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Kara Lawson Receives 2009 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award

September 22, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2009 - Sacramento Monarchs guard Kara Lawson was named the recipient of the 2009 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, the WNBA announced today. Lawson wins her first Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award after collecting eight votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Lawson edged out the Detroit Shock's Taj McWilliams and the Minnesota Lynx's Candice Wiggins, who each received seven votes.

Designed to honor a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court -- ethical behavior, fair play and integrity -- the award is named for the late Kim Perrot, who helped guide the Houston Comets to their first two WNBA championships before passing away in August, 1999, after a seven-month battle with cancer.

"Kara has the heart of a champion and is a true leader on and off the court," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "Kara's dedication to and passion for the game have shone through since she joined the league and she continues to give everything she has each time she steps on the floor. When you think about Kara, she exemplifies how professional athletes should carry themselves and embodies the ideals of true sportsmanship."

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft, Lawson receives the honor in her seventh WNBA season. She played in 25 games in 2009 before being sidelined with right quadriceps tendinitis, averaging 8.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds. Lawson recorded her 2,000th career point on Aug. 14 vs. the Los Angeles Sparks.

For her career, Lawson has appeared in 217 games and averaged 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She was named an All-Star in 2007 and helped the Monarchs to the WNBA Championship in 2005. In addition, Lawson was a member of the 2008 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team where she helped the team to an unbeaten 8-0 record and the gold medal.

Additionally, Lawson is very active in the community and has received numerous awards for her efforts with Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the American Cancer Society. Since 2004, she has worked with ESPN as a color analyst during the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Lawson has also worked NBA games, as both a sideline reporter for ESPN and a member of the Sacramento Kings broadcast team during pre-game, halftime and post-game shows.

"I am beyond grateful and humbled to receive the 2009 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award," said Lawson. "My parents taught me at an early age that the way you treat the game and your competitors was of the utmost importance. I remember watching Kim play and was struck by not only her passion for the game, but her compassion for those who played with her. I look up and down the list of past winners and see players like Teresa Edwards and Dawn Staley, two players who I've looked up to my whole career, and am honored to be added to that list of true professionals."

In honor of being named the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award winner, Lawson will receive $5,000 and a specially-designed trophy from Tiffany & Co. An additional $5,000 will be designated to the charity of her choice.

Below are the results of the 2009 WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award voting.

2009 KIM PERROT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD RESULTS

8 Kara Lawson Sacramento Monarchs

7 Taj McWilliams Detroit Shock

7 Candice Wiggins Minnesota Lynx

4 Tamecka Dixon Indiana Fever

4 Brooke Wyckoff Chicago Sky

3 Erin Perperoglou San Antonio Silver Stars

2 Temeka Johnson Phoenix Mercury

2 Asjha Jones Connecticut Sun

1 Noelle Quinn Los Angeles Sparks

ALL-TIME KIM PERROT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS

2009 Kara Lawson Sacramento Monarchs

2008 Vickie Johnson San Antonio Silver Stars

2007 Tully Bevilaqua Indiana Fever

2006 Dawn Staley Houston Comets

2005 Taj McWilliams-Franklin Connecticut Sun

2004 Teresa Edwards Minnesota Lynx

2003 Edna Campbell Sacramento Monarchs

2002 Jennifer Gillom Phoenix Mercury

2001 Sue Wicks New York Liberty

2000 Suzie McConnell Serio Cleveland Rockers

1999 Dawn Staley Charlotte Sting

1998 Suzie McConnell Serio Cleveland Rockers

1997 Haixia Zheng Los Angeles Sparks

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