Although the NBA has existed for several decades, the introduction of women’s professional basketball is a recent development.  The WNBA was formed in 1996 with eight competing teams: the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sports, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs and Utah Starzz.

On this day, August 30, in 1997, the first WNBA champion was crowned.  The end of the season came when the Houston comets defeated the New York Liberty with as score of 65-61.  The inaugural season of the WNBA witnessed the birth of several WNBA stars, including Sherly Swoops and Cynthia Cooper, who both played for the champion Comets.

The Houston Comets continued to dominate the WNBA for the next three seasons.  By 2000, Houston had won four straight championships, but the Los Angeles Sparks would emerge as the new WNBA powerhouse with the help of Lisa Leslie in 2001.