In 1997, the Houston Comets defeated the New York Liberty, 65-51, becoming the first WNBA Champions. Regular-season MVP Cynthia Cooper, the leading scorer with 25 points, was named the Championship MVP. In the following seasons, the Comets would continue to dominate the WNBA. Led by their big three including Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson, the Comets created a dynasty winning four consecutive titles from 1997-2000. Unfortunately, the franchise team was disbanded in 2008 after failing to find new ownership. To date, only the Minnesota Lynx matches the Houston Comets in championship wins and no other team has won four consecutive titles since. In recent years, the WNBA has been gaining exposure and continues to build a growing audience. The current salary cap for teams currently stands at $1,339,000 dollars. In 2021, seven players from five different teams will earn the WNBA supermax salary of $221,450.
Today in Sports History: August 30
