MILESTONES

Much was made of Seimone Augustus becoming the 2nd fastest player to reach 1000 points, doing so in only 46 games.  Did you ever wonder who the fastest ones to 1000, 2000, 3000 were?

Player 1000 Player 2000 Player 3000
Cynthia Cooper 45 Cynthia Cooper 90 Diana Taurasi 151
Seimone Augustus 46 Diana Taurasi 104 Lauren Jackson 162
Tamika Catchings 54 Lauren Jackson 109 Chamique Holdsclaw 165
Jennifer Gillom 55 Katie Smith 110 Katie Smith 167
Cappie Pondexter 56 Tamika Catchings 112 Lisa Leslie 172
Natalie Williams 56 Chamique Holdsclaw 114 Tamika Catchings 175
Lisa Leslie 57 Sheryl Swoopes 116 Sheryl Swoopes 175
Nikki McCray 57 Lisa Leslie 117 Yolanda Griffith 189
Yolanda Griffith 58 Yolanda Griffith 120 Tina Thompson 195
Chamique Holdsclaw 59 Alana Beard 125 Nykesha Sales 209

Lauren Jackson got to 4000 in 209 games.  Lisa Leslie took 287 to make 5000, the fastest to that mark.  There aren't 10 to reach either one yet, so I'm leaving them off of the chart.  The slowest to 1000 is Barb Farris, who took 244 games.  The slowest to 2000 is Ticha Penicheiro at 315.  The slowest to 3000 is Margo Dydek at 289.

What about the youngest player to reach each scoring plateau?

Player 1000 Player 2000 Player 3000
Lauren Jackson 22-1-27 Lauren Jackson 23-2-4 Lauren Jackson 25-0-28
Penny Taylor 22-2-28 Diana Taurasi 24-11-14 Diana Taurasi 26-0-27
Chamique Holdsclaw 22-11-25 Penny Taylor 25-2-6 Chamique Holdsclaw 27-2-14
Candice Dupree 23-0-0 Alana Beard 25-2-28 Tamika Catchings 27-10-23
Seimone Augustus 23-1-17 Sue Bird 25-9-16 Tina Thompson 28-5-22
Diana Taurasi 23-2-7 Chamique Holdsclaw 25-9-22 Deanna Nolan 28-9-18
Brandy Reed 23-5-9 Tamika Catchings 25-11-3 Nykesha Sales 29-1-18
Sue Bird 23-8-6 Tangela Smith 26-3-14 Tangela Smith 29-1-22
Swin Cash 23-10-29 Tina Thompson 26-5-0 Mwadi Mabika 29-10-18
Mwadi Mabika 23-11-28 Deanna Nolan 26-9-30 Katie Smith 30-0-7

The ages are listed years-months-days.  Lauren Jackson is the youngest to 4000 at 26-2-16.  Tina Thompson is the youngest to 5000 at 33-3-27.

For a full list of all the players to reach the various landmarks, click below.

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000


How about breaking the scorers down by rookie class...

class 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Originals 15 9 4 2 1
Elite 5 3 2    
1997 5 4 2  1 1
1998 12 6 2 1  
1999 27 17 11 2   
2000 10 2 1    
2001 14 8 3 1
2002 9  4      
2003 5        
2004 8  2 1    
2005 1        
2006 4         
2007          
2008          
totals 115 55 26 7 2

Originals are players who were on rosters when the league started play in 1997 but were not drafted in either of the two drafts that year.  Players are assigned to the class in which they were drafted.  If undrafted, then they go with the season in which they made their first appearance.  Tamika Catchings goes with 2001 even though she missed that season with an injury because she was drafted that year.  Nykesha Sales goes with 1999 because she was never drafted and that was when she first played.


For a list of players who are close to passing various milestones, not just scoring, click HERE