While most first-year players saw their averages dip or even plummet during the past seven days, Detroit guard Shavonte Zellous was turning in her best audition yet to finally break into WNBA.com's Rookie Rankings.

Zellous has been on the rookie radar since the preseason, when she started all three of Detroit's warm-up contests. Even though Zellous was a first-round selection -- 11th overall -- in April's draft after starring collegiately Pittsburgh, it was unusual to see a rookie garner so many minutes on a team that had won the title a season prior. But Detroit had some injury concerns and veterans returning from playing overseas, thus there was an opportunity for Zellous to showcase her highly-touted scoring ability in the lead-up to the regular season. And she impressed, averaging 13.0 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting a respectable 41 percent from the floor.

As a result, Zellous earned the starting nod in the backcourt alongside Katie Smith for the season opener, although she struggled with her shot, hitting only 1-of-7 field goal attempts in a Detroit loss to LA. Through the team's first four games she continued to log heavy minutes and get her points, but her shooting percentage sunk to a putrid 24 percent from the floor as the team managed to post just one win. Head coach Rick Mahorn had no choice but to go in a different direction with the starting unit, and that has seemingly made all the difference for Zellous.

Since being relegated to the bench, Zellous has flourished as an offensive spark off the pine. Over the past three games Zellous has averaged 18.7 points, including pouring in a season-high 25 versus Atlanta on June 26, while shooting 46 percent from the floor. And she's also getting to the free throw line... a lot... like "19 times in the game versus Atlanta" a lot, which shows she's aggressive.

Ironically, losing her starting job is the thing that allowed Zellous to finally crack WNBA.com's Rookie Rankings.

For more on Zellous and her recent rise, be sure to check out Ryan Pretzer's feature over DetroitShock.com.

No. 1: DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury (5th pick) GP MPG PPG FG% 3PM-A RPG APG SPG BPG 11 20.8 11.0 .461 0-1 5.8 0.5 0.2 0.6 Skinny: Bonner is back in the top spot despite an inconsistent week. The Phoenix forward sandwiched an impressive game against Minnesota that saw her score 19 points and grab five rebounds with underwhelming efforts against Washington (6 points, 8 rebounds) and Seattle (6 points, 3 rebounds). Despite her rollercoaster season, Bonner's numbers across the board are better than anyone else's at this point. Previous ranking: 2

No. 2: Shavonte Zellous, Detroit Shock (11th pick) GP MPG PPG FG% 3PM-A RPG APG SPG BPG 7 25.4 12.3 .344 3-10 4.3 0.9 1.0 0.1 Skinny: It's tempting to shoot Zellous all the way to No. 1 this week until you consider two factors: 1.) Phoenix is 7-4 and 2.) Detroit is 2-5. You also have to take into account that Zellous is playing the most minutes of any rookie at 25.4 mpg (!) and hasn't been as efficient as Bonner. Still, Zellous is headed in the right direction, so if she and the Shock can keep it up a new No. 1 for the fourth time in four weeks isn't out of the question. Previous ranking: NR

No. 3: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (1st pick) GP MPG PPG FG% 3PM-A RPG APG SPG BPG 10 15.6 9.4 .413 2-13 2.3 1.8 1.1 0.3 Skinny: Can someone explain to me how someone plays just 11 minutes and takes just three shots the game after collecting 26 points and eight assists in 33 minutes? I'm sure Atlanta head coach Marynell Meadors has her reasons (the Dream did win the game -- a defeat of Detroit), but the sudden scaling back of McCoughtry's playing time has been odd to say the least. Well, odd until you realize she's playing behind Chamique Holdsclaw and Iziane Castro Marques. I guess. Previous ranking: 1

No. 4: Kristi Toliver, Chicago Sky (3rd pick) GP MPG PPG FG% 3PM-A RPG APG SPG BPG 8 11.9 6.4 .452 9-22 1.1 2.1 0.5 0.0 Skinny: Toliver played just one game this past week and it's probably one she'd like to forget. While the Sky did defeat the Mystics, Toliver failed to score or dish out an assist in 10 minutes of action. But since Toliver had only a one-game sample to evaluate, let's call it an aberration and keep her at No. 4 for at least another week. Besides, no one below her has done much to warrant surpassing her anyway. Previous ranking: 4

No. 5: Renee Montgomery, Minnesota Lynx (4th pick) GP MPG PPG FG% 3PM-A RPG APG SPG BPG 10 17.7 7.0 .444 11-28 0.8 1.5 0.5 0.1 Skinny: It came down to a pair of Minnesota Lynx teammates for the No. 5 spot in the rankings and in the end Montgomery got the nod over center Quanitra Hollingsworth. Why? Well, Montgomery has been a nice asset off the bench for a team that lost a lot of scoring when Seimone Augustus went down with a season-ending injury on June 17. Over the past three games Montgomery has averaged 10.3 points while shooting 55 percent from the floor, and all three contests have resulted in Minnesota victories. Previous ranking: NR

Honorable Mention: