with Connecticut is the league's first sold-out playoff series, drawing a combined of 43,485 fans for three games.

February 2005: Donna Orender succeeds Ackerman as president of the WNBA.

September 2005: The WNBA goes to a best-of-five Finals for the first time, with Sacramento defeating Connecticut for the championship.

Fall 2005: A record 90 percent of WNBA players signed contracts to play overseas during the offseason.

Saturday: The WNBA will tip off its 10th season

Jayda Evans

Margo Dydek: In 1998, the Utah Starzz made the 7-foot-2 Polish center the first international player drafted No. 1 overall.
Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets. (DONNA CARSON / AP)
The Seattle Storm drafted Lauren Jackson, left, and Sue Bird No. 1 overall in back-to-back years, forming a core that would later help bring Seattle a title. (DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES, 2002)