2000 WNBA expansion draft

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2000 WNBA expansion draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)December 15, 1999
Overview
LeagueWNBA
Expansion teamsIndiana Fever
Miami Sol
Portland Fire
Seattle Storm
← 1999
2006 →

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) held their third expansion draft on December 15, 1999 for four new WNBA teams, the Indiana Fever, the Miami Sol, the Portland Fire, and the Seattle Storm.[1][2][3] This draft allowed the four new expansion teams to select players from the existing WNBA teams to fill their debut rosters prior to the start of the 2000 WNBA season.[4]

The four new teams were given six draft picks each to help stock their new rosters. The draft order was determined by a random drawing. The existing 12 WNBA teams were allowed to protect a total of five players from their 1999 rosters.[5] However, once an existing team had a player selected in this draft, the team could then protect an additional three players from the expansion draft.[5] No players were allocated by the league as "there [weren't] four players of equal ability out there to allocate."[5]

Key

[edit]
Pos. G F C
Position Guard Forward Center
^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
* Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-WNBA Team
+ Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
# Denotes player who never played in the WNBA regular season or playoffs

Expansion draft

[edit]

The following players were drafted for the rosters of the Fever, Sol, Fire, and Storm from the league's existing teams on December 15, 1999:

Pick Player Position Nationality Team Former team WNBA years[a] Career with the franchise[b] Ref.
1 Gordana Grubin G Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia Indiana Fever Los Angeles Sparks 1 2000–2001 [6]
2 Edna Campbell  United States Seattle Storm Phoenix Mercury 1 2000
3 Kate Starbird Miami Sol Sacramento Monarchs 1 —[c]
4 Alisa Burras F Portland Fire Cleveland Rockers 1 2000–2002
5 Sophia Witherspoon G New York Liberty 3 2000–2001
6 Sandy Brondello +  Australia Miami Sol Detroit Shock 2 2001–2002
7 Sonja Henning[7]  United States Seattle Storm Houston Comets 1 2000–2002
8 Stephanie McCarty Indiana Fever Charlotte Sting 1 2000–2001;
2003–2004
9 Nyree Roberts C Washington Mystics 2 —
10 Angela Aycock F Seattle Storm Minnesota Lynx 1 2000
11 Debbie Black G Miami Sol Utah Starzz 1 2000–2002
12 Tari Phillips * C Portland Fire Orlando Miracle 1 —
13 Coquese Washington G New York Liberty 2 —
14 Sharon Manning F Miami Sol Charlotte Sting 3 2000
15 Nina Bjedov C Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia Seattle Storm Los Angeles Sparks 1 —
16 Rita Williams + G  United States Indiana Fever Washington Mystics 2 2000–2002
17 Kara Wolters ^ C Houston Comets 1 2000
18 Toni Foster F Seattle Storm Phoenix Mercury 3 —
19 Lesley Brown Miami Sol Detroit Shock 1 —
20 Molly Goodenbour # G Portland Fire Sacramento Monarchs 0 —
21 Jamila Wideman Cleveland Rockers 3 2000
22 Yolanda Moore F Miami Sol Orlando Miracle 3 —
23 Charmin Smith G Seattle Storm Minnesota Lynx 1 2000–2001
24 Chantel Tremitiere Indiana Fever Utah Starzz 3 2000

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Number of years played in the WNBA prior to the draft
  2. ^ Number of years played for expansion franchise that drafted player
  3. ^ December 15, 1999 trade: Miami to Utah
    • Starbird and a 2000 first-round pick (8th overall) were acquired by the Utah Starzz from Miami Sol
    • In exchange, Miami received Elena Baranova and a 2000 second-round pick (19th overall)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Gustkey, Earl (December 16, 1999). "Sparks Lose Starting Guard in Expansion Draft". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. ^ "Aces History: Feeling A Draft (2000)". WNBA. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  3. ^ "Fever History: Dec. 15, 1999". WNBA. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. ^ "W.N.B.A.: EXPANSION DRAFT; Indiana Chooses Guard From L.A." The New York Times. December 16, 1999. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Smith, Michelle (December 8, 1999). "Drafting a plan". ESPN. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  6. ^ "2000 WNBA Expansion Draft". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  7. ^ Pelton, Kevin (May 21, 2009). "STORM: Where Are They Now? Sonja Henning". WNBA.