Connecticut�s Lindsay Whalen and Seattle�s Lauren Jackson Named Players of the Week

NEW YORK, July 23, 2007 � Lindsay Whalen of the Connecticut Sun and Lauren Jackson of the Seattle Storm were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively for games played Monday, July 9 through Sunday, July 22 (not including the All-Star Game).

Whalen averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.2 steals and shot 59 percent from the field (30-for-51) and 83 percent from the free throw line (20-for-24) as the Sun posted a perfect 5-0 record, extending their win streak to 6 games. She grabbed a total 27 rebounds, trailing only Margo Dydek for the most on the team over the past five games.

On July 12 at Sacramento, Whalen scored the last basket of regulation to send the game into overtime, and proceeded to score the first eight points of the overtime period to lead the Sun to an 82-78 victory. She recorded 22 points overall, along with eight assists, five rebounds, a steal, while converting 9-of-10 field goals and 4-of-5 free throws.

Whalen set a new career high with two blocks on July 22 at Houston, adding 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals, as the Sun defeated the Comets 81-79. She is currently the league leader in total assists (112) and ranks fourth in steals (43).

Jackson earns her ninth weekly honor, the second this season, after averaging 23.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, two assists and 1.6 blocks, and shooting 49 percent (46-for-94), thirty percent on three-pointers (6-for-20) and 86 percent from the free-throw line (19-for-22) as the Storm posted a 2-3 record over the two weeks.

One of two players in the league to maintain a double-double average this season (with Detroit�s Cheryl Ford), Jackson has posted double-doubles in nine of the last 13 games and a league-leading 13 times overall this year.

In her first game back from the All-Star break, Jackson scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal while converting 11-of-18 field goals, 4-for-6 three-pointers and 7-of-7 free throws in a 79-89 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on July 17.

On July 22, Jackson posted 23 points, 17 rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block, while shooting 9-for-20 from the floor and 5-for-7 from the free throw line as she led the Storm to a 77-75 win over the New York Liberty. Despite leaving the game in the 3rd quarter with a knee injury, Jackson came back and scored eight of her points and grabbed five of her rebounds in the 4th to secure the win.

Other candidates for WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Detroit�s Deanna Nolan, Houston�s Tina Thompson, Indiana�s Tamika Catchings, Minnesota�s Seimone Augustus, Phoenix�s Penny Taylor, Sacramento�s Kara Lawson, San Antonio�s Sophia Young and Washington�s DeLisha Milton-Jones.

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.