Aces’ A’ja Wilson, Lynx’s Napheesa Collier lead All-WNBA teams
The WNBA MVP was by joined by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier as unanimous first-team picks. The pair were joined on the team by Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell.
Wilson and Collier, the runner-up for the WNBA MVP, were named to the All-WNBA first-team on all 72 ballots in voting by a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. It’s Wilson fourth straight season on the first team and fifth overall. Collier, a four-time All-WNBA Team selection, was voted to the first team for the third straight season.
Thomas makes her third consecutive appearance on the first team and fourth overall. Gray and Mitchell are All-WNBA firs-team selections for the first time.
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, Aces guard Jackie Young, Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, Fever center Aliyah Boston and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers were named to the second team.
Ogwumike is an All-WNBA pick for the eighth time, Ionescu the fourth time and Young the second time. Boston and Bueckers, a rookie, make their respective debuts on the list.
Each member of the All-WNBA first-team is awarded $10,300 and the second-team $5,150.
First team
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson became the first player to win WNBA MVP four times and was a co-winner of the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocked shots and 1.6 steals this season. She led the league in points and blocks per game and scored the most points (937) in the WNBA.
Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Collier was also selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the fourth time. She was second in the league in scoring with a career-best 22.9 points per game. In addition, The Lynx finished the regular season at 34-10, the league’s best record.
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
Thomas was third in MVP race after setting a WNBA regular-season record with eight triple-doubles, adding to her WNBA career record of 19. She also had a league record for total assists (357) and was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the seventh time.
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Gray finished fourth in voting for MVP ranking seventh in the league in scoring with a career-best 18.4 points per game. She also set career highs in rebounds (5.3) and assists per game (3.5) .
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Mitchell, who finished fifth in the MVP voting, scored a career-best 20.2 points per game and made a league-leading 111 3-pointer.
Second team
Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
Ogwumike earned her 10th All-Star selection and became the sixth player in league history to reach 7,000 career points and only one to do it while shooting at least 50% from the field.
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Young averaged 16.5 points 5.1 assists per game, each were the second best of her career.
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Ionescu led the league in free throw percentage (93.3) and averaged 18.2 points and 5.7 assists per game.
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
Boston averaged career bests in points (15) and assists (3.7). She added 8.2 rebounds per game.
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Bueckers was named Rookie of the Year and averaged 19.2 and 5.4 assists per game. She set the WNBA single-game rookie scoring record with 44 points against Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 20.
