How do you say….? Adventures in creative WNBA player name pronunciations

Some fans get really annoyed when TV and radio announcers repeatedly mispronounce player names. A few of the most common names that are botched are Nicky Anosike, Matee Ajavon and Cappie Pondexter. Believe it or not, the league prints an official pronunciation guide for the media that looks like it is updated throughout the season. Pondexter is not on the list, but there is no ‘i’ in her last name. And I guess they will add Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota to the list soon.

So folks, practice saying these names out loud so you can scream at your television the next time you hear someone say “Cappie Poindexter.”

2009 WNBA PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
(Updated June 5, 2009)
ALPHABETICAL (by last name)
A
Matee Ajavon – mah-TEE AJZ-ah-von
Nicky Anosike – ANN-oh-SICK-ee
Seimone Augustus – SI-moan
B
Suzy Batkovic-Brown – SOO-zee bat-KO-vic
Alana Beard – Ah-lay-na Beerd
Tully Bevilaqua – bev-il-AH-qua
Chante Black – Shon-TAY
DeWanna Bonner – duh-WAH-nuh
Jenny Boucek – BOO-seck
C
Dominique Canty – CAN-tee
Tamika Catchings – tuh-MEE-kuh
Iziane Castro Marques – iz-ee-ANN CAS-tro MAR-kez
Shameka Christon – Sha-MEE-kuh Christian
Kristi Cirone – sir-OH-nee
Shanna Crossley – SHAWN-uh
D
Erika de Souza- de-SOO-za
Tamecka Dixon – tuh-MEE-kuh
E
Shyra Ely – SHY-rah EE-lie
F
Sylvia Fowles – FOULS
Megan Frazee – FRAY-zee
G
Kerri Gardin – Garden
Katie Gearlds – JARE-ulds
H
Kristin Haynie – HAY-nee
Roneeka Hodges – ron-EEK-uh
Chamique Holdsclaw – shuh-ME-kwah
Quanitra Hollingsworth – qua-NEE-truh
Charde Houston – shar-DAY
J
Temeka Johnson – tuh-MEE-kuh
Asjha Jones – Asia
Briann January – bree-ON
K
Cathrine Kraayeveld – Kray-veld
L
Erlana Larkins – er-LAY-nuh
Edwige Lawson-Wade – ed-WEE-jh
Shalee Lehning — SHAY-lee LEN-ing
Sancho Lyttle – SAHN-cho LITTLE
M
Hamchétou Maïga-Ba – HAUM-shay-two MY-ga BAH
Katie Mattera – muh-TAIR-uh
Kelly Mazzante – muh-ZAN-tee
Rashanda McCants – Ruh-SHON-da Muh-CANTS
Angel McCoughtry – Mc-CAUGHT-tree
Taj McWilliams – Tahj
DeLisha Milton-Jones – Dah-leesha
Leilani Mitchell – lay-LAHN-ee
Loree Moore – Laurie
N
Chen Nan – Chin NAHN
O
Nicole Ohlde – OLD-ie
Josephine Owino – oh-WEE-no
P
Jia Perkins – Gee-a
Ticha Penicheiro – TEE-sha Pen-a-CHAIR-o
Plenette Pierson – PLUH-net
Armintie Price- arr-MINN-tee
Erin Perperoglou – Pair-pair-oh-glue
Q
Noelle Quinn – NO-ell
R
Scholanda Robinson – Show-LAWN-da
S
Nakia Sanford – Nah-kee-ya
Olayinka Sanni – ola-YINK-uh saa-NEE
Tangela Smith – TAN-gel-uh
Ketia Swanier – KEE-shuh Swan-YAY
T
Diana Taurasi – tuh-RA-zee
Mike Thibault – TEE-Bo
W
DeMya Walker – de-MY-a
Khadijah Whittington – kuh-DEE-zhuh
Le’coe Willingham – luh-CO
Tanisha Wright – Ta-NEE-sha
Brooke Wyckoff –WHY-cough
Y
Tamera Young – TAM-er-uh
Z
Shavonte Zellous – Shah-VON-tay ZELL-us