Stay Connected with the Seattle Storm Facebook Twitter StormWatch RSS
  • Print

The Case For Janell Burse

After being plagued by injury in her first season in Seattle and playing inconsistently off the bench, Janell Burse has stepped up big as a starter this season for the Storm, averaging career highs in virtually every major category. Check out the rest of this page for more on why Burse deserves to be the WNBA's Most Improved Player for the 2005 season.

Check out the Janell Burse for Most Improved Video!

2004-05 Stats Comparison (through Aug. 22):

YEAR  G  MPG   FG%   FT% OFF  RPG APG SPG BPG   TO  PPG 
-------------------------------------------------------
2004 29 17.7  .429  .582 1.8  3.3 0.7 0.8 1.2  1.4  4.9 
2005 31 25.0  .518  .717 2.5  6.0 0.7 0.5 1.2  2.4 10.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Diff    +7.3 +.089 +.135 +.7 +2.7 +.0 -.3 +.0 +1.0 +5.2


Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty
2005 WNBA Season Highlights
  • Averaging career highs in points (10.1), rebounds (6.0) and field-goal percentage (.518). In 2004, Burse averaged 4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg and shot 42.9% from the field.
  • Named WNBA Player of the Week on Aug. 1.
  • Scored a then-career-high-tying 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting in a win at Phoenix on June 2.
  • Sank the game-winning basket at the buzzer to give the Storm a 62-60 win in Charlotte on June 12.
  • Shattered her previous career high with 27 points on 11-for-13 shooting in a win over Charlotte on July 29.
  • Tied a franchise record with eight offensive rebounds in a win over New York on July 19.
  • Has recorded three double-doubles in 2005, having done so just once in her four previous seasons in the league.
  • Led her team in scoring three times, after doing so just twice in the previous four seasons.
  • Has grabbed 10-plus rebounds five times.
  • Ranks fifth in the WNBA in field-goal percentage, ninth in blocks and 13th in rebounds.
  • Ranks 19th in the league in efficiency ranking per 40 minutes (18.6).
  • Has started all 31 games for the Storm in 2005 after starting just 16 times in her previous four seasons.

    The buzz on Burse:
    “Janell Burse was the X-factor. What we wanted to do with her defensively, we just flat out didn’t get it done. When she gets on a roll, it’s tough to stop her.” – Former Sting Coach Trudi Lacey after Burse’s career-high 27-point game

    “She’s playing so much stronger and finishing so much stronger than she did last year. It’s so nice to see a player that really goes unnoticed for the most part be recognized at that level—and so much deserved.” - Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan following Burse winning the Player of the Week Award

    Articles:
    storm.wnba.com: Burse Named Player of the Week
    storm.wnba.com: Burse's Strong Play Earning Accolades
    Seattle P-I: Burse showing strength
    Seattle P-I: WNBA salutes Janell Burse
    Seattle P-I: Bruising Burse leads Storm
    Seattle Times: Burse lifts Storm to last-second win
    Seattle Times: Lennox and Burse partners on and off the court
    The News Tribune: Blossoming Burse sparks Storm's six-game streak

    		•
    Copyright 2012 WNBA Enterprises, LLC. | Turner Sports Interactive, All rights reserved. No portion of WNBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. By accessing any information beyond this page, you agree to abide by the WNBA.com Privacy Policy / Your California Privacy Rights and Terms of Use.
    WNBA.com is part of Turner - SI Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network.
    Advertise on NBA.com | Career Opportunities | Help