NEW YORK- Two months ago, confetti streamed down over Wings rookie guard Allisha Gray when her South Carolina Gamecocks won the NCAA National Championship.

This week, she was named May’s WNBA Rookie of the Month. Gray, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, has been off to an impressive start in her first few weeks in the pros. Starting all six games for Dallas, Gray is averaging 13 points per game and 5 rebounds, paced by a career-high 17 points. Her scoring and rebounds average led all rookies in the month and landed her in the top 25 for those categories across the league as a whole.

“[Being named Rookie of the Month] is definitely a great honor to have, but it wouldn’t be possible without my teammates,” Gray said. “They believe in me and they’re the ones passing me the ball, so I’m able to do what I’ve been doing. Overall, it’s just a great award to have [after] just being in the league a couple weeks.”

Watch Gray’s May highlights.

On Friday night, the rookie tallied 15 points in her first appearance at The World’s Most Famous Arena in a 93-89 loss to the New York Liberty.

“I’ve always wanted to come here,” Gray said about Madison Square Garden. “It’s neat to see all the banners of all the greats who have played here.”

While the Wings fell to the Liberty, led by Tina Charles’s career-high 36 points, Gray put up a defensive effort worth noticing. The rookie was matched up with guard Sugar Rodgers on both ends of the court. Rodgers, who averages almost 14 points per game this season, was held scoreless until she sunk two free throws with six seconds remaining.

“I’ve always played defense pretty well,” Gray said. “I try to study them and see what they do but not over do anything like pressure up because these players are great players and if you slack off they’ll expose you with quickness.”

The Wings have five rookies on the roster this season, including Gray’s South Carolina teammate Kaela Davis. Gray says that the veterans have made all of the newcomers feel welcomed right away by showing them the ropes and being good mentors.

“It’s been great having their support,” Gray said of the vets. “They’ve taken us rookies under their wing and have been really patient with us and encouraging us to play our game. I love our veterans. I ask Sky [Diggins-Smith] a lot of questions within the offense because she’s an experienced guard. Each veteran is very encouraging.”

“I think it’s well-deserved,” Diggins-Smith said of Gray’s Rookie of the Month honor. “She’s somebody that works really hard. She’s come in and been herself. She has a great work ethic and a great spirit. We’re really happy to have her.”

Wings Head Coach Fred Williams is happy to have Gray, too, believing in his 6’0″ guard enough to give her a starting role.

“I think we did a great job in the offseason to select players that were going to come in here and contribute,” Williams said. “[Gray and Davis] are two rookies who didn’t think they were going to get a lot of minutes but they’re getting a lot of pro experience.”

Gray feels her college coach Dawn Staley, who is a six-time WNBA All-Star herself, helped prepare Gray to make the jump to the professional level.

“Coach Staley is a great person and coach who definitely had a big impact on my basketball game and definitely made me WNBA ready.”