NEW YORK, June 26, 2017– Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun and Skylar
Diggins-Smith of the Dallas Wings today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and
Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played June
19-25.
Thomas earned Player of the Week honors for the first time in her four WNBA
seasons. In leading the Sun to a 1-1 week, Thomas paced Eastern Conference
players in assists (6.5 apg), ranked fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and tied for
eighth in scoring (15.5 ppg).
The 6-2 forward opened her week with 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists
as Connecticut extended its winning streak to five games with a 94-89 road
victory over the New York Liberty on June 23. The former University of Maryland
standout then finished with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and two
steals in a 96-82 loss at Dallas on June 25. Connecticut finished the week at
6-6 overall after beginning the season with four consecutive losses.
Diggins-Smith earned Player of the Week honors for the third time in her
five-year career. Behind the 5-9 guard, the Wings went 3-0 for the week and
improved to 8-8 overall. Among West players, the two-time All-Star selection was
third in assists (6.7 apg), seventh in scoring (20.3 ppg) and 10th in field goal
percentage (.541, on 20-of-37) last week.
The former Notre Dame star opened her week with a 16-point, six-assist effort in
Dallas’ 81-78 victory over the visiting San Antonio Stars on June 21. Two days
later, in a rematch at San Antonio, Diggins-Smith scored a game-high 30 points
and added five assists and three rebounds in the Wings’ 81-69 win. The 30-point
effort, which included three made three-point shots in the fourth quarter, was
the first for Diggins-Smith since she tallied 31 points in the 2015
regular-season finale. She closed her week with 15 points, nine assists and
three rebounds as Dallas defeated the Sun 96-82 to snap Connecticut’s five-game
winning streak.
Other candidates for the WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week
were the Chicago Sky’s Allie Quigley, Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones, the Los
Angeles Sparks’ Alana Beard, Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker, the Minnesota
Lynx’s Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore, New York’s Tina Charles and the Washington
Mystics’ Tayler Hill and Kristi Toliver.
For more information on the WNBA Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.
