SUDDEN IMPACT:
Seimone
Augustus, the first pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft, finished as the
league's 2nd-leading scorer this summer by averaging 21.9 ppg. She was
Minnesota's
top scorer in 27 of 34 games, and tallied 20+ points on 20
occasions. A comparison of this year's elite rookies:
Pick
#
|
Player,
Team
|
G
|
Min
|
FG%
|
FT%
|
Reb
|
Ast
|
Pts
|
1.
|
Seimone Augustus,
Lynx
|
34
|
33.1
|
.456
|
.897
|
3.8
|
1.5
|
21.9
|
2.
|
Cappie Pondexter,
Mercury
|
32
|
33.6
|
.442
|
.853
|
3.3
|
3.1
|
19.5
|
6.
|
Candice Dupree, Sky
|
34
|
30.4
|
.457
|
.779
|
5.5
|
1.8
|
13.7
|
4.
|
Sophia Young, Silver
Stars
|
34
|
31.3
|
.416
|
.730
|
7.6
|
1.5
|
12.0
|
3.
|
Monique Currie, Sting
|
34
|
25.0
|
.332
|
.810
|
3.9
|
2.6
|
10.0
|
VALUE ADDED: Augustus also compiled the best Net Plus/Minus
rating among the 2006 rookie class, being worth an additional 8.4
points to the Lynx for every 40 minutes on the court:
|
Minutes
|
Team
|
Opp
|
Minutes
|
Team
|
Opp
|
Net
|
Player,
Team
|
On
Floor
|
Pts/40
|
Pts/40
|
On
Bench
|
Pts/40
|
Pts/40
|
Plus/Minus
|
Seimone Augustus,
Lynx
|
1127.0
|
75.1
|
79.9
|
238.1
|
68.4
|
81.5
|
+8.4
|
| Sophia Young,
Silver Stars |
1057.1
|
74.4
|
76.6
|
303.0
|
73.4
|
76.3
|
+0.7
|
| Cappie Pondexter,
Mercury |
1067.5
|
87.8
|
85.3
|
312.5
|
79.1
|
77.1
|
+0.4
|
| Monique Currie, Sting
|
849.1
|
71.7
|
77.1
|
515.9
|
72.5
|
72.5
|
-5.4
|
| Candice Dupree, Sky |
1034.0
|
68.8
|
81.8
|
326.0
|
66.8
|
70.3
|
-9.4
|
CREAM OF THE CROP: A look at how Augustus stacks up with the
WNBA's previous Rookies of the Year:
Year
|
Player,
Team
|
G
|
Min
|
FG%
|
FT%
|
Reb
|
Ast
|
Pts
|
2006
|
Seimone Augustus,
Lynx
|
34
|
33.1
|
.456
|
.897
|
3.8
|
1.5
|
21.9
|
2005
|
Temeka Johnson,
Mystics
|
34
|
28.6
|
.458
|
.788
|
3.1
|
5.2
|
9.3
|
2004
|
Diana Taurasi, Mercury
|
34
|
33.2
|
.416
|
.760
|
4.4
|
3.9
|
17.0
|
2003
|
Cheryl Ford, Shock
|
32
|
29.9
|
.474
|
.682
|
10.4
|
0.8
|
10.8
|
2002
|
Tamika Catchings,
Fever
|
32
|
36.5
|
.419
|
.815
|
8.6
|
3.7
|
18.6
|
2001
|
Jackie Stiles, Fire
|
32
|
32.0
|
.405
|
.779
|
2.4
|
1.7
|
14.9
|
2000
|
Betty Lennox, Lynx
|
32
|
30.8
|
.427
|
.800
|
5.6
|
2.6
|
16.9
|
1999
|
Chamique Holdsclaw,
Mystics
|
31
|
34.2
|
.437
|
.773
|
7.9
|
2.4
|
16.9
|
1998
|
Tracy
Reid, Sting
|
30
|
32.2
|
.487
|
.613
|
5.2
|
1.5
|
13.8
|
CHASING HISTORY: Augustus' 21.9 ppg landed her
among the top six single-season averages in WNBA history. She also
put together six games with 30+ points, making her one of only three
players ever to accomplish that feat in a single year:
| Highest
Average, Points Per Game, Season |
Most
Games, 30 or More Points, Season
|
25.3 - Diana Taurasi, Mercury, 2006
|
8 - Cynthia Cooper, Comets, 1997
|
23.1
-
Katie Smith, Lynx, 2001
|
8
-
Diana Taurasi, Mercury,
2006
|
| 22.7
-
Cynthia Cooper,
Comets, 1998 |
6
-
Seimone Augustus, Lynx, 2006
|
| 22.2
- Cynthia Cooper,
Comets, 1997 |
5
-
Katie Smith,
Lynx, 2001
|
| 22.1
- Cynthia Cooper,
Comets, 1999 |
4 - Lisa Leslie, Sparks, 2006 |
| 21.9
- Seimone Augustus, Lynx, 2006 |
4 - Cynthia Cooper, Comets, 1998 |
21.2
-
Lauren Jackson, Storm, 2003
|
4 - Cynthia Cooper, Comets, 1999 |
NOTABLE:
Set a franchise
single-season scoring record with 744 points, the 2nd-highest total in
WNBA history
Ranked among top 10
in scoring (21.9), FT accuracy (89.7%), FT attempts (4.9) and minutes
(33.1)
Named
WNBA Player of
the Week (May 29-June 4), the second-fastest rookie to earn that
honor
Scored team-high 16
points (on 7-for-11 shooting) for the West in the 2006 WNBA All-Star
Game
Made 14 free throws
July 9 vs. San Antonio, a WNBA single-game high this season
Season-high eight
rebounds June 28 at Phoenix, season-high five assists June 11 vs.
Houston
Scored 17 points in
the 3rd quarter of the July 30 game at New York, setting a club record
Two separate strings
of five consecutive games with 20+ points (one short of franchise
record)
Set a club accuracy
record by going 13-for-13 from the free-throw line Aug. 10 at Sacramento
Named
to Team USA's roster for the 2006 FIBA World Championships this
September in Brazil
