The WNBA Commissioner's Cup, known for sponsorship reasons as the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Presented By Coinbase, is an in-season competition of the Women's National Basketball Association that begins at the start of the regular season and continues throughout the first half of the season. The final is played between the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. A total of 60 regular-season contests involving all 12 teams count toward the Cup standings.[1]
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup | |
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Organising body | Women's National Basketball Association |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Minnesota Lynx (1st title) |
| Most titles | Seattle Storm Las Vegas Aces New York Liberty Minnesota Lynx (1 title) |
The Commissioner's Cup was originally scheduled to begin in the 2020 WNBA season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cup was first awarded in the 2021 season.
In October 2021, the WNBA announced that Coinbase had acquired the naming rights to the Cup starting with the 2022 tournament.[2]
Format
editThe Commissioner's Cup consists of regular-season games designated to count toward Cup play. The team from each conference with the top record in designated “Cup games” will then compete for the Commissioner's Cup title and a special prize pool. Beginning in 2024, Cup games are a series of home or road games against its five conference rivals. From 2021 to 2023, Cup games were the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals.[3] The Cup restores the Eastern–Western Conference rivalry that WNBA used in its playoff tournament until the 2015 WNBA Playoffs.
The first Commissioner's Cup Final game was held at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.[4]
Prize
editThe total compensation tops out at $500,000, with the winning team making around $30,000 per player and the game's MVP taking home an additional $5,000. On the losing team's side, players earn $10,000 each.[5]
The winning team also receives the Commissioner's Cup Trophy.
History
edit| Year | Winner | Result | Runner-up | Cup MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Seattle Storm | 79–57[6] | Connecticut Sun | Breanna Stewart |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Aces | 93–83[7] | Chicago Sky | Chelsea Gray |
| 2023 | New York Liberty | 82–63[8] | Las Vegas Aces | Jonquel Jones |
| 2024 | Minnesota Lynx | 94–89[9] | New York Liberty | Napheesa Collier |
Final appearances
editStatistics for cumulative annual finals wins and losses, not Commissioner's Cup qualifying games:
| Finals | Team | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Years Won | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Storm | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2021 | |
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2024 | |
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 2 | New York Liberty | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2023 | 2024 |
| 1 | Connecticut Sun | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2021 | |
| 1 | Chicago Sky | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2022 |
Cup final records
editThis table shows a list of records through the history of the Commissioner's Cup final.
| Cup records | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone | Player | Team | Date | Information |
| Points, individual | Kelsey Plum Breanna Stewart |
Las Vegas Aces New York Liberty |
July 26, 2022 June 24, 2024 |
24 points |
| Rebounds, individual | A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | July 26, 2022 | 17 rebounds |
| Assists, individual | Courtney Vandersloot | New York Liberty | August 15, 2023 | 10 assists |
| Steals, individual | Breanna Stewart | Seattle Storm | August 12, 2021 | 4 steals |
| Blocks, individual | A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | July 26, 2022 | 6 blocks |
| Points, team | — | Minnesota Lynx | June 25, 2024 | 94 points vs. New York |
| Rebounds, team | — | New York Liberty | August 15, 2023 | 49 rebounds vs. Las Vegas |
| Assists, team | — | Minnesota Lynx | June 25, 2024 | 26 assists vs. New York |
| Steals, team | — | Seattle Storm | August 12, 2021 | 14 steals vs. Connecticut |
| Blocks, team | — | Las Vegas Aces | July 26, 2022 | 9 blocks vs. Chicago |
| Career wins, coach | Noelle Quinn Becky Hammon Sandy Brondello Cheryl Reeve |
Seattle Storm Las Vegas Aces New York Liberty Minnesota Lynx |
2021 2022 2023 2024 |
1 win |
| Margin of victory | — | Seattle Storm | August 12, 2021 | 22-point win (79–57) over Connecticut |
| Attendance, one game | — | Michelob Ultra Arena Las Vegas Aces (Host City) |
August 15, 2023 | 8,967 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Hansen, Mitchell. "WNBA COMMISSIONER'S CUP: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, AND WHAT'S ON THE LINE". winsider.com. WInsider. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "Coinbase & WNBA Announce Multiyear Partnership". WNBA.com (Press release). October 19, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ "2020 WNBA Season to Feature Inaugural Commissioner's Cup, Expanded 36-Game Schedule for Teams and More ABC Games". Wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "Mercury, Phoenix Suns Arena to host 1st WNBA Commissioner's Cup". arizonasports.com. Arizona Sports. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ Powell, Jackie. "What's at Stake in Groundbreaking WNBA Commissioner's Cup?". bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "Connecticut vs. Seattle Boxscore". Wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "Las Vegas vs. Chicago Boxscore". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ^ "New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces Boxscore". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
- ^ "Minnesota vs. New York Boxscore". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved June 26, 2024.