The Final Survivor

Tamecka Dixon announces her retirement from the WNBA.

"I always wanted to go out on my own terms," said Dixon. "After the Houston franchise disbanded (in 2008), I was at a crossroads because I thought I would finish my career there. I was contemplating retirement then, but I still felt I had a little left to give the game and wanted to go out on my own terms. I had a very short list of teams that I considered playing for last year and Indiana was my first option. I always thought it was a class organization and a place where I would love to finish my career."

Vickie Johnson and Lisa Leslie have retired. There's an outside chance that Swoopes, or Byears or Mabika could come back, but I don't think it's going to happen.

This leaves Tina Thompson as the final member of the inaugural 1997 WNBA season who is still playing in the W. The only members of the 1996-97 inaugural ABL season still in the game are Katie Smith and Taj McWilliams.

If no one else from the 1997 season comes back, then when Thompson retires the WNBA should award her a fine bottle of wine, 1997 vintage, as the final survivor of that 1997 WNBA tontine.