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Women's National Basketball Association

Sun's Center/Forward Kelsey Bone Named 2015 WNBA Most Improved Player

October 1, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2015 - Connecticut Sun center/forward Kelsey Bone is the winner of the 2015 WNBA Most Improved Player presented by Samsung, the WNBA announced today. Bone received 14 of 39 votes from a panel of national and local sportswriters and broadcasters.

Indiana Fever guard Shenise Johnson finished second with nine votes. Los Angeles Sparks center Jantel Lavender and Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot tied for third with five votes apiece. Washington Mystics center Stefanie Dolson received three votes, followed by fellow teammate and center Emma Meesseman with two votes. Tulsa Shock guard Riquna Williams received one vote.

Bone raised her scoring average from 9.3 points in 2014 to 15.4 in 2015. She showed improvement as a rebounder, averaging 6.3 rebounds in 2015 as compared to 5.3 in 2014. Bone also averaged 2.0 assists, up from 1.4 a season ago. Bone lifted her field goal percentage from 45.1 last season to 50.8, and her defensive rebound average went from 3.6 to 4.8.

Bone, the No. 5 overall draft pick in 2013, started every game she appeared in for the Sun (33-of-33) and led Connecticut in scoring and rebounding. Among all WNBA players, Bone placed seventh in scoring and fifth in field goals made (6.8 per game).

This year marks the second season that Samsung, an official WNBA marketing partner, is serving as the presenting partner of the WNBA's highest individual honors. The WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung program includes the WNBA Most Valuable Player, WNBA Most Improved Player, WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA Rookie of the Year, and the WNBA Players of the Month and Rookie of the Month awards.

In honor of being named the WNBA Most Improved Player presented by Samsung, Bone will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy.

Below are the voting results of the 2015 WNBA Most Improved Player presented by Samsung, and a list of past recipients:

2015 WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER PRESENTED BY SAMSUNG VOTING RESULTS

Points Player Team

14 Kelsey Bone Connecticut Sun

9 Shenise Johnson Indiana Fever

5 Jantel Lavender Los Angeles Sparks

5 Courtney Vandersloot Chicago Sky

3 Stefanie Dolson Washington Mystics

2 Emma Meesseman Washington Mystics

1 Riquna Williams Tulsa Shock

ALL-TIME WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER PRESENTED BY SAMSUNG WINNERS

Points Player Team

2015 Kelsey Bone Connecticut Sun

2014 Skylar Diggins Tulsa Shock

2013 Shavonte Zellous Indiana Fever

2012 Kristi Toliver Los Angeles Sparks

2011 Kia Vaughn New York Liberty

2010 Leilani Mitchell New York Liberty

2009 Crystal Langhorne Washington Mystics

2008 Ebony Hoffman Indiana Fever

2007 Janel McCarville New York Liberty

2006 Erin Buescher Sacramento Monarchs

2005 Nicole Powell Sacramento Monarchs

2004 Wendy Palmer/Kelly Miller Connecticut Sun/Indiana Fever

2003 Michelle Snow Houston Comets

2002 Coco Miller Washington Mystics

2001 Janeth Arcain Houston Comets

2000 Tari Phillips New York Liberty

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