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Breanna Stewart named All-WNBA first team; two Connecticut Sun players named second team

Staff, Hartford Courant
·4 min read

Former UConn women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart was unanimously selected first team All-WNBA, the league announced Thursday night.

Stewart and Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, who was also named the league’s MVP, both earned unanimous selections.

Connecticut Sun forwards Alyssa Thomas and Jonquel Jones were named to the second team. It was Thomas’ first career selection to an all-WNBA team, while Jones made one for the fourth time.

2022 All-WNBA First Team

A’ja Wilson, Aces: The 6-4 Wilson became the seventh player to win the Kia WNBA MVP Award multiple times (also in 2020). She also was named the 2022 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson is the fifth player to win the Kia WNBA MVP and Kia Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season and the first to do so since Lauren Jackson in 2007. In her fifth WNBA season, Wilson ranked fifth in the league in scoring (19.5 ppg), second in rebounding (9.4 rpg) and first in blocks (1.94 bpg) and double-doubles (17).

Breanna Stewart, Storm: The 2018 Kia WNBA MVP finished in second place in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award behind Wilson. In her sixth WNBA season, the 6-4 Stewart led the league in scoring (21.8 ppg) and ranked seventh in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and tied for fifth in steals (1.59 spg). Her 11 games of at least 25 points paced all WNBA players and her four games of at least 30 points were second to Ionescu.

Kelsey Plum, Aces: The 5-8 Plum finished in third place in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award after averaging career highs of 20.2 points (second in the WNBA) and 5.1 assists (ninth). A first-time WNBA All-Star selection, Plum led the league in three-pointers made (113) and was fourth in three-point field goal percentage (42.0).

Skylar Diggins-Smith, Mercury: In her ninth WNBA season, the 5-9 Diggins-Smith averaged 19.7 points (third in the WNBA), the second-highest output of her career and the highest since 2014 (20.1 ppg). She also averaged 5.5 assists (seventh in the WNBA) and 1.53 steals (eighth) while playing a league-high 34.0 minutes per game. Her 10 games with at least 25 points ranked second in the league behind Stewart.

Candace Parker, Sky: The two-time Kia WNBA MVP (2008, 2013) averaged 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds (third in the WNBA) and 4.5 assists (11th). Parker recorded two triple-doubles this season, bringing her career total to three, which is tied with Ionescu for the most in league history. On May 22 against the Washington Mystics, the 36-year-old Parker became the oldest WNBA player to have a triple-double.

2022 All-WNBA Second Team

Alyssa Thomas, Sun: Thomas averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds (fifth in WNBA), a career-high 6.1 assists (fifth) and 1.72 steals (second). The 6-2 forward was named a WNBA All-Star for the third time and a WNBA All-Defensive Team selection for the fourth time.

Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty: A first-time WNBA All-Star, Ionescu became the first player in league history to record at least 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a season. The 5-11 guard ranked eighth in the WNBA in scoring (17.4 ppg), 12th in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and third in assists (6.3 apg). Ionescu, 24, became the youngest player to ever have a triple-double (June 12 against Chicago) and the first player to post a triple-double with at least 30 points (July 6 against Las Vegas).

Nneka Ogwumike, Sparks: In her 11th WNBA season, Ogwumike averaged 18.1 points (seventh in the WNBA), 6.6 rebounds (15th) and 1.68 steals (third). The 2016 Kia WNBA MVP also finished seventh in the league in field goal percentage (54.4).

Jonquel Jones, Sun: The 2021 Kia WNBA MVP led the Sun in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots with averages of 14.6 points (17th in WNBA), 8.6 rebounds (fourth) and 1.15 blocks (seventh). The 6-6 Jones was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the third time.

Sylvia Fowles, Lynx: In her 15th and final WNBA season, Fowles averaged 14.4 points, a WNBA-high 9.8 rebounds and 1.20 blocks (sixth in WNBA). The 2017 Kia WNBA MVP earned All-Defensive Team honors for the 11th time, the second most in league history behind Tamika Catchings’ 12. Fowles also won the 2022 WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.