1997 Houston Comets season
Encyclopedia
The 1997 WNBA season
was the 1st season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won the inaugural WNBA Finals.
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
was the 1st season for the Houston Comets. The Comets won the inaugural WNBA Finals.
Initial Player Allocation
| Pick | Player | Nationality | WNBA Team | College/HS/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who, subsequent to being waived into free agency, signed to re-join the WNBA to play with the Tulsa Shock in 2011. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA when it was created. She has won three Olympic Gold Medals and... (F) |
Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and... |
Texas Tech Texas Tech University Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the... |
|
| 6 | Cynthia Cooper Cynthia Cooper Cynthia Lynne Cooper is a former American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association . She is considered by many as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the... (G) |
Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and... |
Southern California University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... |
|
WNBA Draft
| Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tina Thompson | Southern California University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... |
|
Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 21 | @ Cleveland Cleveland Rockers This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which... |
76-56 | Win | 1-0 |
| June 24 | vs Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... |
70-55 | Win | 2-0 |
| June 26 | vs New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... |
60-62 (OT) | Loss | 2-1 |
| June 28 | @ Utah Utah Starzz The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars... |
76-58 | Win | 3-1 |
| June 30 | vs Los Angeles Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began... |
71-66 (OT) | Win | 4-1 |
| July 2 | @ New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... |
67-70 | Loss | 4-2 |
| July 4 | vs New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... |
58-65 | Loss | 4-3 |
| July 7 | vs Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... |
74-56 | Win | 5-3 |
| July 9 | @ Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... |
64-69 | Loss | 5-4 |
| July 12 | vs Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... |
89-61 | Win | 6-4 |
| July 14 | vs Utah Utah Starzz The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars... |
79-56 | Win | 7-4 |
| July 16 | @ Los Angeles Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began... |
52-77 | Loss | 7-5 |
| July 18 | @ Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... |
82-60 | Win | 8-5 |
| July 22 | @ Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... |
77-69 | Win | 9-5 |
| July 25 | @ Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... |
86-76 | Win | 10-5 |
| July 29 | vs Cleveland Cleveland Rockers This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which... |
64-73 | Loss | 10-6 |
| August 1 | @ Los Angeles Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began... |
81-57 | Win | 11-6 |
| August 2 | @ Utah Utah Starzz The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars... |
63-74 | Loss | 11-7 |
| August 5 | @ Cleveland Cleveland Rockers This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which... |
76-66 | Win | 12-7 |
| August 7 | vs Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... |
74-70 | Win | 13-7 |
| August 9 | vs Los Angeles Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began... |
72-71 | Win | 14-7 |
| August 11 | @ Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... |
72-62 | Win | 15-7 |
| August 12 | vs Utah Utah Starzz The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars... |
76-56 | Win | 16-7 |
| August 16 | @ Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... |
71-80 | Loss | 16-8 |
| August 17 | @ New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... |
70-55 | Win | 17-8 |
| August 19 | vs Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... |
77-69 | Win | 18-8 |
| August 21 | vs Cleveland Cleveland Rockers This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which... |
75-76 | Loss | 18-9 |
| August 24 | vs Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... |
58-68 | Loss | 18-10 |
| August 28 (Playoffs) | vs Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... |
70-54 | Win | 1-0 |
| August 30 (WNBA Finals) | vs New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... |
65-51 | Win | 2-0 |
Player stats
- Janeth Arcain ranked second in the WNBA in Free Throw Pct with .894
- Cynthia Cooper ranked fifth in the WNBA in assists with 131.
- Cynthia Cooper ranked sixth in the WNBA in Field Goal Percentage (.470)
- Cynthia Cooper ranked third in the WNBA in Free Throw Pct with .864
- Cynthia Cooper ranked first in the WNBA in field goals with 191.
- Cynthia Cooper ranked first in the WNBA in points with 621.
- Cynthia Cooper ranked fifth in the WNBA in minutes per game with 35.1
- Cynthia Cooper ranked fifth in the WNBA in steals with 59.
- Kim Perrot ranked ninth in the WNBA in assists with 88.
- Kim Perrot ranked third in the WNBA in steals with 69.
- Tina Thompson ranked ninth in the WNBA in points with 370 points.-
- Tina Thompson ranked seventh in the WNBA in total rebounds with 184
- Tina Thompson ranked ninth in the WNBA in points per game with 13.2
- Tina Thompson ranked seventh in the WNBA in Free Throw Pct with .838
- Tina Thompson tied for fifth in the WNBA in blocks with 28.
Playoffs
- Won WNBA Finals (1-0) over New York Liberty
- Won WNBA Semifinals (1-0) over Charlotte Sting
Awards and honors
- Cynthia Cooper, WNBA Most Valuable Player AwardWNBA Most Valuable Player AwardThe Women's National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the league's inaugural season. MVP voting takes place immediately following the regular season. The award recipient is decided by a panel of sportswriters and...
- Cynthia CooperCynthia CooperCynthia Lynne Cooper is a former American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association . She is considered by many as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the...
, WNBA Finals MVP Award - Cynthia Cooper, Guard, All-WNBA First Team
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, Field Goals 191
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, 3-Pt Field Goals, 67
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, Free Throws, 172
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, Free Throw Attempts, 199
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, Points, 621
- Cynthia Cooper: Led WNBA, Points per game, 22.2
- Cynthia Cooper: Ranked third in the WNBA in minutes played, 982
- Wanda Guyton: Second in WNBA (tied), Offensive Rebounds, 76
- Tina Thompson, Forward, All-WNBA First Team
- Van Chancellor, Coach of the Year