2010 WNBA season

2009–2010 WNBA offseason

• The new television deal with ESPN continued during the 2010 season (runs 2009–2016). For the first time ever, teams will be paid rights fees as part of this deal.
• As of the 2009 season, the maximum roster size per team was reduced from 13 to 11. Any team that falls below nine players able to play due to injury, pregnancy or any other factor outside of the control of the team will, upon request, be granted a roster hardship exception allowing the team to sign an additional player or players so that the team will have nine players able to play in an upcoming game or games. As soon as the injured (or otherwise sidelined) player(s) is able to play, the roster hardship player(s) – not any other player on the roster—must be waived.
• On September 29, 2009, Nolan Richardson was named head coach and general manager of a potential Tulsa, Oklahoma franchise.
• On October 20, 2009, the Detroit Shock announced that the franchise would relocate to Tulsa as well as move to the Western Conference.
• On November 20, 2009, the Sacramento Monarchs folded.
• On December 3, 2009, the New York Liberty announced that previously interim head coach Anne Donovan would be named head coach.
• On December 8, 2009, Cheryl Reeve was named head coach of the Minnesota Lynx.
• A dispersal draft was held on December 14, 2009, for all non-free agent Sacramento Monarchs players.
• On January 7, 2010, the Los Angeles Sparks named former player Jennifer Gillom head coach.
• On February 25, 2010, Sandy Brondello was named head coach of the San Antonio Silver Stars when Dan Hughes stepped aside from the position.

Transactions

Main article: List of 2010 WNBA season transactions

Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft

Main article: 2010 WNBA dispersal draft

On December 14, 2009, the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft was held. This dispersal draft reassigned players from the Sacramento Monarchs who folded in November 2009, prior to the start of the 2010 WNBA season. The remaining twelve active teams in the WNBA each selected one player from the 2009 Monarchs roster in the one-round draft. Teams drafted in inverse order of their 2009 regular season finish. Three former Monarchs players, Kara Lawson, Hamchetou Maiga-Ba, and Ticha Penicheiro were unrestricted free agents and therefore not eligible for the draft. Teams selected based inversely on their 2009 regular season records. Four of the twelve teams making selections waived their picks.

The top four picks were:

Draft

Main article: 2010 WNBA draft

The WNBA Draft lottery was held on November 5, 2009. The lottery teams were the Sacramento Monarchs, Minnesota Lynx (from N.Y.), Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky. The top pick was awarded to Minnesota. Since Sacramento folded after the lottery, all the teams following Sacramento in the draft simply moved up a pick. Minnesota subsequently traded the first overall pick to Connecticut.

The 2010 WNBA Draft was held on April 8, 2010, in Secaucus, New Jersey. Coverage of the first round was shown on ESPN2 (HD). Second and third round coverage was shown on ESPNU and NBA TV.

The top picks were:

1. Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
2. Monica Wright, Minnesota Lynx
3. Kelsey Griffin, Minnesota Lynx
4. Epiphanny Prince, Chicago Sky
5. Jayne Appel, San Antonio Silver Stars

Regular season

Standings

All-Star Game

Main article: 2010 WNBA All-Star Game

The 2010 WNBA All-Star Game was hosted by the Connecticut Sun on July 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Coverage of the game began at 3:30pm on ESPN. This marks the third time the Sun have hosted the annual event. Unlike in previous years, this game was a contest between Geno Auriemma's USA basketball team and a team of WNBA all-stars.

Statistic leaders

The following shows the leaders for each statistic during the 2010 regular season.

Schedule

| Date| Time (ET)| colspan3=3| Matchup | TV| Result| High points| High rebounds| High assists| Location/Attendance }}

Playoffs

Main article: 2010 WNBA playoffs

Awards

Reference:

Individual

Team

Players of the Week

Players of the Month

Rookies of the Month

Coaches

Eastern Conference

• Atlanta Dream: Marynell Meadors
• Chicago Sky: Steven Key
• Connecticut Sun: Mike Thibault
• Indiana Fever: Lin Dunn
• New York Liberty: Anne Donovan
• Washington Mystics: Julie Plank

Western Conference

• Los Angeles Sparks: Jennifer Gillom
• Minnesota Lynx: Cheryl Reeve
• Phoenix Mercury: Corey Gaines
• San Antonio Silver Stars: Sandy Brondello
• Seattle Storm: Brian Agler
• Tulsa Shock: Nolan Richardson

References

References

1. (September 30, 2009). "Nolan Richardson Hired By WNBA Tulsa Group".
2. Voepel, Mechelle. (2009-10-20). "Voepel: A sad but not surprising move expected for Shock".
3. (2009-11-20). "Monarchs fold; WNBA seeks Bay Area owners".
4. (2009-12-04). "Anne Donovan Named New York Liberty Head Coach".
5. Coward, Cheryl. (December 14, 2009). "Nicole Powell is first pick in Dispersal Draft of Sacramento Monarchs players".
6. (November 20, 2009). "WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs fold". Bay Area News Group.
7. (December 14, 2009). "Sun pick up F DeMya Walker in dispersal draft". [[ESPN]].
8. "2010 WNBA Draft Overview".
9. (December 14, 2009). "Sacramento Monarchs Dispersal Draft Analysis".
10. (December 14, 2009). "Liberty draft Powell first overall". [[ESPN]].
11. "2010 WNBA Season Awards - WNBA".
12. (September 2, 2010). "Seattle Storm's Lauren Jackson Named 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player Presented by Kia Motors".