NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2017 – Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky and Glory
Johnson of the Dallas Wings today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western
Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played July 31-Aug. 6.
Vandersloot was selected Player of the Week for the first time this season and
second time during her seven-year career.
The 2015 WNBA assists leader helped Chicago go 2-0 last week, as the Sky
improved its record to 10-16 for the season. Vandersloot paced East players in
assists (10.0 apg) and three-point field goal percentage (.833, 5-of-6), and
ranked second in scoring (22.2 ppg) and overall shooting percentage (.727,
16-of-22). She also ranked fourth in minutes (34.7 mpg) and averaged 5.5
rebounds.
Vandersloot opened her week with team highs of 18 points and 10 assists in an
81-70 road win over the Indiana Fever on Friday. The former Gonzaga standout
keyed Chicago’s 14-0 run for a 70-58 lead midway through the fourth quarter with
big plays on three straight possessions – she banked in a three-pointer, made a
no-look pass to Bashaara Graves for a layup and hit a pull-up jumper in
transition.
The 5-8 guard also logged her fourth straight points-assists double-double in a
91-86 win over the visiting Atlanta Dream on Saturday, tying her career high of
26 points while also contributing 10 assists and seven rebounds.
For Johnson, the Player of the Week honor is the second in her five WNBA
seasons. The two-time WNBA All-Star led Dallas to a 2-0 mark as the Wings
improved to 13-14.
Johnson paced West players in rebounds (14.5 rpg) and tied for ninth in scoring
(17.0 ppg). She also tied for second in three-point field goal percentage (.600,
3-of-5) and finished sixth in overall shooting percentage (.520, 13-of-25).
The former University of Tennessee standout opened her week with a season high
of 16 rebounds in the Wings’ 93-80 victory over the visiting Seattle Storm on
Friday. She also contributed 11 points, two assists, a steal and a block in the
win.
The 6-3 forward then posted her 10th double-double of the season with 23 points
and 13 boards as Dallas topped the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, 85-79, on
Sunday.
Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were
the Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas, Dallas’ Skylar
Diggins-Smith, Indiana’s Candice Dupree, Los Angeles’ Candace Parker, the
Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore, the San Antonio Stars’ Kelsey Plum, Seattle’s
Breanna Stewart and the Washington Mystics’ Kristi Toliver.
For more information on the WNBA Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.
The 2017 WNBA regular season runs through Sept. 3. For more information on the
WNBA and game tickets, fans may visit www.wnba.com.
