WNBA champions by year
Every WNBA Finals since the league began in 1997, with the beaten finalist and every Finals MVP from Cynthia Cooper on.
Every WNBA champion since 1997, year by year
WNBA champions in the 2020s
Year
Champion
Runner-up
Series
Finals MVP
2025
Las Vegas Aces
Phoenix Mercury
4-0
A'ja Wilson
2024
New York Liberty
Minnesota Lynx
3-2
Jonquel Jones
2023
Las Vegas Aces
New York Liberty
3-1
A'ja Wilson
2022
Las Vegas Aces
Connecticut Sun
3-1
Chelsea Gray
2021
Chicago Sky
Phoenix Mercury
3-1
Kahleah Copper
2020
Seattle Storm
Las Vegas Aces
3-0
Breanna Stewart
WNBA champions in the 2010s
Year
Champion
Runner-up
Series
Finals MVP
2019
Washington Mystics
Connecticut Sun
3-2
Emma Meesseman
2018
Seattle Storm
Washington Mystics
3-0
Breanna Stewart
2017
Minnesota Lynx
Los Angeles Sparks
3-2
Sylvia Fowles
2016
Los Angeles Sparks
Minnesota Lynx
3-2
Candace Parker
2015
Minnesota Lynx
Indiana Fever
3-2
Sylvia Fowles
2014
Phoenix Mercury
Chicago Sky
3-0
Diana Taurasi
2013
Minnesota Lynx
Atlanta Dream
3-0
Maya Moore
2012
Indiana Fever
Minnesota Lynx
3-1
Tamika Catchings
2011
Minnesota Lynx
Atlanta Dream
3-0
Seimone Augustus
2010
Seattle Storm
Atlanta Dream
3-0
Lauren Jackson
WNBA champions in the 2000s
Year
Champion
Runner-up
Series
Finals MVP
2009
Phoenix Mercury
Indiana Fever
3-2
Diana Taurasi
2008
Detroit Shock
San Antonio Silver Stars
3-0
Katie Smith
2007
Phoenix Mercury
Detroit Shock
3-2
Cappie Pondexter
2006
Detroit Shock
Sacramento Monarchs
3-2
Deanna Nolan
2005
Sacramento Monarchs
Connecticut Sun
3-1
Yolanda Griffith
2004
Seattle Storm
Connecticut Sun
2-1
Betty Lennox
2003
Detroit Shock
Los Angeles Sparks
2-1
Ruth Riley
2002
Los Angeles Sparks
New York Liberty
2-0
Lisa Leslie
2001
Los Angeles Sparks
Charlotte Sting
2-0
Lisa Leslie
2000
Houston Comets
New York Liberty
2-0
Cynthia Cooper
WNBA champions from 1997 to 1999
Year
Champion
Runner-up
Series
Finals MVP
1999
Houston Comets
New York Liberty
2-1
Cynthia Cooper
1998
Houston Comets
Phoenix Mercury
2-1
Cynthia Cooper
1997
Houston Comets
New York Liberty
1-0
Cynthia Cooper
Most WNBA titles since 1997
How we counted: each line in the year by year tables counts for the team name exactly as the table writes it, so a team the table writes two ways counts separately under each. The table does not always use the name of the day, so a renamed team may sit under one name or several.
Out in front: Houston Comets, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, 4 titles each.
Team
Titles under this name
Years
Houston Comets
4
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Minnesota Lynx
4
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017
Seattle Storm
4
2004, 2010, 2018, 2020
Detroit Shock
3
2003, 2006, 2008
Las Vegas Aces
3
2022, 2023, 2025
Los Angeles Sparks
3
2001, 2002, 2016
Phoenix Mercury
3
2007, 2009, 2014
5 more team names appear once.
Play with this history
Where this comes from
Each table was verified against at least two independent sources, and the checks run on every build: winner lists are audited answer by answer, split titles and vacated seasons are pinned so they can never quietly change, and a blank cell means the detail was never verified rather than papered over. Spot something that looks wrong anyway? The Report a bug button below lands straight in our inbox.
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