Dallas' Cambage, Minnesota's Fowles and Chicago's Vandersloot Earn 2018 WNBA Peak Performer Awards
August 20, 2018 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release
NEW YORK - Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage, Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles and Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot have won the 2018 WNBA Peak Performer Awards in scoring, rebounding and assists, respectively, the WNBA announced today.
The WNBA presents the Peak Performer Awards annually to the players who lead the league in each of those categories during the regular season. Each winner will receive a trophy crafted by Tiffany & Co. in honor of her accomplishments.
Scoring Average: Liz Cambage
Cambage averaged 23.0 points in 32 games to earn her first scoring title. She surpassed her previous career high of 16.3 points set in 2013, when she last played in the WNBA before this season.
A two-time All-Star selection, Cambage recorded six games of at least 30 points this season. She scored a WNBA-record 53 points against the New York Liberty on July 17.
On Aug. 17, Cambage finished with a game-high 43 points (on 14-of-20 shooting from the field) as the Wings defeated the Las Vegas Aces to earn their second consecutive postseason berth. As the eighth seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs, the Wings will visit the Phoenix Mercury in a first-round, single-elimination game on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart ranked second in the WNBA in scoring with 21.8 points per game. She was followed by Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (20.67 ppg each) and Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne (20.66 ppg).
Rebounding Average: Sylvia Fowles
Fowles won her second rebounding title with a historic performance on the glass. In her 11th season, the 6-6 Fowles set WNBA single-season records for rebounding average (11.88 rpg) and total rebounds (404 in 34 games). Both marks were previously held by Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones, who averaged 11.85 rebounds and totaled 403 rebounds in 34 games in 2017.
A five-time All-Star selection, Fowles registered at least 17 rebounds in five games this season. On May 23, Fowles hauled in a season-high 20 rebounds against the Wings.
Behind Fowles, the defending champion Lynx earned the No. 7 seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs. Minnesota will visit the Los Angeles Sparks in a first-round, single-elimination game on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Cambage finished second in rebounding average with 9.7 per game. Stewart (8.4 rpg), Sparks forward Candace Parker (8.2 rpg) and Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (8.1 rpg) rounded out the top five.
Assists Average: Courtney Vandersloot
Like Fowles, Vandersloot earned her Peak Performer Award with a record-setting season. Vandersloot averaged a WNBA-record 8.6 assists per game, breaking her own record of 8.1 assists set last season. She also broke the WNBA record for total assists in a season with 258, surpassing Ticha Penicheiro's total of 236 assists from 2000.
This marks the third assists title in eight seasons for Vandersloot, who also led the league in 2015. Vandersloot recorded at least 10 assists 10 times this season, including two games with a career-high 15 assists.
WNBA all-time assists leader Sue Bird of Seattle ranked second in assists average with 7.1 per game. Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (6.2 apg), Taurasi (5.33 apg) and Liberty guard Brittany Boyd (5.30 apg) rounded out the top five.
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