View source for 2001 WNBA Championship

{{Short description|Women's basketball series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{WNBA Finals summary
| image = 2001 WNBA Finals logo.png
| caption =
| league = WNBA
| year = 2001
| runnerup = [[2001 Charlotte Sting season|Charlotte Sting]]
| runnerup_coach = [[Anne Donovan]]
| runnerup_games = 0
| champion = [[2001 Los Angeles Sparks season|Los Angeles Sparks]]
| champion_coach = [[Michael Cooper]]
| champion_games = 2
| date=August 30-September 1
| MVP = [[Lisa Leslie]] <small>(Los Angeles Sparks)</small>
| HOFers = '''Sparks:'''<br>[[Lisa Leslie]] (2015)<br/>'''Sting:'''<br>[[Dawn Staley]] (2013)<br/>'''Coaches:'''<br>[[Michael Cooper]] (2024, player)<br>[[Anne Donovan]] (1995, player)
| television = [[WNBA on ESPN|ESPN]] (Game 1)<br>[[NBC Sports|NBC]] (Game 2)
| announcers = [[Michele Tafoya]] and [[Doris Burke]] (ESPN, Game 1)<br>[[Mike Breen]] and [[Ann Meyers]] (NBC, Game 2) 
| referees_1 = Barlow, Price, Zielinski
| referees_2 = Broderick, Corteau, Trammell
| ECF result = [[2001 Charlotte Sting season|Charlotte]] defeated [[2001 New York Liberty season|New York]], 2–1
| WCF result = [[2001 Los Angeles Sparks season|Los Angeles]] defeated [[2001 Sacramento Monarchs season|Sacramento]], 2–1
| prev_year = [[2000 WNBA Championship|2000]]
| next_year = [[2002 WNBA Finals|2002]]
}}

The '''2001 WNBA Championship''' was the championship [[Playoff format#Best-of-three playoff|series]] of the [[2001 WNBA season]], and the conclusion of [[WNBA Playoffs|the season's playoffs]]. The [[2001 Los Angeles Sparks season|Los Angeles Sparks]], top-seeded champions of the [[Western Conference (WNBA)|Western Conference]], defeated the [[2001 Charlotte Sting season|Charlotte Sting]], fourth-seeded champions of the [[Eastern Conference (WNBA)|Eastern Conference]], two games to none in a best-of-three series. This was Los Angeles' first title.

The Sparks made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Sting also made their first Finals appearance.

Going into the series, no other team except the [[Houston Comets]] had ever won a WNBA championship ([[1997 WNBA Championship|1997]]-[[2000 WNBA Championship|2000]]).

The Sparks had a 28–4 record (.875), good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sting (18–14). It did not matter, however, as the Sparks swept the Sting.

==Road to the finals==
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; font-size:90%;"
|- valign=top
!width=50%|Los Angeles Sparks
!
!width=50%|Charlotte Sting
|-
|align=right|28–4 (.875)<br />1st West, 1st overall
! [[2001 WNBA season|Regular season]]
|align=left|18–14 (.562)<br />4th East, 8th overall
|-
|align=right|Defeated the (4) [[Houston Comets]], 2–0
! Conference Semifinals
|align=left|Defeated the (1) [[Cleveland Rockers]], 2–1
|-
|align=right|Defeated the (2) [[Sacramento Monarchs]], 2–1
! Conference Finals
|align=left|Defeated the (2) [[New York Liberty]], 2–1
|}

===Regular season series===
The Sparks won the regular season series:
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = June 2
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011006192013/http://www.wnba.com/games2001/20010602/LOSCHA/boxscore.html |date=October 6, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[Los Angeles Sparks]] |score1=76'''
 | team2 = [[Charlotte Sting]] |score2=67
 | place = [[Charlotte Coliseum]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]
 | TV =
 }}
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = June 19
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011214070457/http://www.wnba.com/games2001/20010619/CHALOS/boxscore.html |date=December 14, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[Charlotte Sting]] |score1=69
 | team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Sparks]] |score2=73'''
 | place = [[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]]
 | TV =
 }}

==Game summaries==
All times listed below are [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Daylight Time]].

===Game 1===
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = August 30
 | time =
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011006195426/http://www.wnba.com/games2001/20010830/LOSCHA/boxscore.html |date=October 6, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[Los Angeles Sparks]]'''
 | score1 = '''75'''
 | score2 = 66
 | team2 = [[Charlotte Sting]]
 | H1 = 35–39 | H2 = 40–27
 | points1 = [[Lisa Leslie|Leslie]] (24)
 | points2 = [[Andrea Stinson|Stinson]] (18)
 | rebounds1 = [[Lisa Leslie|Leslie]], [[Delisha Milton-Jones|Milton]] (8)
 | rebounds2 = [[Allison Feaster|Feaster]] (5)
 | assist1 = [[Delisha Milton-Jones|Milton]] (5)
 | assist2 = [[Andrea Stinson|Stinson]] (5)
 | place = [[Charlotte Coliseum]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]
 | attendance = 16,132
 | referee =<br/>
*Melissa Barlow
*Michael Price
*Gary Zielinski
 | TV = [[WNBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|series=L.A Sparks leads series, 1–0
}}

===Game 2===
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = September 1
 | time =
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011031144041/http://www.wnba.com/games2001/20010901/CHALOS/boxscore.html |date=October 31, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[Charlotte Sting]]
 | score1 = 54
 | score2 = '''82'''
 | team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Sparks]]'''
 | H1 = 30–38 | H2 = 24–44
 | points1 = [[Tammy Sutton-Brown|Sutton-Brown]] (12)
 | points2 = [[Lisa Leslie|Leslie]] (24)
 | rebounds1 = [[Charlotte Smith (basketball)|Smith]] (8)
 | rebounds2 = [[Lisa Leslie|Leslie]] (13)
 | assist1 = [[Dawn Staley|Staley]] (5)
 | assist2 = [[Tamecka Dixon|Dixon]] (7)
 | place = [[STAPLES Center]], [[Los Angeles]]
 | attendance = 13,141
 | referee =<br/>
*Patty Broderick
*June Corteau
*Bob Trammell
 | TV = [[NBC Sports|NBC]]
|series=L.A Sparks wins WNBA Finals, 2–0
}}

==Awards==
*'''2001 WNBA champion:''' [[Los Angeles Sparks]]
*'''[[Women's National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Finals MVP]]''': [[Lisa Leslie]]

==Rosters==
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:Houston Comets roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=2001
|team=Los Angeles Sparks Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #5c2f83|color1= #FFC322|bg2= #FFC322|color2= #FFFFFF
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 00 | first = Latasha | last = Byears | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 206 | college = DePaul | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 21 | first = Tamecka | last = Dixon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 148 | college = Kansas | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first = Ukari | last = Figgs | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 142 | college = Purdue | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 17 | first = Vedrana | last = Grgin-Fonseca | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 160 | from = Croatia | nat = Croatia}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 9 | first = Lisa | last = Leslie | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 170 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 40 | first = Nicole | last = Levandusky | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 8 | lbs = 163 | college = Xavier | nat = USA }}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 4 | first = Mwadi | last = Mabika | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 165 | from = Democratic Republic of the Congo | nat = Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 51 | first = Rhonda | last = Mapp | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 190 | college = North Carolina State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 10 | first = Nicky | last = McCrimmon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 8 | lbs = 125 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 8 | first = Delisha | last = Milton | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 172 | college = Florida | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 20 | first = Wendy | last = Willits | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 141 | college = Arkansas | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Michael | last = Cooper| college = New Mexico}}
| asst_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Glenn | last = McDonald | nolink = 1|college=}}
}}
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:New York Liberty roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=2001
|team=Charlotte Sting Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #0196B0|color1= #FFFFFF|bg2= #4B0082|color2= #FFFFFF
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 20 | first = Keisha | last = Anderson | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 125 | college = Wisconsin | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 13 | first = Tonya | last = Edwards | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 160 | college = Tennessee | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 7 | first = Shalonda | last = Enis | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 185 | college = Alabama | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 3 | first = Summer | last = Erb | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 240 | college = North Carolina State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 21 | first = Allison | last = Feaster | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 168 | from = Harvard University | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 33 | first = Clarisse | last = Machanguana | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 180 | college = Old Dominion | nat = Mozambique}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 8 | first = Kelly | last = Miller | link = Kelly Miller (basketball) | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 144 | college = Georgia | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Charlotte | last = Smith |link = Charlotte Smith (basketball) | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 148 | college = North Carolina | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first = Dawn | last = Staley | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 134 | college = Virginia | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 32 | first = Andrea | last = Stinson | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 158 | college = North Carolina State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 55 | first = Tammy | last = Sutton-Brown | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 203 | college = Rutgers | nat = CAN}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Anne | last = Donovan| college = Old Dominion University}}
| asst_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Trudi | last = Lacey | nolink = 1|college=}}
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Cheryl | last = Reeve | nolink = 1|college=}}
}}

{{WNBA Finals}}
{{2001 WNBA season by team}}
{{Los Angeles Sparks}}
{{Los Angeles Sparks 2001 WNBA champions}}
{{Charlotte Sting}}
{{NBA on NBC}}
{{WNBA on ESPN}}

[[Category:2001 WNBA season|Finals]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Sparks]]
[[Category:Charlotte Sting]]
[[Category:2001 in sports in Los Angeles|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:2001 in North Carolina|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:WNBA Finals]]
[[Category:August 2001 sports events in the United States|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:September 2001 sports events in the United States|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in Charlotte, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in Los Angeles]]