Sheryl Swoopes

Alongside Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes was one of the original players signed to the WNBA when the new league for women’s professional basketball was launched in 1996. Before that Swoopes spent her storied college career at Texas Tech where she was a First Team All-America in 1992 and 1993 as well as being named the Naismith College Player of the Year and the WBCA Player of the Year her senior season. Swoopes still holds the school record for highest career scoring average and most points in a season. In 1993, she scored an NCAA record 47 points in the national championship game and was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. During her time in the WNBA, Swoopes was named MVP three times (2000, 2002, 2005) and won four straight championships as a member of the Houston Comets (1997-2000). At the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game, Swoopes was recognized as one of the 15 greatest players in league history. Her time with USA Basketball included three Olympic gold medals and one FIBA World Championships gold medal.