The WNBA playoffs are an elimination tournament held annually to determine the champion of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Eight teams compete in a series of best-of-games series, culminating in the WNBA Finals, where the final two teams vie for the championship title.
1997: First WNBA Season
The WNBA debuted in 1997 with eight teams, and the playoffs featured the top four teams based on their regular-season records. Interestingly, the Houston Comets were initially in the Eastern Conference.
1997: Inaugural WNBA Playoffs
The inaugural WNBA playoffs in 1997 featured a single-elimination format for all rounds, with only the top four teams in the league qualifying.
1998: Houston Comets Conference Switch
The Houston Comets were moved to the Western Conference in 1998 to ensure two teams from the same conference would compete in the WNBA Finals.
1998: Playoff Format Changes
The WNBA playoffs in 1998 expanded to a best-of-three series for each matchup, with a 1-1-1 homecourt pattern.
1999: Playoff Expansion
The WNBA playoffs expanded to include six teams in 1999, with the top three teams from each conference qualifying. The top seed in each conference received a bye to the Conference Finals.
2005: WNBA Finals Extended
The WNBA Finals became a best-of-five series in 2005.
2010: Format Change for First Two Rounds
In 2010, the WNBA changed the first two rounds of the playoffs to a 1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded team hosting Games 1 and 3.
2015: End of an Era
The WNBA playoff format, featuring conference seeding and a fixed number of teams, continued until 2015.
2016: New Playoff Format Introduced
The WNBA adopted a new stepladder-like playoff format in 2016, featuring eight teams based on overall record rather than conference standings. The format included single-elimination First and Second Rounds, followed by best-of-five Semifinals and Finals.
2021: End of Stepladder Format
The WNBA used the stepladder playoff format until 2021, providing exciting matchups and unpredictable outcomes.
2022: Current Playoff Format Implemented
In 2022, the WNBA introduced the current playoff format, featuring the top eight teams overall in a three-round series. The first round became a best-of-three, while the Semifinals and Finals remained best-of-five.