Stewie may be the best player on the planet...!!

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The point about differing competition is a good one, as is the distance of the three-point shot.

At this point, I do feel the need to point to the similar numbers for Cooper:

• 2× WNBA MVP (1997, 1998)
• 3× WNBA All-Star (1999, 2000, 2003)
• 4× WNBA Champion (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
• 4× WNBA Finals MVP (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
• WNBA Hall of Fame (2009)
• Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2009)
• Basketball Hall of Fame (2010)

The four straight WNBA Finals MVP awards has a sort-of familiar ring to it but I can't quite place it. Maybe Stewie could help?

She was the first WNBA player to be inducted in the Basketball HOF, apparently.

Cooper was better than Swoopes two of the four years they played together, about the same one year, and not quite as good as one year (2000, the year of Swoopes's first MVP award).
As for D, she had a 1st team All-WNBA teammate three out of three times she won a title: Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter, and Brittney Griner.

ETA: Just wanted to point out that when expanding from 8 teams to 13 teams, it becomes less likely for a player to have a 1st-team All-WNBA teammate. There are simply more options for voters.

Despite this, I'm not positive who is better. I mean, I *know* that Stewie was better than D in terms of their UConn careers but that's an easy thing to deal with

And now I really, REALLY need to stop procrastinating

Cooper won the first WNBA title without Swoopes due to her pregnancy. Without Cooper the Comets never made it a WNBA finals.. The Comets never had a standout center or point guard and Kim Perrot died. Cooper was the toughest player to guard in the league as evidenced by the fact that made foul shots than any other player attempted.

 

[HopJim]

That’s one way of comparing the two players. But here again, you cannot compare Cooper & DT in a vacuum. It’s been a generation since Cynthia Cooper played in the “W.” The talent level has improved significantly. How much better would DT have been vs the competition she would have faced in the 90’s.

Bill Russell won more championships then any other player in the history of the NBA, but it’s hard to make a valid comparison between Russell and modern day stars like Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant or Lebron James. The talent level is significantly better today and the skill sets of today’s players are absolutely remarkable.

Dude, well said. Those old enough to have seen Russell (or Chamberlain or West, etc.) know there were few in their era like them and impossible to compare to today's top players). Stewie has a unique skill set that combines shooting, rebounding, and defense. DT and Cooper and Maya all great but none had this combo. We should all just be happy to be able to see these skills in action and have this conversation.

 

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Dude, well said. Those old enough to have seen Russell (or Chamberlain or West, etc.) know there were few in their era like them and impossible to compare to today's top players). Stewie has a unique skill set that combines shooting, rebounding, and defense. DT and Cooper and Maya all great but none had this combo. We should all just be happy to be able to see these skills in action and have this conversation.

Dude, well said. Those old enough to have seen Russell (or Chamberlain or West, etc.) know there were few in their era like them and impossible to compare to today's top players). Stewie has a unique skill set that combines shooting, rebounding, and defense. DT and Cooper and Maya all great but none had this combo. We should all just be happy to be able to see these skills in action and have this conversation.

Dude, well said. Those old enough to have seen Russell (or Chamberlain or West, etc.) know there were few in their era like them and impossible to compare to today's top players). Stewie has a unique skill set that combines shooting, rebounding, and defense. DT and Cooper and Maya all great but none had this combo. We should all just be happy to be able to see these skills in action and have this conversation.

Dude, well said. Those old enough to have seen Russell (or Chamberlain or West, etc.) know there were few in their era like them and impossible to compare to today's top players). Stewie has a unique skill set that combines shooting, rebounding, and defense. DT and Cooper and Maya all great but none had this combo. We should all just be happy to be able to see these skills in action and have this conversation.

My point is that if you are considered the GOAT who has played with great players such as Griner, Booner, Pondexter etc, you should win more than 3 out of 14. A consensus GOAT should dominate their era more than Taurasi has. Jordan had two 3peats. Cooper had a 4peat. Are you saying today's competition is too great for the greatest to beat? I definitely agree that Taurasi is in the conversation for the greatest but she has not won enough at the WNBA level for me to give to her hands down without a debate. Brady did not get the recognition over Montana from an earlier era until he won more titles. I know we are talking about team sports but winning against the best of your era ( especially when you have a loaded team) carries a lot of weight.