Katie Smith and Becky Hammon Named Eastern
and Western Conference Players of the Week

NEW YORK, June 25, 2007 � Katie Smith of the Detroit Shock and Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Silver Stars were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, June 18 through Sunday, June 24.

Smith averaged 18.5 points, 4.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and shot 41 percent from the field (23-for-56) and 83 percent from the free-throw line (19-for-23) as the Shock posted a 3-1 record in four road games on the week. The team maintains the league�s best overall record (10-2), the best mark through 12 games in franchise history and the second best start in the history of the league.

On June 18, Smith scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished 9 assists, shot 6-of-13 from the field, 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 3-of-6 from the free throw line, in a 79-73 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. Two days later on June 20, Smith tallied a game-high 23 points and added four assists, four rebounds and converted 9-of-14 field goals and 3-of-6 three pointers to lead the Shock to an 87-71 win over the Seattle Storm.

Smith currently ranks 17th in the league in scoring (13.8 per game), fifth in assists per game (4.4), 15th in free throw percentage (85 percent) and sixth in three-pointers made (23).

Hammon receives the weekly honor for the second time this season after averaging 19 points and five assists per game as she guided San Antonio to a 3-0 mark on the week, moving the Silver Stars a half game out of first place in the Western Conference.

Hammon, now in her first campaign with San Antonio after eight seasons with New York, made a triumphant return to Madison Square Garden on June 22, leading her squad to its first come-from-behind victory of the season and hitting 6-of-6 free throws down the stretch to help defeat the Liberty, 70-63. Her 19 points marked a game high as she also added six rebounds, four assists, a steal and made 6-of-16 field goals and 2-of-9 three pointers. The next day, on June 23, she had another game high with 20 points, along with five assists, three rebounds, a block and made 8-of-13 field goal attempts, as the Silver Stars defeated the Connecticut Sun, 71-58.

Hammon ranks fifth among league leaders in scoring (18.7 per game), first in assists per game (5.4) and second in free-throw percentage (91.5 percent).

Other candidates for WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Indiana�s Tamika Catchings, New York�s Shameka Christon, Sacramento�s Kara Lawson and Washington�s Alana Beard.

The WNBA tipped off its second decade of play on May 19, 2007, featuring comprehensive national television coverage. ESPN2 and ABC will combine to televise up to 36 games nationally during the regular season and playoffs. The second straight year of �WNBA Tuesdays� on ESPN2 includes five doubleheaders and WNBA action on 11 of 14 Tuesday nights in-season. NBA TV will complement ABC and ESPN2's coverage by televising 70 regular-season and up to nine playoff games. The WNBA All-Star Game will be played at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on July 15 at 3:30 pm ET with live coverage on ABC.