3:09 PM ET
Mechelle VoepelESPN.com
” I was overwhelmed with emotion,” Wilson stated. I got an opportunity to develop in on little things to assist me be more constant all the time.
One of them is Dangerfield, by far the least expensive draft pick ever to win WNBA novice of the year. The previous lowest choice to get the honor was No. 7 Tracy Reid in 1998, the very first year the league provided the rookie award.
“What number you got prepared does not actually matter when you step on the flooring.
Las Vegas Aces forward Aja Wilson was revealed as the WNBAs MVP on Thursday, while the Minnesota Lynxs Crystal Dangerfield and Cheryl Reeve were named novice and coach of the year, respectively.
Wilson was picked first on 43 of 47 ballots of a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, who picked their leading five for the award. Wilson was second on the other four ballots.
The Seattle Storms Breanna Stewart got 3 first-place votes, and 34 for second location. The Chicago Skys Courtney Vandersloot got the other first-place vote.
2 RelatedWilson, who was the leagues top novice as the No. 1 choice in 2018 out of South Carolina, said understanding her name was now on the list with the WNBAs all-time biggest was “something that a kid imagine.”
Wilson was notified of the honor by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Thursday in the leagues bubble at IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
” I was overwhelmed with feeling,” Wilson stated. “I was most likely weeping before Cathy completed her speech. In the offseason, in quarantine, I truly concentrated on my video game without a great deal of interruptions because the world was stopped because of COVID. I got an opportunity to focus on little things to assist me be more constant all the time.
” I required my colleagues to know Im going to produce X amount of things every game, since thats how you win, when you can depend on individuals. Thats most likely the most significant thing for me being MVP.”
The 6-foot-4 Wilson balanced 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 helps and 2.0 obstructed shots in this, her third season in the WNBA. She led the Aces to the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs; Las Vegas got a double bye into the semifinals and will start postseason play Sunday.
Stewart, the 2018 MVP, led the Storm to the No. 2 seed after missing out on last season with a torn Achilles tendon. Both Las Vegas and Seattle ended up 18-4 but the Aces beat the Storm two times for the tiebreaker. In August, Wilson turned 24 and Stewart 26, and both are anticipated to be Olympic teammates for the United States in 2021.
” Theres likewise a great deal of good individuals up and coming,” Wilson said of the success of many young gamers in the WNBA. “I think the league is in great hands.”
One of them is Dangerfield, by far the most affordable draft pick ever to win WNBA novice of the year. She was taken in the 2nd round, at No. 16, out of UConn. The previous lowest pick to get the honor was No. 7 Tracy Reid in 1998, the very first year the league provided the rookie award.
Injuries to other rookies, consisting of No. 1 choice Sabrina Ionescu, who played just three games, helped open the door initially for Dangerfield to enter the rookie conversation. But she played so well for No. 4 seed Minnesota, leading the Lynx in scoring (16.2 PPG) and helps (3.6 APG), she earned the award regardless of who was out.
Dangerfield got 44 of 47 votes. Atlanta Dream guard Chennedy Carter, the No. 4 draft choice, was 2nd with two votes, and Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally, the No. 2 draft choice, was 3rd with one vote.
If she might be an inspiration to other players who werent prepared in the first round, Dangerfield said she was proud.
” Absolutely, because everyone still has to go out there and play basketball,” she said. “What number you got prepared does not actually matter when you step on the floor. I had a chance to do my job, whichs what I did.”
Dangerfield is the fifth Lynx gamer to win novice of the year, signing up with Betty Lennox (1999 ), Seimone Augustus (2006 ), Maya Moore (2011) and Napheesa Collier (2019 ). She is the 6th player from UConn to get the award, signing up with Diana Taurasi (2004 ), Tina Charles (2010 ), Moore (2011 ), Stewart (2016) and Collier (2019 ).
” They try to make us grow up pretty quick there,” Dangerfield said of UConns success in preparing gamers for the professional ranks. “So its a credit to them.”
However Reeve, who won coach of the year for the 3rd time, provides a lot of credit to Dangerfields capability to take in information quickly and make adjustments in games, regardless of not having much practice time in the bubble.
Dangerfield said that Reeve sat her down during the season and told her, ” Youre doing terrific, however if Im not difficult on you, well regret it since we didnt get the most out of you. She worked with me to get better, and I cant request for more from her.”
CloseMechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, ladiess college basketball, and other college sports for espnW. Voepel started covering womens basketball in 1984, and has actually been with ESPN given that 1996.
Reeve lost star center Sylvia Fowles (calf injury) for all however seven games of the routine season, and didnt have last years team leader in scoring and assists, Odyssey Sims, till the ninth game of this season as she came to the bubble late after bring to life her boy in April. Yet Reeve led the Lynx to a 14-8 record and their 10th consecutive playoff look. Minnesota deals with Phoenix in the second round Thursday (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET).
Las Vegas Bill Laimbeer was 2nd in ballot, and Los Angeles Derek Fisher and Washingtons Mike Thibault tied for 3rd. Reeve ended up being the third to win coach of the year 3 times, joining Van Chancellor and Thibault. She previously won in 2011 and 2016.
“This award is a reflection of our terrific personnel, and the significant work we jointly put in to place the Lynx for success,” Reeve said, matching her assistants Rebekkah Brunson, Plenette Pierson and Katie Smith, all of whom are previous WNBA players.
