The Women's National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association

Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...

 (WNBA) award given since the 1998 WNBA season

1998 WNBA season

-External links:**...

, to the top rookie

Rookie

Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...

 of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player(s) with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.

The 2003 award winner Cheryl Ford

Cheryl Ford

Cheryl Ford is a professional basketball player in the WNBA.-Personal information:Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player Karl Malone.-High school:...

 and 2011 award winner Maya Moore

Maya Moore

Maya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the...

 are the only players to win both the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and a WNBA championship in the same season.

The 2008 award winner was Candace Parker

Candace Parker

Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...

 who became the first player to win the award after garnering all possible votes and also the first player to win the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

The Women's National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the league's inaugural season. MVP voting takes place immediately following the regular season. The award recipient is decided by a panel of sportswriters and...

 in the same season. In the NBA, only Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain

Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...

 and Wes Unseld

Wes Unseld

Westley Sissel "Wes" Unseld is an American former basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life and college career:Unseld starred on a Seneca High School team...

 have won the Most Valuable Player Award and Rookie of the Year Award in the same season.

Winners

Season	Player	Nationality	Team	Draft
				Pick	Year
1998 1998 WNBA season -External links:**...	Tracy Reid Tracy Reid Tracy Reid is a former professional basketball player.Reid attended college at University of North Carolina and graduated in 1998. Selected by the Charlotte Sting in the first round of the 1998 WNBA Draft, Reid went on to capture the 1998 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the lowest pick to win the honor...		Charlotte Sting Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....	7	1998 1998 WNBA Draft 1998 WNBA Draft - 27 January 1998*On January 27, 1998 a total of 4 players were assigned to two teams in no particular order.*On February 18, 1998 a WNBA expansion draft took place*On April 28, 1998 the regular WNBA draft took place....
1999 1999 WNBA season -External links:**...	Chamique Holdsclaw Chamique Holdsclaw Chamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...		Washington Mystics Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...	1	1999 1999 WNBA Draft 1999 WNBA Draft - 6 April 1999*On September 15, 1998, two more players were assigned prior to the expansion draft.*On April 6, 1999 a WNBA expansion draft took place.*On May 3, 1999 another round of player allocation took place....
2000 2000 WNBA season -External links:**...	Betty Lennox Betty Lennox Betty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of...		Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...	6	2000 2000 WNBA Draft 2000 WNBA Draft - 25 April 2000*On December 15, 1999, a WNBA expansion draft took place.*On April 25, 2000 the regular WNBA draft took place.-Expansion Draft:-College draft:-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:...
2001 2001 WNBA season -External links:**...	Jackie Stiles Jackie Stiles Jackie Marie Stiles is a retired basketball shooting guard who set scoring records in college, and then played briefly in the Women's National Basketball Association .-High school:...		Portland Fire Portland Fire The Portland Fire joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000 as the counterpart to the NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. They played their games at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The team folded after the 2002 season, after just three seasons in the league...	4	2001 2001 WNBA Draft 2001 WNBA Draft - 20 April 2001*On April 20, 2001 the regular WNBA draft took place.-College draft:-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:...
2002 2001 WNBA season -External links:**...	Tamika Catchings Tamika Catchings Tamika Devonne Catchings is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA and Turkish team Galatasaray. She is a prolific scorer close to and far from the basket, as well as a capable rebounder, ball handler, and defender. After playing at Adlai E...		Indiana Fever Indiana Fever The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...	3	2001 2001 WNBA Draft 2001 WNBA Draft - 20 April 2001*On April 20, 2001 the regular WNBA draft took place.-College draft:-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:...
2003 2003 WNBA season -External links:***...	Cheryl Ford Cheryl Ford Cheryl Ford is a professional basketball player in the WNBA.-Personal information:Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player Karl Malone.-High school:...		Detroit Shock Detroit Shock The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...	3	2003 2003 WNBA Draft The 2003 WNBA Draft, both the dispersal draft and the regular WNBA draft, took place on April 24. The dispersal draft involved players from the rosters of the Portland Fire and Miami Sol teams which had both folded after the 2002 season....
2004 2004 WNBA season -External links:***...	Diana Taurasi Diana Taurasi Diana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...		Phoenix Mercury Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...	1	2004 2004 WNBA Draft 2004 WNBA Draft - 17 April 2004On January 6, 2004 a dispersal draft took place. Players were drafted from the roster of the Cleveland Rockers, who folded after the 2003 season....
2005 2005 WNBA season -External links:***...	Temeka Johnson Temeka Johnson Temeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...		Washington Mystics Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...	6	2005 2005 WNBA Draft The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the Women's National Basketball Association through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players...
2006 2006 WNBA season -External links:*******...	Seimone Augustus Seimone Augustus Seimone Augustus is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Minnesota Lynx, WBC Spartak Moscow Region and the US national team...		Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...	1	2006 2006 WNBA Draft On November 16, 2005, the Women's National Basketball Association held an expansion draft for the Chicago Sky. It was the first expansion draft since the 2000 season, when the WNBA welcomed the Miami Sol, Portland Fire, Indiana Fever, and Seattle Storm into the league.On April 5, 2006, the WNBA...
2007 2007 WNBA season -External links:* * * * * * * *...	Armintie Price Armintie Price Armintie Ada Price is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream. Price, who played collegiately at the University of Mississippi, was drafted third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2007 WNBA Draft...		Chicago Sky Chicago Sky The Chicago Sky is a professional basketball team based in Rosemont, Illinois, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2006 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Michael J. Alter and Margaret Stender...	3	2007 2007 WNBA Draft The 2007 WNBA Draft was the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league....
2008 2008 WNBA season -Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions....	Candace Parker Candace Parker Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...		Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...	1	2008 2008 WNBA Draft The 2008 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2008....
2009 2009 WNBA season The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...	Angel McCoughtry Angel McCoughtry Angel Lajuane McCoughtry is a professional basketball player who completed her college career at the University of Louisville in 2009. She was selected first overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2009 WNBA Draft and is considered its franchise player...		Atlanta Dream Atlanta Dream The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta...	1	2009 2009 WNBA Draft The 2009 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2009. The first round was shown on ESPN2 at 3:00pm ET, while the second and third rounds were shown on ESPNU and NBA TV at...
2010 2010 WNBA season The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...	Tina Charles Tina Charles (basketball) Tina Charles is an American women's basketball player with the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association and the Galatasaray Medical Park of the TWBL. Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft...		Connecticut Sun Connecticut Sun The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...	1	2010 2010 WNBA Draft The 2010 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 8, 2010. The first round was shown on ESPN2 , while the second and third rounds were shown on NBA TV and ESPNU.A lottery was...
2011 2011 WNBA season The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began on June 3 with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Minnesota Lynx, featuring 2011 WNBA Draft top pick Maya Moore, in a game televised on NBA TV...	Maya Moore Maya Moore Maya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the...		Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...	1	2011 2011 WNBA Draft The 2011 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 11, 2011 at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut...