NEW YORK,May 29, 2018 – Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun and Chelsea Gray of
the Los Angeles Sparks today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western
Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played May 18-27.
Thomas, a 2017 All-Star and WNBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, was named
Player of the Week for the third time in her career. Behind the 6-2 forward, the
Sun went 3-0 during the opening week to equal its best start since 2012. Thomas
led East players in rebounding (10.0 rpg) and minutes (31.9 mpg), ranked third
in field goal percentage (62.5, 20-of-32) and was sixth in scoring (16.3 ppg)
and assists (4.3 apg).
In Connecticut’s season-opening 101-65 win over the Las Vegas Aces on May 20,
Thomas set a career high with 17 rebounds while contributing 13 points and six
assists. Thomas followed that performance with 15 points, nine rebounds and five
assists in a 102-94 victory over the Sparks on May 24. In the fourth quarter,
Thomas tallied nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and grabbed five
rebounds as the Sun rallied from a nine-point deficit. The fifth-year pro closed
her week with a game-high 21 points as Connecticut defeated the Indiana Fever
86-77 on May 26.
Gray was named Player of the Week for the first time in her career. The 5-11
guard and 2017 All-WNBA Second Team selection led West players in assists (7.3
apg) and steals (2.0 spg) and ranked seventh in scoring (18.5 ppg).
Gray opened the season on May 20 with 18 points, eight assists and a career-high
six steals at Minnesota, where her driving basket at the buzzer gave Los Angeles
a 77-76 win over the defending champion Lynx. The play evoked memories of her
game-winning, buzzer-beating jumper for the Sparks in Game 1 of the 2017 WNBA
Finals against Minnesota.
On May 22, Gray’s all-around effort in an 87-70 win at Indiana included 12
points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Two days later, she scored 21 points
in a 102-94 loss to the Sun. The four-year veteran capped her week with game
highs of 23 points and eight assists as Los Angeles beat the visiting Phoenix
Mercury 80-72 on May 27.
Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were
the Atlanta Dream’s Tiffany Hayes, the Chicago Sky’s Allie Quigley, the Dallas
Wings’ Liz Cambage, Las Vegas’ A’Ja Wilson, Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike,
Minnesota’s Sylvia Fowles, the New York Liberty’s Tina Charles, Seattle’s Jewell
Loyd and Breanna Stewart, and the Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne.
For more information on the WNBA Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.
The 2018 WNBA regular season extends through Aug. 19 and the playoffs begin on
Aug. 21. For more information on the WNBA and game tickets, fans may visit
www.wnba.com.
2018 WNBA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week Ending East Player Team West Player Team
5/27/18 Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Chelsea Gray Los Angeles
