Connecticut�s Lindsay Whalen and San Antonio�s Sophia Young Named WNBA Players of the Week

NEW YORK, May 27, 2008 – Lindsay Whalen of the Connecticut Sun and Sophia Young of the San Antonio Silver Stars were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Saturday, May 17, through Sunday, May 25.

Whalen earns her third career Player of the Week award after averaging 16.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists while hitting 56.5 percent (13-23) of her field goals and 57.1 percent of her three-pointers (4-for-7). With 7.0 assists per game, Whalen is tied with Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks for the league lead while her mark stands as the best average in the Eastern Conference. Her 7.0 assists average over the Sun’s first three games is a full 2.1 assists per game higher than her career average of 4.9.

Led by Whalen, the Sun jumped out to a 3-0 record and sit atop the Eastern Conference standings as the lone undefeated squad in the conference. In the team’s first two wins, she pulled up two assists shy of a double-double while scoring in double figures in all three games.

Against Sacramento, Whalen led the Sun to a win after being down 12 points in the first half with a team-high 21 points.

Young receives the first Player of the Week award of her career after averaging 23.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor (28-for-47). She topped 20 points in each of the Silver Stars’ first three games, guiding the team to a 2-1 start with key wins over Western Conference rivals Phoenix and Seattle. In each game, she was the Silver Stars’ leading scoring.

On May 17, Young suited up for San Antonio after playing her final game of the Turkish League Championship on May 14. Following that game, she flew from Turkey to San Antonio and then from San Antonio to Sacramento with the team where she poured in a game-high 22 points.

A two-time All-Star, Young has already received a number of accolades in her two years in the WNBA. She was a unanimous selection to the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie Team and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2007.

Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Erika De Souza, Chicago’s Armintie Price, Indiana’s Katie Douglas, Houston’s Tina Thompson, Los Angeles’ Candace Parker, Minnesota’s Charde Houston, Phoenix’s Cappie Pondexter, Sacramento’s Rebekkah Brunson, Seattle’s Lauren Jackson and Washington’s Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

About the WNBA
Comprised of 14 teams and entering its 12th season, the WNBA is the longest-running and most successful women’s professional team sports league in America. The 2008 season tips off May 17 with ESPN2 again providing appointment viewing in the form of its “WNBA Tuesdays” telecasts. Combined coverage on ABC and ESPN2 will include 21 national telecasts, while NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network, will offer 70 regular-season contests.

The WNBA is deeply committed to WNBA CARES programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on promoting health and fitness, breast health awareness, reading and youth basketball programs. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.