History and Founding
The WNBA was founded by the NBA in 1996 as the first professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league began its first season in 1997 with eight teams, making professional women's basketball a reality for players across the country. The WNBA grew out of increased interest in women's sports during the 1990s and has continued to expand over the decades.
League Structure
The WNBA is organized into two conferences with multiple teams in each conference. Teams play a regular season where they compete against each other, and the top teams advance to the playoffs. The playoffs culminate in the WNBA Finals, where two teams compete for the championship. Each team has its own coach, roster of players, and represents different cities across the United States.
Relationship to the NBA
The WNBA operates as a separate professional league but is owned and operated by the NBA. This relationship provides the women's league with organizational support, resources, and connection to the broader basketball community. The two leagues coexist and promote professional basketball at the highest level.
Teams and Growth
The league started with eight teams in 1997 and has grown to 12 teams today. New teams have been added at various points throughout the league's history to expand professional opportunities for female basketball players and bring the league to additional cities and markets across the country.
Season and Competition
The WNBA season runs during the summer months, typically from May through September. Teams play multiple games throughout the regular season to determine playoff seeding. The playoff structure allows the best-performing teams to compete for the WNBA Championship, which is the league's highest honor and most important competition. 
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