The 2022 WNBA season, which culminated with an inaugural championship for the Las Vegas Aces, was one for the history books. New records, heartfelt farewells and fresh faces punctuated the 26th WNBA campaign as the league enjoyed peaks in viewership and heightened parity.
With the year coming to a close and the 2023 preseason just around the corner, now is as good a time as any to look back at the season that was. Without further ado, here are the top moments, in no particular order, from the 2022 WNBA season.
Chelsea Gray’s Playoff Performance
Chelsea Gray lived up to her “point gawd” nickname, putting on a clinic in the Aces’ title run. Dropping dimes while sinking shots from beyond the arc, Gray pulled the strings for Las Vegas, earning herself WNBA Finals MVP honors. While it’s hard to pick just one moment from the star guard’s record-breaking postseason campaign, Gray’s step-back three-pointer over an outstretched Tina Charles is certainly one for the highlight reel.
Sue Bird’s Farewell
The WNBA said goodbye to one of the league’s all-time greats this year, with Sue Bird ending her historic basketball career on her own terms. The Storm guard enjoyed a farewell tour fit for an icon as the league sent Bird into a well-earned retirement. Bird exits the WNBA with four titles and as the league’s reigning assists leader.
Sylvia Fowles’s All-Star Dunk
The 2022 season also marked the end of WNBA legend Sylvia Fowles’s career, with the Lynx center capping off a dominant 15-year run. Fowles went out with a bang, throwing down a dunk in the WNBA All-Star Game in front of a Chicago crowd, where she spent her first years in the league. “I was shook, I’m not even gonna lie,” said All-Star teammate A’ja Wilson of Fowles’s dunk. “Syl could’ve walked off the court at that point and I would’ve been happy.”
Marine Johannès’s Pass of the Year
French phenom Marine Johannès’s returned to the Liberty for the 2022 season, injecting the young squad with a potent flare and creativity and helping New York to a postseason berth. The 27-year-old’s talents were on full display during Game 1 of the playoffs, making an implausible pass. Not only was Johannès’s no-look heave the pass of the year, it also helped the Liberty to a stunning upset over the Sky.
Brittney Griner’s Presence Loomed Large
Brittney Griner’s wrongful detainment in Russia loomed large over the 26th WNBA season, with the Mercury star’s absence deeply felt. Players, teams and the league kept Griner’s name and face at the forefront, amplifying her story to help push for her release. This year’s All-Star Game featured jerseys with Griner’s number as a part of a season-long effort to involve the 32-year-old.
Griner has since returned home, freed on Dec. 8 in a prisoner swap after 10 months in Russian custody.
Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson’s MVP Showdown
The semifinal series between the Storm and Aces was an instant classic, with MVP favorites A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart trading blows in an epic showdown. Game 2 of the series featured a 32-point performance from Stewart and a 33-point outing from Wilson, marking only the third time in WNBA playoff history that two opposing players scored 30-plus points. Las Vegas ended up getting the better of Seattle, despite Stewart putting up a whopping 42 points in Game 4, concluding a battle for the ages.
Contract Divorce Emerges As the Phrase of the Year
The 2022 season featured plenty of movement, with players parting ways with teams in highly publicized contract divorces. Tina Charles left the Mercury in June after only five months with the team before signing with the Storm, while Liz Cambage exited Los Angeles after her short stint with the Sparks following reports of locker-room turmoil.
Alyssa Thomas’s Triple-Double Record
Alyssa Thomas logged the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history, completing the feat in Game 3 of the Sun’s series against the Aces. The Connecticut star finished the season with four triple-doubles, propelling her to the top of the league’s all-time triple-double list. Even more remarkable, Thomas’s breakthrough season comes after tearing her Achilles in 2021.
Courtney Vandersloot’s Three-Pointer
There were plenty of buzzer-beaters throughout the 26th WNBA campaign, but perhaps none more entertaining than Courtney Vandersloot’s long-range winner for the Sky. In the final play of the team’s regular-season matchup against the Lynx, the Chicago guard drew a slew of defenders before wiggling herself free. Situated beyond the arc, Vandersloot let off a last-ditch effort, sinking her shot as time ticked to zero.
Rhyne Howard’s Debut
Rhyne Howard had one of the most dominant rookie outings in recent memory, nearly lifting the Dream to a WNBA playoff berth. The No. 1 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft, Howard averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals to earn Rookie of the Year honors. If her debut was any indication, Howard is likely to be a WNBA giant for years to come.
