W25 List: WNBA Names 25 Greatest Players in League History, List Includes Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi

(Photo : ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images) First placer USA's Sue Bird (R) and Diana Taurasi pose with their gold medals after the medal ceremony for the women's basketball competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on August 8, 2021.

To help commemorate its 25th season, the WNBA announced "The W25" list on Sunday, a collection of the league's 25 greatest and most influential players in its long and storied history. The WNBA revealed the much-anticipated list during the half-time break of Sunday's matchup between the Las Vegas Ages and the Chicago Sky.

72 WNBA players initially made it to the selection process

The WNBA introduced the W25 platform back in March to identify the 25 most dominant, skilled, and entertaining players in the league's history. To be eligible for consideration for the W25 list, WNBA players past and present had to meet at least four of seven criteria set out by the league. These are having won a major individual award, made an All-WNBA First Team or Second Team, made a WNBA All-Defensive First Team or Second Team, made an All-Star Game, won a championship, ranked in the top 40 all-time in at least one major statistical category, and won the WNBA's season-long Community Assist Award.

After a long five-month process, a panel of select media and women's basketball pioneers finally trimmed down the initial list of 72 players that met the aforementioned criteria and selected the 25 greatest WNBA players of all time.

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Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi lead W25 honorees

Ten members of the prestigious "W25" list are still active and currently playing in the WNBA. They are Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Brittney Griner, Angel McCoughtry, Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles, Elena Delle Donne, and Sylvia Fowles.

Fifteen retired players complete the esteemed list-- Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Ticha Penicheiro, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Swin Cash, and Tamika Catchings.

The WNBA made it a point not to release the rankings of the players selected, revealing the list instead in alphabetical order. Fans who want a definitive result can participate in the "Vote for the GOAT" program by the league. Fans of the players who made it to the W25 can vote for their favorites on the WNBA app, WNBA.com, or Twitter by using the hashtag #WNBAGoatVote.

Fan voting will end on September 19 at 11:59 p.m. ET, with the league's GOAT set to be unveiled during the 2021 WNBA Finals. Sue Bird released a statement on Sunday about her inclusion to the W25, saying, "It's a huge honor to be named among the top 25 players in league history." Bird added that "it's been incredible to experience the rise in the level of competition in the past 25 years" and that she is excited to see what the future holds for the WNBA.

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