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Angel McCoughtry Louisville Cardinals

McCoughtry Named One of 25 Best WNBA Players of All-Time

September 05, 2021 | Women's Basketball

NEW YORK – The WNBA commemorated its landmark 25th season today by announcing the selection of "The W25," a collection of the 25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history, and University of Louisville legend Angel McCoughtry was named to the list.

The No. 1 pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft and the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, McCoughtry is a two-time league scoring leader and steals leader. She also is a six-time All-WNBA pick, five-time All-Star and seven-time All-Defensive selection.

The unveiling of "The W25" took place on ABC during halftime of the game between the Las Vegas Aces and the Chicago Sky. As part of this historic moment, next up, the league is launching the first-ever "Vote for the GOAT" program.

"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," said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. "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. These athletes have played the game at the highest level on the court – they are scorers and rebounders, assist makers and defensive stoppers, leaders and mentors. In the community, they have powerful voices, individually and collectively, speaking out on important issues in our society. Together, they have transformed the way the game is played, changed the way athletes are viewed, become incredible role models, and inspired generations of young, diverse athletes."

In March, the WNBA introduced the "The W25" platform in order to select and honor the 25 most dominant, skilled and entertaining players in league history.  These game-changing athletes were selected based on their overall contribution to the league and community by a panel of select media and women's basketball pioneers.

The W25" includes 10 current players: McCoughtry, Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Elena Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles, Brittney Griner, Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, and Diana Taurasi.  Fifteen retired players are also among the honorees: Seimone Augustus, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Ticha Penicheiro, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Lindsay Whalen.

Vote for the GOAT – The Details

Many WNBA fans have advocated for their favorite player being the greatest of all time (GOAT) over the last 25 years. Beginning today at 5 p.m. ET, fans will be able to vote for the member of "The W25" they believe is the greatest of all time through the "Vote for the GOAT" program. Fans can vote for their GOAT by calling out their pick from among "The W25" with the hashtag #WNBAGoatVote on Twitter, on WNBA.com or on the WNBA App.  Fan voting will conclude at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 19. The GOAT will be unveiled during the WNBA Finals 2021 presented by YouTube TV.

How fans can vote:

  • Com voting page at wnba.com/goatvote: Fans can fill out one ballot per day (per day is defined as once every 24 hours) on WNBA.com/goatvote from a desktop or mobile browser.
  • WNBA App: Fans can access the ballot through both the "Latest" and "More" tabs on the WNBA App, which is available on Android and iOS. Fans can fill out one ballot per day.
  • Twitter: Fans can tweet in their votes for their favorite player with the below criteria:
    • An eligible vote consists of:
      • The campaign hashtag (e.g.: #WNBAGoatVote) with the player name from The W25 list with or without a space (e.g.: Jane Doe or JaneDoe) or
      • The W25 player's Twitter handle (e.g. @WNBAplayerJaneDoe)
    • Example of a Valid Vote: I just voted Jane Doe for the #WNBAGoatVote or I just voted for @JaneDoeWNBAPlayer for the #WNBAGoatVote
    • Retweets will count as a valid vote

"The W25"

The selection of "The W25" began with a list of 72 nominees chosen based on factors such as on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship and community service, and contributions to team success. A select panel of media members and women's basketball pioneers and advocates then cast the votes that determined "The W25."

The nominees were required to have been a member of a WNBA team for at least two seasons and met four of the following seven criteria: won a major individual award; selected to either the All-WNBA First Team or All-WNBA 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.

For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.