By Field Level Media
Sep 27 (Field Level Media) – Las Vegas Aces superstar center A’ja Wilson won The Associated Press’ WNBA Player of the Year award for an unprecedented third consecutive season.
Wilson, 30, received 15 of the 17 first-place votes from a national media panel Sunday. She topped Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles as well as guards Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever.
It marked the fourth time that Wilson has won the award, snapping a tie with New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart for the most in WNBA history since it was distributed starting in 2016.
Wilson is bidding to be named WNBA MVP for the third straight season and fifth time overall. She recorded a league-best 26.2 points per game to go with 9.4 rebounds and a career-best 3.2 assists per game.
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese, however, prevented Wilson from repeating as AP’s Defensive Player of the Year. Reese contributed 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game this season.
Miles was a unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. The second overall pick in this year’s draft averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 per game at Minnesota finished with the league’s best record. She broke Clark’s rookie scoring record in the final week of the regular season.
Clark was named the AP’s Comeback Player of the Year. She averaged 22.3 points and 8.3 assists per contest this season.
Other winners included Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve (Coach of the Year), Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard (Most Improved Player) and Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun (Sixth Woman of the Year).
(–Field Level Media)
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