Katie Douglas and Becky Hammon Named WNBA Players of the Week

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2009 � Katie Douglas of the Indiana Fever and Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Silver Stars were named the WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for regular season games played Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9. It marks the second week in a row that these two players won the award and the first time that both Player of the Week winners won the award in consecutive weeks.

Douglas wins the fifth Player of the Week award of her career and her second consecutive award this season. In the past week, she averaged an Eastern Conference-best 21.0 ppg, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. She led the Fever to a 2-0 record including wins over Chicago and at Phoenix.

In a matchup between the league�s two first-place teams, Douglas recorded a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds against the Mercury. She matched a franchise-record in the game by making six three-point field goals. The game also marked the fourth time she�s scored 24 points or more in her last five games. Earlier in the week, Douglas scored 14 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter against the Chicago Sky.

Douglas ranks fifth in the WNBA in scoring (17.9 ppg) and in three-pointers made (44) and 10th in the league in steals (1.6 spg). She is a three-time WNBA All-Star and has been named to two All-WNBA teams and three WNBA All-Defensive teams.

Hammon wins her sixth career Player of the Week award and, like Douglas, her second consecutive award of 2009. She led the WNBA with 22.7 points per game on 44.2 percent (23-52) shooting and averaged 5.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals for the week. Behind her performance, the Silver Stars gained ground on their Western Conference competitors with a 2-1 record, including two road wins.

In the week�s finale, Hammon narrowly missed a double-double when she scored 22 points and handed out nine assists in San Antonio�s road win over the Minnesota Lynx. In the game, she scored 12 points in the third quarter and nailed a three pointer with just over two minutes left in the game to give the Silver Stars the lead. At the beginning of the week, she scored 20 points in a win at Los Angeles. She made a lay-up to tie the game with less than two minutes remaining and then sealed the win by hitting her final four free throws.

Hammon is a five-time WNBA All-Star, three-time All-WNBA selection and Olympic bronze medalist with the 2008 Russian Women�s Olympic Basketball Team. She leads the WNBA in scoring with 21.2 points per game and is fifth among league leaders in assists (4.8 apg).

Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Atlanta�s Sancho Lyttle, Minnesota�s Nicky Anosike, Phoenix�s Cappie Pondexter and Sacramento�s Courtney Paris.

About the WNBA
The WNBA is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement and diversity. Comprised of 13 teams, the WNBA is the most successful women�s professional team sports league in the world. The league concluded its historic 12th regular season with increases in attendance, ratings, Web traffic and merchandise sales. The 2009 WNBA season tipped off June 6 on ABC.

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