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Becky Hammon Honored as One of the Top 20 Greatest WNBA Players of All Time

June 21, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
San Antonio Stars News Release


SAN ANTONIO - In celebration of its landmark 20th season, the WNBA today announced the 20 greatest and most influential players in its history. Former Stars guard Becky Hammon is among the WNBA Top 20@20 that was unveiled today on ESPN's SportsCenter: Face-to-Face with Hannah Storm.

Hammon remains the Stars all-time leader in career assists (1133), three-point field goals made (498), and points per game (15.6). The six-time WNBA All-Star led the Stars to the Western Conference Finals in 2008. Hammon received All-WNBA First Team honors in 2007 and 2009, and received All-WNBA Second Team honors in 2005 and 2008. Additionally, she was named the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award recipient in 2014. Hammon played eight seasons in San Antonio before retiring in 2014, and in 2011 was named one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time.

The Stars will retire Hammon's No. 25 jersey in a postgame ceremony Saturday, June 25 when the Stars host the Atlanta Dream at 7 p.m. at the AT&T Center. The game is presented by SWBC. The first 2,525 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Becky Hammon t-shirt. A special package that starts at $25 includes a ticket to the game, a mini jersey banner, and a guaranteed commemorative shirt. Photo stations on the concourse will allow fans to join in on the celebration throughout the game before Hammon's jersey is retired after the final buzzer.

The WNBA Top 20@20 announcement was made today to honor the date of the league's inaugural regular-season game played on June 21, 1997, when the New York Liberty defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, 67-57, at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Ca. In addition to Hammon, the WNBA Top 20@20 includes nine current players: Seimone Augustus, Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen. Eleven former players are also among the honorees: Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Deanna Nolan, Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Teresa Weatherspoon.

Top 20@20 -- Facts & Figures:

Seventeen have played on a WNBA championship team (four each for Cooper-Dyke, Swoopes and Thompson with Houston in 1997-2000; three each for Augustus, Moore and Whalen with Minnesota in 2011, 2013 and 2015; three for Cash with Detroit in 2003 and 2006 and Seattle in 2010; three for Nolan with Detroit in 2003, 2006 and 2008; three for Taurasi with Phoenix in 2007, 2009 and 2014; two for Leslie with Los Angeles in 2001 and 2002; two each for Bird and Jackson with Seattle in 2004 and 2010; two for Pondexter with Phoenix in 2007 and 2009; two for Smith with Detroit in 2006 and 2008; one for Catchings with Indiana in 2012; and one each for Griffith and Penicheiro with Sacramento in 2005)

Fourteen of the Top 15 Players selected in 2011 (the league's 15th season) are members of the Top 20@20 (Bird, Catchings, Cooper-Dyke, Griffith, Hammon, Jackson, Leslie, Penicheiro, Pondexter, Smith, Swoopes, Taurasi, Thompson and Weatherspoon)

Nine of 10 members of the All-Decade Team selected in 2006 (the league's 10th season) are members of the Top 20@20 (Bird, Catchings, Cooper-Dyke, Griffith, Jackson, Leslie, Smith, Swoopes and Thompson)

Nine have combined to win 17 of 19 regular-season WNBA MVP awards (Catchings, 2011; Cooper-Dyke, 1997 and 1998; Griffith, 1999; Jackson, 2003, 2007 and 2010; Leslie, 2001, 2004 and 2006; Moore, 2014; Parker, 2008 and 2013; Swoopes, 2000, 2002 and 2005; Taurasi, 2009)

Nine won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2004 (Bird, Cash, Catchings, Griffith, Leslie, Smith, Swoopes, Taurasi and Thompson)

Nine won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2008 (Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Leslie, Parker, Pondexter, Smith, Taurasi and Thompson)

Eight won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2012 (Augustus, Bird, Cash, Catchings, Moore, Parker, Taurasi and Whalen)

Seven have won a WNBA championship, an NCAA title and an Olympic gold medal (Bird, Cash, Catchings, Cooper-Dyke, Moore, Swoopes and Taurasi)

Seven are former No. 1 overall WNBA Draft picks (Thompson,1997; Jackson, 2001; Bird, 2002; Taurasi, 2004; Augustus, 2006; Parker, 2008; and Moore, 2011)

Six have combined to win 14 of 19 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards (Catchings, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012; Griffith in 1999; Jackson in 2007; Leslie in 2004 and 2008; Swoopes in 2000, 2002 and 2003; Weatherspoon in 1997 and 1998)

Five won Rookie of the Year honors (Catchings, 2002; Taurasi, 2004; Augustus, 2006; Parker, 2008; and Moore, 2011)

Five played in the WNBA's inaugural season (Cooper-Dyke, Leslie, Swoopes, Thompson and Weatherspoon)

Four won both WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season (Griffith in 1999; Jackson in 2007; Leslie in 2004; Swoopes in 2000 and 2002)

Four played collegiately at the University of Connecticut (Bird, Cash, Moore and Taurasi)

Three played collegiately at Southern California (Cooper, Leslie and Thompson)

Three members of the five-player Honorable Mention list for the All-Decade Team selected in 2006 are among the Top 20@20 (Penicheiro, Taurasi and Weatherspoon)

One is the only player to win championships in both the ABL and WNBA (Smith with the Columbus Quest of the ABL in 1997 and 1998, and Detroit Shock in 2006 and 2008).

One of the nine active players among the Top 20@20 is seeking her first WNBA championship (Parker)

One is the daughter of a former NBA player (Catchings - father Harvey)

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