Cash chosen for WNBA’s Top 25
Swin Cash was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame a few weeks ago. On Sunday, she received another big honor.
To commemorate the 25th year of the WNBA, the league selected the greatest 25 players in 25 years. Cash made the list.
Cash is a graduate of McKeesport High School in the WPIAL and one of the most successful athletes to come out of Western Pennsylvania. This honor adds even more prestige to her lofty reputation. Other players selected included Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Becky Hammon, Tamika Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes.
After starring at McKeesport and winning two NCAA titles at the University of Connecticut, Cash was selected by the Detroit Shock as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft. In her second season, she won a WNBA title.
Cash went on to win another WNBA title with the Shock in 2006 and then teamed with former Connecticut teammate Bird to win a championship with the Seattle Storm in 2010.
Cash played 15 years in the WNBA before retiring after the 2016 season. In 2016, she became only the second WNBA player to have 5,000 points, 2,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.
During her career, she was a four-time WNBA AllStar and twice won MVP of the WNBA All-Star Game.
She was a two-time allWNBA pick and made the league’s all-defensive team in 2011.
The “W25” has 10 current players, including Bird, Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Parker and Breanna Stewart. Former stars Cash, Leslie, Catchings, Katie Smith and Swoopes are among 15 retired players selected by a panel of media members and women’s basketball pioneers and advocates.
It’s the fourth time that the league, in its 25th season, has produced a list of its top players. Bird, Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Leslie, Smith, Swoopes and Tina Thompson also were recognized on each of the previous anniversary lists.
“It’s a huge honor to be named among the top 25 players in league history and I’m in awe that I’m a part of such a prestigious list,” Bird said. “It’s been incredible to experience the rise in the level of competition in the past 25 years and I’m excited to see what the future holds for this league.”
To be considered for the group, players must have played at least two seasons and met four of seven criteria: won a major individual award; selected to either the All-WNBA first team or AllWNBA second team; selected to either the WNBA all-defensive first team or WNBA all-defensive second team; selected to the WNBA All-Star Game; a member of a WNBA championship
team; currently ranked among the top 40 career leaders in at least one major statistical category; and/or a recipient of the WNBA’s season-long Community Assist Award.
“Throughout this season, the WNBA and our fans are celebrating the impact the WNBA has made on sports and society over a quarter of a century,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
“I can think of no better way to honor those responsible for that impact than by unveiling the members of this prestigious group, The W25.”
Fans will be able to vote for their choice as the greatest of all time. The fans’ pick will be revealed during the WNBA Finals.