This was the first year that a team from the Pacific Northwest won the WNBA championship. The Chicago Sky finished this regular season as a wildcard, finishing sixth in the standings. However, they defeated the Phoenix Mercury at the Finals. Kahleah Copper was named Finals MVP.
Washington Mystics vs. Seattle Storm
The Washington Mystics play the Seattle Storm in the WNBA Championship 2018, finals. After an eight-year absence, the Storm is back in the Finals. The team lost Lauren Jackson due to retirement but has restocked its lineup by Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell L.
In the regular season, the Seattle Storm was the league's leader in 3-point accuracy. With 29.8%, second place went to the Mystics. This accuracy continued into playoffs.
Breanna Stewart wins WNBA Finals MVP award
Breanna Stewart, a Seattle Storm guard, has been awarded the WNBA Finals MVP Award. The 24-year-old led her team to the title by averaging 28.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. She won the award for her play, which helped the Storm win the league title in 2020. She was proud to receive her MVP award and arrived at the postgame media access with champagne in hand. She also wore her celebratory sunglasses and threw green/gold confetti at Sue Bird as Seattle Storm general manger.
Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP led the Storm to their second title in less than two decades. She performed exceptionally in Game 1 with 37 points, 15 rebounds and an impressive performance. That made her the player who averaged 35 points in Game 1. She averaged 28.3 points per game and shot 65 percent of the field to finish the series. Stewart is also a Hall of Fame Candidate.
Phoenix Sun's Diana Taurasi wins first WNBA title
Diana Taurasi is a former NBA basketball player who is currently the leading scorer of the WNBA. She has won three WNBA championships and the MVP award. She has also been awarded four Olympic golds medals and five WNBA scoring awards. She is also a three-time NCAA champion with the University of Connecticut. She also won six Euroleague championships overseas.
Diana Taurasi, who won her first WNBA title, is now the most decorated player of WNBA history. The 22-year old also won her first WNBA championship. This was the beginning of a long, successful career. Taurasi is the first player to win a championship with a team from the Western Conference. In 2020, Taurasi will be inducted into the league's Hall of Fame.
Seattle Storm's Sue Bird is the one leading Seattle to victory
The Seattle Storm are on the verge of their first WNBA title. Sue Bird is leading them. The Storm finished the regular season with a record of 26-8 and topped the Western Conference standings. The team was led by Bird, who was a top pick in 2001. Bird was a top pick in 2001 and her offensive efficiency combined with her quickness allowed Storm to dominate Washington Mystics' perimeter. The Storm shot 13 to 26 from three point range and outscored their counterparts 21 points. The Mystics shot only 8 for 23 from behind the arc in Game 3 and finished the series with a record of 11 for 60.
Bird was the Storm's main star during the playoffs. She came up big in Game 5 against Phoenix Mercury. Although she was wearing a mask due to a broken nose, Bird had just scored 10 points and drained clutch jumpers to send the Mercury home.