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{{Short description|WNBA women's basketball team}}
{{Infobox basketball club
| name            =  Houston Comets
| color1          = white 
| color2          = #CE1141
| color3          = #092C57
| logo            =  HoustonComets.png 
| leagues         = [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]
| conference      = [[Western Conference (WNBA)|Western]] 
| founded         = 1997
| dissolved       = 2008
| history         = '''Houston Comets'''<br />1997–2008
| arena           = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] <br /> (1997–2003) <br /> [[Toyota Center]] <br /> (2004–2007) <br /> [[Reliant Arena]] <br /> (2008) 
| location        = [[Houston|Houston, Texas]] 
| colors          = Fireball red, stardust silver, white, galaxy blue <br /> {{Color box|#CD1041}} {{Color box|#C6CFD4}} {{Color box|white}} {{Color box|#00275D}} 
| sponsor         = 
| manager         =
| coach           =  
| assistants      =  
| gm              = 
| ownership       = 
| championships   = '''4''' (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) 
| conf_champs     = '''3''' (1998, 1999, 2000) 
}}

The '''Houston Comets''' were a [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA) team based in [[Houston]]. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. They are one of two teams in the WNBA that are undefeated in the [[WNBA Finals]]; the [[Seattle Storm]] are the other. The Comets were the first [[dynasty (sports)|dynasty]] of the WNBA and are tied with the [[Minnesota Lynx]] and [[Seattle Storm]] for the most championships of any WNBA franchise. Despite all of their success, the team was folded and disbanded by the league in 2008 during the height of the [[Great Recession]] because new ownership could not be found.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Holmes |first=Baxter |date=December 30, 2009 |title=This time around, sports aren't recession-proof |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-30-la-sp-economy30-2009dec30-story.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |date=2008-12-03 |title=W.N.B.A. Folds Its Houston Team Over Finances |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/sports/basketball/03wnba.html |access-date=2022-04-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard |last2=Belson |first2=Ken |date=2009-03-21 |title=In Economic Downturn, Corporate Ties Put Bind on Sports |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/sports/22economy.html |access-date=2022-04-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Riper |first=Tom Van |title=How The Economy Is Squeezing Sports |url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/12/18/sports-economy-recession-biz-sports_cx_tvr_1218sportsecon.html |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

The Comets were known for courting great women's basketball stars. The team had among its members [[Cynthia Cooper (basketball)|Cynthia Cooper]] (the WNBA's first [[WNBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]]); college and national team standout [[Sheryl Swoopes]]; [[Kim Perrot]], who succumbed to [[cancer]] in 1999; and college stars [[Michelle Snow]] and [[Tina Thompson]].

==History==

===Building the first dynasty of the WNBA (1997–2000)===
The Comets were one of the founding teams in the WNBA. Their first four seasons were marked by dominant success in the league, as they became the WNBA's first dynasty.<ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Rhiannon|url=https://andscape.com/features/houstons-comets-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-wnbas-first-dynasty/|title=Houston's Comets, the rise and fall of the WNBA's first dynasty|work=[[Andscape]]|date=October 18, 2016|accessdate=May 12, 2024}}</ref> They capped off the league's inaugural season in 1997 with a win over the [[New York Liberty]] in the WNBA championship game to win the WNBA's first championship.

When the league expanded the next season, the Comets were moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference. In 1998, they finished 27–3 – a .900 winning percentage, a WNBA record that still stands.  They went on to repeat as champions, defeating the [[Phoenix Mercury]] in the first-ever [[WNBA Finals]], which had become a three-game championship series.

In 1999, led by what was already known as the ''Big Three'', (Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson), the Comets survived a stunning last-second, half-court, buzzer beater by the Liberty's [[Teresa Weatherspoon]] in Game 2 -- as it appeared the Comets were set to win the title -- to beat the Liberty in three games and win their third straight title, this one after the death of teammate [[Kim Perrot]], who died of [[cancer]].

In 2000, behind league MVP Sheryl Swoopes and eventual WNBA Finals MVP Cynthia Cooper, the Comets beat the Liberty again, this time in two games, to win their fourth straight title cementing themselves as the greatest WNBA team ever assembled. This was the Comets' last championship and last [[WNBA Finals|Finals]] appearance in franchise history.

===The years of change and rebuilding (2001–2006)===
The Comets suffered two blows before the 2001 season--Cooper retired and Swoopes tore her ACL. Despite playing without the two biggest stars from their title runs, Houston made the playoffs with a 19–13 record before falling in the first round to the eventual champion [[Los Angeles Sparks]]. In 2002, Swoopes won her second MVP and the Comets finished 24–8, but lost to the [[Utah Starzz]] in 3 games. 

In 2003, they qualified to the playoffs for the 7th straight year, but they lost in the first round to the Sacramento Monarchs in 3 games. They missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a record of 13–21 in 2004, but returned in 2005 with a 19–15 record, finishing 3rd. In the first round, the Comets knocked out the 2004 defending champion [[Seattle Storm]] in 3 games, but lost in the conference finals to the [[Sacramento Monarchs]] in a sweep, which Sacramento later became WNBA Champions in 2005. Houston would return to the playoffs with an 18–16 record, but lost to the 2005 defending champion Sacramento Monarchs in another sweep. 2006 was the last playoff appearance for the Houston Comets. 

After the Comets' season ended in 2006, the team went through a major front-office changes during the off-season.  In October 2006, team owner Leslie Alexander – who also owned the [[Houston Rockets]] -- announced he was selling the Comets, and longtime head coach [[Van Chancellor]] resigned in January 2007.

===New ownership and a new home (2007)===
On January 31, 2007, the WNBA Board of Governors approved the sale of the team to [[Hilton Koch]], a Houston-based [[mattress]] and [[furniture]] businessman.  Two weeks later, Comets assistant coach Karleen Thompson was named to become the team's new head coach and general manager for the 2007 season.

For the 2007 season, they would miss the playoffs for the second time in franchise history after starting the season 0–10, resulting in a 13–21 record.

On December 12, 2007, team owner Hilton Koch announced that the Comets would be moving from the [[Toyota Center (Houston)|Toyota Center]] to [[Reliant Arena]] for the 2008 WNBA season.<ref name ="Comets changing homes next year">[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5374378.html Comets moving to Reliant] from ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''</ref> This resulted in a loss of fans. The Toyota Center drew 13,000 fans, but the Reliant Arena could only house 7,200. In 2008, the Comets' final year, they only drew an average 6,000 fans per game and sold out four games.<ref name="dial">Dial, Jenny. ''The Houston Chronicle''. "WNBA TO SHUT DOWN COMETS :DISPERSAL DRAFT PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK." ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' 2  Dec. 2008, E.2.</ref>

===End of the era (2008)===
In 2008, Koch put the team up for sale, with an asking price of $10 million, however no investors stepped up. The WNBA took over management of the Comets and disbanded the team in December 2008.<ref>Altavilla, John. "LEAGUE LOOKS AHEAD AFTER COMETS' DEMISE :WNBA." ''Hartford Courant'' [Hartford, Conn.] 5  Dec. 2008, B.3.</ref> They stated that they would only be suspending operations in 2009, which some people saw as a sign that the franchise could be revived if an investor came in. Comets players were sent off to other teams in a dispersal draft.<ref>Tim Lemke, THE WASHINGTON TIMES. "Comets just flamed out :Economic troubles cause WNBA team to close shop." ''Washington Times'' [Washington, D.C.] 3  Dec. 2008, C.2</ref>

League president Donna Orender said that the collapse of the Comets was not a sign that the WNBA was in trouble. Cynthia Cooper said that the loss of the Comets was "disturbing news" and that the Comets were integral to the WNBA.<ref name="dial" />

The Comets played their final home game on September 15, 2008 at the [[Strahan Coliseum]] on the campus of [[Texas State University-San Marcos|Texas State]] due to [[Hurricane Ike]].  They defeated the [[Sacramento Monarchs]] 90–81. They finished the season 17–17 and missed the playoffs for the third time in their history.<ref name="dial" />

==Potential revival==
In April 2024, the [[Houston Rockets]], now owned by [[Tilman Fertitta]], submitted to the WNBA to revive the Comets franchise and intends to retain the team's branding if successfully landing an expansion bid.<ref>{{cite web | last=Binkley | first=Lachard | title=Rockets Owner Reportedly in Talks To Bring WNBA Team Back to Houston | website=SI.com| date=2024-09-19 | url=https://www.si.com/nba/rockets/news/houston-rockets-owner-wnba-houston-comets-tilman-fertitta | access-date=2025-06-27}}</ref>

==Season-by-season records==
{|class="wikitable" style="font size:95%; text-align: center; margin:1em auto;"
|-
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee;"  |Season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee;"  |Team
!rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#eee;" |Conference
!colspan="3" style="background:#eee;" |Regular season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee;" |[[WNBA Playoffs|Playoff]] Results
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee;" |[[List of Women's National Basketball Association head coaches|Head coach]]
|-
!style="background:#eee;"|W
!style="background:#eee;"|L
!style="background:#eee;"|PCT
|-
|colspan="9" align=center bgcolor="#B22222 " | '''<span style="color:white;">Houston Comets</span>'''
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[1997 WNBA season|1997]]
| [[1997 Houston Comets season|1997]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Eastern Conference (WNBA)|East]]
| '''1st'''
| 18
| 10
| .643
| '''Won''' WNBA Semifinal ([[Charlotte Sting|Charlotte]], 70–54)<br /> '''Won''' WNBA Championship ([[New York Liberty|New York]], 65–51)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[1998 WNBA season|1998]]
| [[1998 Houston Comets season|1998]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| '''1st'''
| 27
| 3
| .900
| '''Won''' WNBA Semifinals ([[Charlotte Sting|Charlotte]], 2–0)<br /> '''Won''' WNBA Finals ([[Phoenix Mercury|Phoenix]], 2–1)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[1999 WNBA season|1999]]
| [[1999 Houston Comets season|1999]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| '''1st'''
| 26
| 6
| .813
| '''Won''' Conference Finals ([[Los Angeles Sparks|Los Angeles]], 2–1)<br /> '''Won''' WNBA Finals ([[New York Liberty|New York]], 2–1)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2000 WNBA season|2000]]
| [[2000 Houston Comets season|2000]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 2nd
| 27
| 5
| .844
| '''Won''' Conference Semifinals ([[Sacramento Monarchs|Sacramento]], 2–0)<br /> '''Won''' Conference Finals ([[Los Angeles Sparks|Los Angeles]], 2–0)<br /> '''Won''' WNBA Finals ([[New York Liberty|New York]], 2–0)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2001 WNBA season|2001]]
| [[2001 Houston Comets season|2001]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 4th
| 19
| 13
| .594
| '''Lost''' Conference Semifinals ([[Los Angeles Sparks|Los Angeles]], 0–2)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2002 WNBA season|2002]]
| [[2002 Houston Comets season|2002]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 2nd
| 24
| 8
| .750
| '''Lost''' Conference Semifinals ([[Utah Starzz|Utah]], 1–2)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2003 WNBA season|2003]]
| [[2003 Houston Comets season|2003]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 2nd
| 20
| 14
| .588
| '''Lost''' Conference Semifinals ([[Sacramento Monarchs|Sacramento]], 1–2)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2004 WNBA season|2004]]
| [[2004 Houston Comets season|2004]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 6th
| 13
| 21
| .382
|
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2005 WNBA season|2005]]
| [[2005 Houston Comets season|2005]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 3rd
| 19
| 15
| .559
| '''Won''' Conference Semifinals ([[Seattle Storm|Seattle]], 2–1)<br /> '''Lost''' Conference Finals ([[Sacramento Monarchs|Sacramento]], 0–2)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2006 WNBA season|2006]]
| [[2006 Houston Comets season|2006]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 3rd
| 18
| 16
| .529
| '''Lost''' Conference Semifinals ([[Sacramento Monarchs|Sacramento]], 0–2)
| [[Van Chancellor]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2007 WNBA season|2007]]
| [[2007 Houston Comets season|2007]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 5th
| 13
| 21
| .382
|
| [[Karleen Thompson]]
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| [[2008 WNBA season|2008]]
| [[2008 Houston Comets season|2008]]
| style="width: 10%"|[[Western Conference (WNBA)|West]]
| 5th
| 17
| 17
| .500
|
| [[Karleen Thompson]]
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Regular Season
|style="background:#eee;"| 241
|style="background:#eee;"| 149
|style="background:#eee;"| .618
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 4 Conference Championships
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Playoffs
|style="background:#eee;"| 20
|style="background:#eee;"| 14
|style="background:#eee;"| .588
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| '''4 WNBA Championships'''
|}

===Team owners===
*[[Leslie Alexander (businessman)|Leslie Alexander]] (1997–2006)
*[[Hilton Koch]] (2007–2008)
*[[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] (2008)

==Players of note==

===Final roster===
{{sports roster
| team=Houston Comets
| season = 2008
| style = WNBA
| players =
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 1 | first = Matee | last = Ajavon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 160 | college = Rutgers | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 00 | first = Latasha | last = Byears | pos = GF | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 206 | college = DePaul | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 20 | first = Tamecka | last = Dixon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 148 | college = Kansas | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 15 | first = Roneeka | last = Hodges | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 165 | college = Florida State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 17 | first = Sequoia | last = Holmes | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 155 | college = Las Vegas| nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 41 | first = Shannon | last = Johnson | link = Shannon Johnson (basketball)| pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 152| college = South Carolina | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 21 | first = Sancho | last = Lyttle | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 175 | college = Houston | nat = Spain}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 4 | first = Mwadi | last = Mabika |  pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 165 | | from = Democratic Republic of the Congo | nat = Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 99 | first= Hamchétou  | last = Maïga-Ba |  pos = F/G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 160 | college = Old Dominion | nat = Mali}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 2  | first= Michelle | last = Snow | pos= C | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 158 | college = Tennessee | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 7 | first= Tina | last= Thompson| pos = F | ft= 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 178 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first= Erica | last = White | link = Erica White (basketball)| pos= G | ft = 5 | in = 3 | lbs = 135 | college = Louisiana State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 8 | first= Mistie | last= Williams | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3| lbs = 184 | college = Duke | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach = 
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Karleen | last = Thompson | nolink = 1| college = USC}}
| asst_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Ryan | last = Weisenberg|college=California Poly.}}
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Laurie | last = Byrd | nolink = 1| college = Eastern Michigan}}
| str_cond =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Virgil | last = Campbell | nolink = 1|college=}}
| ath_train =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Courtney | last = Watson | nolink = 1|college=}}
| roster_url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081206161049/http://www.wnba.com/comets/roster/
| accessdate = 2008-09-22
}}

===Retired numbers===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
| colspan="4" style="{{NBA color cell|Houston Comets}}"|'''Houston Comets retired numbers'''
|-
! style="width:40px; {{NBA color cell2|Houston Comets}}"|No.
! style="width:150px; {{NBA color cell2|Houston Comets}}"|Player
! style="width:40px; {{NBA color cell2|Houston Comets}}"|Position
! style="width:120px; {{NBA color cell2|Houston Comets}}"|Tenure
|-
| 10 || [[Kim Perrot]] || [[Guard (basketball)|G]] || 1997–98
|-
| 14 || [[Cynthia Cooper (basketball)|Cynthia Cooper]] || [[Guard (basketball)|G]] || 1997–2000, 2003 
|}

===Former Comets===
*[[Tiffani Johnson]]
*[[Matee Ajavon]]
*[[Janeth Arcain]]
*[[Octavia Blue]]
*[[Latasha Byears]]
*[[Dominique Canty]]
*[[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]], now the head coach of the [[Texas Southern Lady Tigers basketball|Texas Southern Tigers Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Tamecka Dixon]]
*[[Ukari Figgs]]
*[[Nekeshia Henderson]]
*[[Sonja Henning]]
*[[Tammy Jackson]]
*[[Shannon Johnson (basketball)|Shannon Johnson]]
*[[Amanda Lassiter]]
*[[Edwige Lawson]]
*[[Tynesha Lewis]]
*[[Rebecca Lobo]]
*[[Sancho Lyttle]]
*[[Mwadi Mabika]]
*[[Hamchétou Maïga]]
*[[Kim Perrot]]
*[[Jennifer Rizzotti]], now the head coach of the [[George Washington Colonials women's basketball|George Washington Colonials Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Michelle Snow]]
*[[Dawn Staley]], now the head coach of the [[South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball|South Carolina Gamecocks Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Sheryl Swoopes]], now assistant coach of [[Texas Tech Lady Raiders basketball|Texas Tech Red Raiders Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Lindsay Taylor]]
*[[Tina Thompson]], formerly the head coach of [[Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball|Virginia Cavaliers Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Amaya Valdemoro]]
*[[Coquese Washington]], now assistant head coach of [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball|Notre Dame Fighting Irish  Women's Basketball Team]]
*[[Kara Wolters]]

===FIBA Hall of Fame===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NBA color cell|Houston Comets}}"| Houston Comets Hall of Famers
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NBA color cell2|Houston Comets}}"| Players
|-
! No.
! Player
! Position
! Tenure
! Inducted
|-
| 9 || [[Janeth Arcain]] || [[Guard (basketball)|G]] || 1997–2003, 2005 || 2019
|}

==Coaches and others==
'''Head coaches''':
* [[Van Chancellor]] (1997–2007) (served as the women's head basketball coach at [[Louisiana State University]] from 2007 to 2011)
* [[Karleen Thompson]]  (2007–2008)

'''General managers'''
* [[Carroll Dawson]] (1997–2007)
* [[Karleen Thompson]] (2007–08)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Texas|Sports}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Inaugural Champions}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA Champions]]
  | years  = [[1997 WNBA season|1997]] (First title)<br />[[1998 WNBA season|1998]] (Second title)<br />[[1999 WNBA season|1999]]  (Third title)<br />[[2000 WNBA season|2000]]  (Fourth title)}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Los Angeles Sparks]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Western Conference (WNBA)|WNBA Western Conference Champions]]
  | years  = [[1998 WNBA season|1998]] (First title)<br /><small>Co-Champions with [[Phoenix Mercury]]</small><br />[[1999 WNBA season|1999]] (Second title)<br />[[2000 WNBA season|2000]] (Third title)}}
{{s-bef|before=Inaugural Champions}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Eastern Conference (WNBA)|WNBA Eastern Conference Champions]]
  | years  = [[1997 WNBA season|1997]] (First title)<br /><small>Co-Champions with [[New York Liberty]]</small>}}
{{s-aft|after=No Championship Awarded}}
{{s-end}}

{{WNBA defunct teams}}
{{WNBA}}
{{Houston Comets}}
{{Houston Comets 1997}}
{{Houston Comets 1998}}
{{Houston Comets 1999 WNBA Champions}}
{{Houston Comets 2000 WNBA Champions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Houston Comets| ]]
[[Category:Basketball teams established in 1997]]
[[Category:Basketball teams disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:Defunct Women's National Basketball Association teams]]
[[Category:Basketball teams in Houston]]