NEW YORK, June 19, 2017– Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun and Candace Parker
of the Los Angeles Sparks today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western
Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played June 12-18.
Jones earned Player of the Week honors for the first time in her two WNBA
seasons. In leading the Sun to a 2-0 week, Jones paced the Eastern Conference in
rebounding (10.0 rpg) and blocks (2.5 bpg) and shared the lead in steals (2.0
spg). She also ranked sixth in scoring (17.5 ppg) and third in field goal
percentage (.737, 14-of-19).
The 6-6 forward/center opened her week with 19 points, a game-high 12 rebounds
and three assists in a 96-76 home win over the New York Liberty on June 14.
Three days later, the former George Washington University star helped
Connecticut hand the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx its first loss of the season.
In the Sun’s 98-93 road victory, Jones finished with 16 points, eight rebounds,
four blocks and four steals as Connecticut improved to 5-5 for the season with
its fifth win in six games.
Parker earned Player of the Week honors for the 19th time in her 10-year career.
Behind the 6-4 forward/center, the Sparks went 3-0 for the week and improved to
8-3 overall, the second-best record in the WNBA. Among West players, the
two-time WNBA MVP was seventh in scoring (18.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg).
She also tied for second in blocks (2.0 bpg) and for third in assists (5.0 apg).
Parker was eighth in three-point shooting (.417, 5-of-12) and made 13 of her 14
attempts from the free throw line (.929).
On June 13, the former University of Tennessee standout tallied 17 points, seven
rebounds and five assists as the Sparks defeated the Dallas Wings 97-87 in Los
Angeles. Two days later, Parker contributed 20 points, four rebounds, four
assists and two blocks to help guide the host Sparks past the San Antonio Stars
80-75. Parker closed the week with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and
three blocks as Los Angeles beat the Phoenix Mercury 90-59 on June 18 in a game
that also saw Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi become the WNBA’s career scoring
leader.
Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were
Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas, Dallas’ Skylar Diggins-Smith, the Indiana Fever’s
Tiffany Mitchell, Los Angeles’ Chelsea Gray and Nneka Ogwumike, New York’s Tina
Charles and Shavonte Zellous, and the Washington Mystics’ Tayler Hill.
For more information on the WNBA Players of the Week, visit
www.wnba.com/awards.For more information on the Players of the Week, visit
www.wnba.com/awards.
