The 2005 Houston Comets were led by Tina Thompson, whose scoring, rebounding, and versatile two-way play made her the centerpiece of the offense. Sheryl Swoopes remained a major contributor with playmaking, defense, and secondary scoring, while Michelle Snow strengthened the frontcourt with efficient interior scoring, rebounding, and rim protection. Houston combined balanced offensive production with strong defense and rebounding, relying on veteran leadership and an efficient inside-out attack.
Everything flowed through Swoopes as Houston’s primary creator and defensive tone-setter. Around the league she was praised for carrying a depleted roster on both ends, with opponents regularly trapping her above the arc while she still directed the offense and defended elite perimeter scorers. (Wikipedia)
WNBA MVP (2005); WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2005); WNBA All-Star (2005); All-WNBA First Team (2005); WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2005)
Michelle Snow
Starter/Star (1.1)
29.3
Medium (1.1)
12.0
6.8
1.2
1.8
52.0
Snow emerged as Houston’s interior anchor, finishing efficiently around the rim while protecting the paint. Season coverage regularly pointed to her growth into a dependable starting center whose rebounding and shot-blocking kept the Comets competitive in low-scoring games.
None
Tina Thompson
Starter/Star (1.1)
29.3
Medium (1.1)
10.1
3.8
1.5
1.1
39.2
Injuries limited Thompson to 15 games, but when available she remained Houston’s preferred frontcourt scorer. Contemporary reporting emphasized how much the offense missed her spacing and mid-range scoring during extended absences.
WNBA All-Star (2005)
Janeth Arcain
Starter/Star (1.1)
31.7
Medium (1.1)
10.1
2.7
1.6
1.8
39.1
Arcain continued to thrive in a complementary role, making timely cuts and smart off-ball reads while defending opposing wings. Coaches and reporters consistently valued her steadiness and decision-making more than raw production.
None
Dominique Canty
Starter/Star (1.1)
30.2
Low (1.0)
8.2
3.3
3.1
1.0
34.3
Canty handled difficult perimeter assignments and secondary ball-handling duties, allowing Swoopes to work off the ball at times. Her versatility remained one of Houston’s most trusted assets throughout the season.
None
Kristen Rasmussen
Key Contributor (1.05)
21.8
Low (1.0)
5.0
3.2
0.9
1.2
21.7
Rasmussen gave Houston reliable frontcourt depth with efficient finishing, rebounding and physical interior defense. Her role expanded whenever the rotation needed additional size.
None
Sancho Lyttle
Bench (1.0)
13.9
Low (1.0)
4.2
3.8
0.5
0.7
18.4
As a rookie reserve, Lyttle brought energy, offensive rebounding and athleticism to the second unit. Coaches increasingly rewarded her activity around the basket with consistent minutes.
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2005)
Dawn Staley
Key Contributor (1.05)
22.1
Low (1.0)
3.3
1.7
2.8
0.7
17.9
Staley provided veteran leadership and stabilized Houston’s backcourt despite appearing in only a handful of games. Her experience and court vision were frequently cited as valuable additions to a young rotation.
None
Tari Phillips
Bench (1.0)
11.4
Low (1.0)
3.5
2.5
0.4
0.6
14.0
Phillips filled a physical reserve post role, contributing rebounding and interior toughness whenever Houston needed frontcourt depth. Contemporary independent coverage of her season was limited.
None
Adrienne Goodson
Bench (1.0)
11.8
Low (1.0)
3.1
1.6
0.7
0.3
11.4
Goodson supplied experienced frontcourt depth and accepted a limited role focused on rebounding and defensive positioning. Independent season-specific coverage was sparse due to her reserve workload.
None
Edwige Lawson-Wade
Bench (1.0)
6.7
Low (1.0)
1.5
0.4
0.2
0.2
4.6
Lawson-Wade appeared mainly in short backcourt stretches, bringing defensive pressure and ball security. Contemporary reporting on her individual season was limited.
None
Roneeka Hodges
Bench (1.0)
7.2
Low (1.0)
1.3
0.7
0.3
0.1
4.8
Hodges spent most of the year in a developmental reserve role, valued for her athleticism and perimeter potential more than immediate production. Independent coverage remained limited.
None
Kiesha Brown
Bench (1.0)
4.5
Low (1.0)
0.0
0.3
0.5
0.3
2.2
Brown made only brief appearances as emergency backcourt depth. Contemporary independent reporting was minimal because of her limited playing time.
None
Felicia Ragland
Bench (1.0)
2.3
Low (1.0)
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.6
Ragland saw only a handful of minutes and remained outside the regular rotation. Limited independent contemporary coverage was available for her season.
Houston leaned on Swoopes to create virtually every late-clock possession while she also defended the opponent’s best perimeter scorer. Playoff coverage consistently described her as the engine of the Comets despite constant double-teams and heavy defensive attention.
WNBA MVP (2005); WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2005); WNBA All-Star (2005); All-WNBA First Team (2005); WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2005)
Tina Thompson
Starter/Star (1.1)
33.6
High (1.2)
13.8
5.6
1.2
1.6
58.1
Thompson gave Houston efficient frontcourt scoring, attacking from the mid-post and drawing physical matchups throughout the series. Independent reporting noted her ability to capitalize when defenses shifted extra help toward Swoopes.
WNBA All-Star (2005)
Michelle Snow
Starter/Star (1.1)
30.4
Medium (1.1)
10.4
5.4
0.8
1.6
43.1
Snow anchored the paint with efficient finishing and interior defense, providing Houston with its best rim protection. Her work around the basket became increasingly important as the postseason slowed into half-court battles.
None
Dominique Canty
Starter/Star (1.1)
32.4
Low (1.0)
8.0
4.4
3.4
0.2
35.2
Canty handled difficult defensive assignments while sharing secondary playmaking responsibilities with Swoopes. Her willingness to pressure the ball and attack in transition gave Houston valuable energy beyond the box score.
None
Janeth Arcain
Starter/Star (1.1)
27.6
Low (1.0)
8.8
2.0
1.2
1.2
29.5
Arcain filled the complementary wing role with disciplined off-ball movement and dependable team defense. Even with fewer touches, she remained one of Houston’s most trusted veterans in playoff situations.
None
Dawn Staley
Key Contributor (1.05)
25.0
Low (1.0)
4.2
0.8
2.8
1.8
20.2
Staley steadied the second unit with veteran decision-making, keeping Houston organized whenever she entered. Her leadership and ball security were regularly highlighted despite a limited scoring role.
None
Tari Phillips
Bench (1.0)
10.6
Low (1.0)
2.6
1.8
0.2
0.2
9.6
Phillips supplied physical frontcourt depth, battling on the glass and absorbing tough defensive assignments in short stretches. Contemporary postseason coverage of her individual role was limited.
None
Sancho Lyttle
Bench (1.0)
6.8
Low (1.0)
2.0
2.4
0.0
0.4
9.6
Lyttle brought athleticism and offensive rebounding off the bench, giving Houston fresh energy in limited minutes. Her postseason role remained developmental, but her activity around the rim stood out.
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2005)
Kiesha Brown
Bench (1.0)
1.0
Low (1.0)
2.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.0
Brown appeared only briefly and remained outside the regular playoff rotation. Independent contemporary coverage of her postseason contributions was minimal.
None
Roneeka Hodges
Bench (1.0)
1.0
Low (1.0)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
Hodges saw only spot minutes as reserve backcourt depth. Limited independent postseason reporting was available because of her small role.
None
Edwige Lawson-Wade
Bench (1.0)
1.0
Low (1.0)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Lawson-Wade made a brief appearance and was not part of Houston’s regular playoff rotation. Contemporary independent coverage of her postseason role was extremely limited.
