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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179399" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/ASW23_OrangeCarpet_TopBanner-2.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="510" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/ASW23_OrangeCarpet_TopBanner-2.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/ASW23_OrangeCarpet_TopBanner-2-300x106.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/ASW23_OrangeCarpet_TopBanner-2-1024x363.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/ASW23_OrangeCarpet_TopBanner-2-768x272.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" />
Celebrating the work that WNBA players have been doing all season, the Orange Carpet occurred on Friday, July 14 at the Delano Hotel. Extending the carpet&#8217;s actual length for this year&#8217;s version of the historical, photo-worthy moment, players posed in elevated outfits vaguely inspired by Las Vegas&#8217; reputation of glitz and glam. To prepare for the media-heavy event, several players collaborated with stylists they&#8217;ve been working with all season, while some players planned their outfits on their own. 
Adding to the AT&amp;T All-Star Weekend 2023 coverage, the spotlight on the Orange Carpet by &#8220;The W in Designer&#8221; explores the vibes from players and creatives who helped create their looks. While this season&#8217;s pre-game outfits have included style coordination between players, this energy extended to the Orange Carpet&#8211; several players invited their families, children, romantic partners, or best friends to walk the carpet with them. Other themes from this year&#8217;s carpet include appearances from players who aren&#8217;t competing in the All-Star Game, which reminds fans how important it is for players to always show up for one another. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179401" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Kah.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Kah.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Kah-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/_klc215/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kahleah Copper</a> 
Kahleah Copper adds an element of cool to the Orange Carpet by wearing brands that include <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/kidsuper/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KidSuper</a>, sunglasses from Los Angeles-based <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/jamesoro/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Oro</a>, and a pair of Adidas. Styled by <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/marcmogul/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Desir</a>, who&#8217;s under <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/kmcessential/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kesha McLeod&#8217;s</a> team alongside <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/vnagudino/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vna Gudino</a>, Copper&#8217;s look offers an elevated version of the strong outfits she&#8217;s been wearing through the season. &#8220;The bond that we&#8217;ve built with Kahleah over time allows us to show her things that are a little out of her comfort zone,&#8221; shares Desir, but &#8220;because of our connection with her, she trusts that we understand her image and is open to trying new things.&#8221;
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179402" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Parker.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Parker.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Parker-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/1_born_queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cheyenne Parker</a> 
Highlighting her height while creating a carpet-worthy look, Cheyenne Parker wears a knotted leather top and hand-crafted denim maxi skirt by <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/modelatelier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Model Atelier</a> that perfectly frames her heels. She also wears gold body glitter to match her daughter&#8217;s sparkly dress&#8211; &#8220;I was excited to be matching with my baby tonight,&#8221; says Parker. Styled by the brand&#8217;s founder <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/rhmodelatelier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robin Harris</a>, this player-stylist duo met by arranging a test photoshoot through Instagram. &#8220;Because we&#8217;ve been working together for eight years, she wanted me to style her so that she wouldn&#8217;t have to worry about what to wear,&#8221; explains Harris, &#8220;and focus more on her professional career and being an amazing mom.&#8221; 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179403" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Stew.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Stew.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Stew-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/breannastewart30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breanna Stewart</a> 
The All-Star Team Captain reinforces her boss mentality through a white suit from <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/amiparis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMI Paris</a> and black leather shoes from <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/celine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CELINE</a>, a brand she&#8217;s been wearing throughout the season. &#8220;We&#8217;re in Las Vegas, so sunglasses on,&#8221; jokes Stewart before acknowledging her desire to be &#8220;fancy for the Orange Carpet.&#8221; Revealing her growing interest in luxury timepieces, Stewart accessorizes with an eye-catching <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/audemarspiguet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Audemars Piguet</a> watch. The hyper-driven player, on- and off-court, says that the brand and she are pursuing an official partnership, reinforcing Stewart&#8217;s journey to becoming the league&#8217;s first-ever watch aficionado. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179404" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/DB.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/DB.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/DB-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/dewannabonner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DeWanna Bonner</a>
As elegant as ever, DeWanna Bonner wears an oversized mesh dress over a tight leather dress with coordinating sheer socks. Working with stylist <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/motleymaddox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jazmine Motley-Maddox</a>, a childhood friend of the player, Bonner looks ecstatic to be doing her first carpet with <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/athomas_25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alyssa Thomas</a>. While the couple has coordinated through the season, Thomas jokes that &#8220;[DeWanna] tells me what to do&#8221; when deciding their pre-game outfits. Bonner explains the thought process behind her voluminous silhouette: &#8220;You never know when it&#8217;s going to be my last All-Star, so I definitely wanted to make it pop.&#8221; 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179405" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Didi.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Didi.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Didi-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/didirich2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DiDi Richards</a> 
Representing players who aren&#8217;t competing in the All-Star Game, DiDi Richards explains that she wanted her outfit to be &#8220;giving different.&#8221; Wearing a blue button-up shirt with a matching furry blue bandeau and a silver, quilted miniskirt with cut-outs, Richards worked with stylist <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/sbordonaro21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Bordonaro</a> on interpreting her it-girl aesthetic for the Orange Carpet. &#8220;I wore a skirt to the Skills Challenge, so if I was going to wear a skirt, it had to be a little different,&#8221; explains Richards, &#8220;It&#8217;s like a simple miniskirt, then abstract.&#8221;  
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-179406" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Nneka.png" alt="" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Nneka.png 600w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/07/Nneka-200x300.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/nnekaogwumike/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nneka Ogwumike</a>
Continuing her collaboration with player-turned-stylist <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/kristine__31/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristine Anigwe</a>, Nneka Ogwumike wears a two-piece set by <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/kaoriginals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KA Originals</a> and silver pointy heels from <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/hanifaofficial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hanifa</a>. Known for her signature style with nude or neutral colors, Anigwe&#8217;s brand also hosted an exhibition earlier this week. Although the league&#8217;s fans have noticed the Ogwumike sister&#8217;s coordination throughout this season, <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/chiney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chiney</a> opted for an all-black outfit to keep the focus on her older sister&#8217;s Orange Carpet look. Holding a sparkly clutch, Ogwumike says, &#8220;I just wanted to feel a little shimmery tonight.&#8221; 
WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs

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The W in Designer: AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Weekend's Orange Carpet Edition

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Joining the league in 2019, King extends the league&#8217;s culture through creative direction.
Looking at the visual elements of the 2023 WNBA Draft, fans will notice new colors, tag lines, and displays that shape the energy of the upcoming season. Apart from experiential events, the league&#8217;s internal creative team is responsible for television, digital, print, content, and other fan-facing visuals. Led by Roman King, who&#8217;s served as creative director since 2019, the WNBA&#8217;s identity exists in a new, younger era that&#8217;s designed to be as fluid as its surrounding culture. 
The culture around women&#8217;s basketball is an evolving, fast-paced idea that&#8217;s highly influenced by King and his team, as well as the current players of each season. There are also external factors that shape the culture, like rising women&#8217;s basketball-focused brands, breakthrough news, ongoing legacies, powerful social movements, and, of course, the fan response.  
A self-proclaimed social anthropologist, King reveals that he finds the greatest inspiration in simply observing people and trends. His creative approach starts with really seeing and understanding the league&#8217;s players before placing spotlights on these women, as not only players but also as dynamic, off-court individuals. With an editorial background and natural style, as seen in King&#8217;s eye-catching suit collection, his work in elevating the league aligns with an overall, player-driven movement of strong personal brands, influencer-like opportunities, and pushing the athlete&#8217;s image.   
While King handles the league&#8217;s biggest storytelling moments and season-long campaigns, he&#8217;s equally focused on capturing the individual stories and styles of the players. &#8220;If you&#8217;re not currently connected to any of the women in the WNBA, there&#8217;s 144 of them,&#8221; says King, &#8220;and they&#8217;re all different, dynamic and there&#8217;s someone for you to relate to.&#8221; Before the season starts, King sits down for an interview about what drives his visionary approach and the new energy his team is cultivating. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-168248 size-large" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/04/w-roman-king-interview-image-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
Kirsten Chen: You&#8217;ve worked with the WNBA for the last four years. What initially drew you to the league? 
Roman King: I launched the rebrand in April of 2019, and I started in that same year. I came in when the WNBA was going through the evolution or reset, as we like to phrase it. I saw an amazing opportunity to be part of a monumental moment for the longest-standing women&#8217;s professional sports league. Like, how many opportunities do you have as a creative individual to help shape that? I always say, &#8216;This is not a job for me.&#8217; It&#8217;s something that I believe in. It keeps me up at night, making sure that the work we&#8217;re building is representative of the women. They deserve it, they deserve all of the flowers. I&#8217;m so thankful that, finally, the WNBA is getting the recognition, viewership numbers, and following that has been long deserved for us. 
KC: To give context for newer fans, can you summarize the rebrand? 
RK: We were marketing to an audience as part of this rebrand that was indicative of the women of the WNBA: think of multicultural, urban, Gen-Z, and millennial types, a younger generation of fans and fans that weren&#8217;t necessarily avid basketball fans. We&#8217;re also marketing to individuals. You know, <a href="https://www.wnba.com/pride/">WNBA Pride</a> is a platform, and these marginalized groups were part of the attention of the reset. The players had to feel seen, and that&#8217;s why the logo was relaunched. The logo is meant to be everyone, and the women of the WNBA are supposed to really see themselves in the logo. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-168250 size-large" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/04/w-roman-king-interview-image-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
KC: Can you expand upon the creative decisions behind the revamped logo? 
RK: The logo was intentionally broken from her confines, so there&#8217;s direction with her being free. She&#8217;s free from the box, and by way of that, the WNBA is also free from its box and constraints. The WNBA also has 12 colors, most people really resonate with that orange, but we have magentas, purples, blues, and pastel colors. This is the fluidity of the younger generation, these are things for them to be excited by. They have an element of vibrancy. The rebrand work is meant to be very flexible. We need to be able to be agile and fluid with culture. Our design principles speak to a lot of that work. 
KC: It sounds like the players have an influence on the league&#8217;s creative identity. Do you think the league&#8217;s identity changes from season to season? 
RK: I think this probably harkens back to the rebrand work. There was so much in flexibility and fluidity as the brand principles of the WNBA. We have our core foundation and what we stand for as a league, and those will never really change. I&#8217;d say our voice and tonality, it&#8217;s not gonna shift. But, what&#8217;s really important is to ebb and flow with culture. As culture moves, the WNBA will naturally move. We&#8217;re a brand that&#8217;s about making space, making the women of the league stars, and building household names. The WNBA as a product isn&#8217;t just a basketball game, even though that&#8217;s the entrée. There’s so many garnishes with this league. I think the WNBA will continue to evolve and grow as the generations of the WNBA players change and shift.  
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-168254 size-large" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/04/w-roman-king-interview-image-3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
KC: What are some fan-facing visuals or projects that your team has worked on? Is there anything you&#8217;re most proud of? 
RK: There was the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-to-commemorate-25th-season-with-count-it-campaign-and-season-long-celebrations-and-events/">25th anniversary &#8220;Count It&#8221;</a> that&#8217;s fun. A double entendre of counting all of the accomplishments over 25 years and making it sure that the public was aware of everything we’re doing. I think there wasn&#8217;t much awareness of how much of a trendsetter this league had been, so &#8220;Count It&#8221; was the tagline. 
This past year, one of my favorite projects was a short film called &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9VfB2GXhEI">We Are the W,</a>&#8221; an off-court piece. It&#8217;s about humanizing the women in the WNBA. Sometimes, there&#8217;s not enough awareness of who they are as individuals. That was a great storytelling piece around <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mccoughtry">Angel McCoughtry</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/omg_itsizzyb/">Isabelle Harrison</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/didirich2/">DiDi Richards</a>. It was extrapolating the on-court, and it was all off-court: DiDi&#8217;s being paralyzed in college; Angel trying to make her comeback after an injury and what&#8217;s that like when you&#8217;re in your mid-thirties; and Isabelle, who&#8217;s such a community leader, but no one knows that she comes from this giant sports family. Projects, where I get to really focus on the women and the external face of the league, are always the real passions of mine. 
Another was the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/labs/">Red Hooks Labs in 2019</a>, where it was about the women as individuals and their individual style. It was also a piece where I hired young, multicultural photographers to shoot nine powerful Black women in the WNBA. It was their first time being seen in that way. Again, the opportunities I have to broaden the scope and make people think differently about how this league is perceived are my favorite projects.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-168256" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/04/w-roman-king-interview-image-4-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
KC: How does your editorial background shape your approach to working with the W? 
RK: My editorial background shapes [me] into thinking about things in multi-layers, multi-platform, and different stories, like in a magazine. In that industry, you can&#8217;t retell the same story twice. Our job is to bring newness to the forefront and to think in a visual way, to get you to think a bit differently. There would be something in a magazine, but it would translate differently for social or .com or an event. I&#8217;m very passionate about events, but those are different avenues of how you could approach a story. You don&#8217;t approach &#8217;em all the same, like something on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wnba/">Instagram</a> the same way you&#8217;d approach it on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@wnba">TikTok</a>.
KC: Tell us about planning for this year&#8217;s draft event. 
RK: Coming into the WNBA, I try to empower my team to think about things in different ways and to not redo what we&#8217;ve done last year. The WNBA draft is an experiential event, but it&#8217;s also a broadcast event. Then, it&#8217;s social and other layers and appendages. They shouldn&#8217;t be approached the same way. This year was like, ‘How do we take what we&#8217;ve done and elevate it?’ Last year was the first time we were at Spring Studios, which is a mecca for fashion in New York City. It&#8217;s the home of New York Fashion Week. I made a very conscious choice and had supportive leadership to take draft there. That was a non-traditional space for us to be in. You can see last year, and then, this year as its evolution, it works. We fit in these spaces, the WNBA is fashion. So, those influencers who attend draft, who are not necessarily avid basketball fans, they&#8217;re part of our demographic, and there&#8217;s something for them to connect to. I love evolving what we&#8217;re doing. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-168257 size-large" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2023/04/w-roman-king-interview-image-5-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
KC: Looking at the upcoming season, is there anything you&#8217;re focusing on? 
RK: We&#8217;re seeing our most viewership in 19 years and our most views on socials ever. There&#8217;s a keyword here, &#8220;more,&#8221; and this upcoming year, we&#8217;re going to try and give you more moments and more culture. Last year, we had our commercial campaign, &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ6WD_49UDY">More Than Incredible</a>,&#8221; which was soundtracked to Alicia Keys and Lil Wayne. It was hip-hop. I could tease that hip-hop and culture is super important to this league, and indicative of the direction that we&#8217;re going. WNBA All-Star is going to be in Las Vegas, we&#8217;re trying to make everything &#8216;more&#8217; and bigger than it&#8217;s ever been. 
KC: When creating new ideas for the WNBA, where do you look for inspiration? 
RK: I would call myself a bit of an anthropologist, where you study people? I think it&#8217;s why I&#8217;m so passionate about my job because its about people, it&#8217;s about players and it&#8217;s about a league of people. I love observing people, like &#8216;What&#8217;s going on? Where are people going out?&#8217; I have the pleasure of living in New York City, which is the mecca of everything happening. I think trends start here, so it&#8217;s a lot of being in public and seeing what people are resonating with, maybe what other brands are doing, and the public, online on .com or socials. 
I&#8217;m very big on scrolling, my finger hurts from scrolling. Instagram is my favorite platform, followed by TikTok. Instagram is like a mood board to me, a lot of my research probably starts there and from what others are doing. I&#8217;m a big coffee table and photobook person, and because I worked in magazines, I have a lot of magazines, paper, and print&#8211; I think anyone who worked in magazines are like hoarders&#8211; I will always be that person. Lastly, I&#8217;m a TV junkie. When I&#8217;m not working, I&#8217;m watching what&#8217;s trending on Twitter, I&#8217;m seeing what&#8217;s on TV. It&#8217;s important to stay connected to culture and what people are chatting about. It&#8217;s almost like homework for me to make sure I&#8217;m staying tapped into what&#8217;s happening. 
KC: As the creative director of the W, what does success look like to you? 
RK: At the end of the day, if we have people talking about what we&#8217;re doing, I think that&#8217;s success. We&#8217;re seeing the numbers from viewership and engagement on social, and I hope that&#8217;ll continue to trend. We want people to be engaged with the content and creative in the visuals that are coming out of our league. If I can get some conversation started, that&#8217;s success to me. Creative is often hard to traditionally measure because it can be subjective, it&#8217;s not something you can objectively measure that it performed well. 
But, the draft for instance, which has a lot of creative attached to it, a lot of its new direction stemmed from a creative approach. It translated on the viewership, social metrics, and everything. It was a direction to take it somewhere different, and you can&#8217;t really measure that traditionally. I&#8217;d say anytime someone is talking, if there&#8217;s any chatter about what we&#8217;re doing, that&#8217;s always a success to me. Again, we want people to be thinking and responding to what we&#8217;re doing. 
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KC: What do you think is the impact of players developing their own strong images? 
RK: Oh my gosh. We are living in a generation. What excited me is that the players are now conscious and cognizant that they have an image outside of the game. I would encourage any female athlete to think about their brand because they are brands, at the end of the day. People can look at our own draft and the incoming ones in years to come&#8211; they&#8217;re very focused on their public image, personal brands and in building their own brands. I love that because WNBA players are multi-dimensional. They&#8217;re the best of the best at what they do, but they&#8217;re so much more than just that, in terms of the game. 
I love when people are able to find connection points to sort of the women in the league that are maybe non-traditional. DiDi Richards comes to mind on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@didirich2">TikTok</a> and people discover her for her personal brand. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aja22wilson/">A&#8217;ja Wilson</a> and commercials. But, there’s so many women in the league like that now. The more players who can heighten their personal brands to really build social platforms and their identities on social, the better. It&#8217;s more than just points for people to connect with&#8211; your story and who you are&#8211; and that&#8217;s for the greater good of the game.
WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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The W in Designer: Roman King's Eye on the Future of the WNBA

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Equipped with nails and lashes, the resilient New York Liberty Player talks about bringing the hardest game she can. 
Every fly girl in New York City should keep their eyes on <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/didirich2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DiDi Richards</a>, who just completed her second year as a guard for the Liberty. Richards balances the regular craziness of being a &#8220;baddie&#8221; in the city with her rising basketball career, where she&#8217;s experienced multiple injuries with devastatingly long recovery times. Although fans of the player with a &#8220;Power Puffs&#8221; hairstyle anticipated her second season, Richards&#8217; courtside presence provided a unique introduction to the player&#8211; while closely studying her team&#8217;s moves, she debuted a number of colorful, chic outfits. Once Richards recovered from a hamstring injury in June, she could be spotted running up and down the court with her signature curly hair, long lashes, and manicured nails. 
After practice with the New York Liberty, Richards chatted with me over Zoom in the team&#8217;s locker room. Wiping her sweat with a towel in between answers, I was impressed by her &#8216;Energizer Bunny&#8217; personality and how naturally bubbly Richards really is. To get acquainted, I compliment Richards on her impressive pre-game outfits, which are frequently featured by <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiihOVPv0Xu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeagueFits</a> and <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/gqsports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GQ Sports</a>, and she shouts out her stylist <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/sbordonaro21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Bordonaro</a>. Collaborating on looks like Richards&#8217; courtside <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CekKs4wIuYw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">magenta necktie</a>, Richards&#8217; sports star image is a crossover between being a serious, resilient athlete and being a contemporary hot girl. Apart from the constant upkeep of fly nails and lashes, I&#8217;m excited to learn about how Richards manages to be the hardest player that she can and look good while doing it. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-165728 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/11/didirichards-interview-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
If hot girls are into manifesting, Richards&#8217; career is marked by a number of early achievements with goals that she always had. When we spoke in June, I asked her about her dream brands to work with, and Richards mentioned that she wants to walk in a fashion show. Similar to how she knew she&#8217;d get drafted, Richards tells me about walking <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.wnba.com/news/the-w-in-designer-wnba-takes-on-new-york-fashion-week/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dur Doux&#8217;s NYFW Runway </a>when we meet again in the off-season. &#8220;It was a lot going on, where it was something I wasn&#8217;t good at, and it was a humbling experience for me,&#8221; says Richards, &#8220;It was mind-boggling how hard and talented the girls are that walk and model all the time. It&#8217;s a different kind of space, and I hope that I can perfect it one day, but it was crazy and a dream come true, honestly.&#8221; 
Although it&#8217;s early in her career to consider the legacy she&#8217;s building in the W, Richards says that &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to continue to push the &#8216;diva&#8217; side of the game; you can be beautiful and have nails lashes, and still be a hard player on the court. Like somebody that&#8217;s gonna get down and guard. Second to that is resiliency, somebody that&#8217;s still gonna pop back up and be able to fight through it all. I want my legacy to stand on me being resilient in every aspect of life.&#8221; Catching up with Richards during the season in June and in a brief meeting in November, this interview goes beyond the bright smile of her photos to learn about the player&#8217;s inner heat. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-165729 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/11/didirichards-interview-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Kirsten Chen: Tell me about some of your on-court beauty essentials. 
DiDi Richards: A must is lip gloss, like always. I used to do a full face of makeup, but my skin has decided to hate me. So I&#8217;ve fallen back on it this season; I felt like it was because I was sweating while also wearing makeup. Now, I have my eyebrows as bushy as ever, lashes and gloss in games, and I feel like that is my secret weapon this year. 
KC: Are the nails hard to play with? 
DR: Absolutely not. When people say that, I don&#8217;t understand why it would be; it&#8217;s connected to your fingers. Once, I was dribbling a ball at Baylor, and they had a picture of me dribbling, and my mom zoomed in. She was like, &#8216;If you&#8217;re gonna play this game, can you at least be cute? Can you keep your edges down? Can you keep your nails done?&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;You&#8217;re so right, mom.&#8217; It was a point in life when I felt like you couldn&#8217;t be cute, like you had to be just a ball player, and it&#8217;s not that. 
KC: Tell me a little bit about your hot girl mentality. What is it fueled by? 
DR: It&#8217;s definitely fueled by my mom, my grandma. She&#8217;s like, &#8216;DiDi, and you&#8217;re not gonna have this body forever.&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;I know.&#8217; She&#8217;s like, &#8216;So, show it off.&#8221; So between my memaw and my mom, which is my mom&#8217;s mom, this is why I act like this. I think it&#8217;s a generational thing that I will continue to put into young women and my daughter.
There&#8217;s no underlying deeper meaning. That&#8217;s just who I am, and that&#8217;s just how I&#8217;m going to be. I&#8217;m going to be me 24/7. I think that&#8217;s the problem, that people think that I&#8217;m doing it for a reason. I&#8217;m just doing it because it&#8217;s me. So if that&#8217;s a problem, then you have a problem with me, and I could care less is how I look at it, you know? 
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KC: Are there any common misconceptions about you in the media?
DR: I think that one of the biggest things is that people think I&#8217;m not focused because I have a bit of everything on my shoulders: modeling, basketball, NFTs&#8230; then, my head in fashion. People think that I&#8217;m never focused on the task at hand, which is basketball, but that&#8217;s my life. My main focus is basketball, regardless of what I&#8217;m doing. If I&#8217;m in season, if I&#8217;m not in season, I&#8217;m working out. I don&#8217;t have to post me working out. People know I play basketball; what must I post that for? I think that&#8217;s my biggest thing with the world and how they kind of look at me. 
KC: Do you think that people&#8217;s perception of the WNBA has changed since you were a kid? 
DR: Even my perception has changed. You know, when you&#8217;re in elementary or middle school, people come to speak to you in P.E. class. I remember Lisa Leslie came to our elementary, and I didn&#8217;t know who it was, and I played basketball. Now, I&#8217;m that player that&#8217;s going to elementary schools and kids. But they&#8217;re wearing jerseys, and they know the game. Now, it&#8217;s being watched on tv, and it&#8217;s being supported. It&#8217;s very humbling to walk into an elementary school, and they kind of know you already. 
KC: Prior to joining Liberty, you underwent a lengthy recovery from your leg injury. I heard humor helped you get through that process&#8230; Are you a funny person? What&#8217;s your team&#8217;s reputation? 
DR: Probably annoying, honestly. I&#8217;m like that little sister that you didn&#8217;t ask for, but you got cute. But, I take to do a different outlook on recovering and getting through an injury. Because me being down, I&#8217;m freaking out. Then you come here, and you&#8217;re around people that are generally rooting for you. It&#8217;s easy to have that outlook when I&#8217;m smiling, laughing, or whatever because they&#8217;re always there. They&#8217;re always looking at me and, you know, supporting me.
&nbsp;
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KC: When you&#8217;re off the court, what kinds of things do you do at home? 
DR: I super like to be around people. I&#8217;m a people person, and I&#8217;m on the phone with my mom all the time—FaceTimes from 7:00 AM to midnight. I&#8217;m always with somebody, so I tend to go shopping. I&#8217;m a foodie&#8211; <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.instagram.com/michaela_o21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mic</a> and I like to eat. We&#8217;re on TikTok trying to figure out what restaurant is popping, and then we go taste it. 
KC: If you had more time, how would you spend it? 
DR: If I had more time, I know that people are gonna hate me for this answer, but I&#8217;m gonna say it. I think I would spend it on social media. There&#8217;s so much money in social media, and like I&#8217;m not&#8211; yes, I am chasing money. I&#8217;m chasing the dollar. If I gotta get to the bag in social media, that&#8217;s easy. If I could actually spend time on them, you guys, I would blow up Instagram.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-165732" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/11/didirichards-interview-5-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
KC: Do you have a vision for what kind of style you want to cultivate this season? 
DR: Honestly, I feel like I&#8217;m more so set on versatility, like being able to dibble and dabble down on every kind of fashion world. Whether that be bohemian, edgy, or everything, I feel like my signature right now is a crop top, so whatever I have is gonna have a crop top included. 
KC: Many of your tattoos have been shown in your pre-game outfits and in your <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://swimsuit.si.com/swimsuit/model/didi-richards-2022-si-swimsuit-photos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sports Illustrated</a> shoot. Do you have any favorite tattoos? 
DR: I have three favorites right now, and it&#8217;s the one on my leg that everyone always sees, and it says, &#8216;Be the woman you needed as a girl in Arabic. And then the one here says, &#8216;I am enough on my wrist, and the one on the back of my elbow, my yin yang sign. Because that&#8217;s like my symbol, that&#8217;s me. 
KC: What&#8217;s your secret to staying hot during the off-season? 
DR: Honestly, eat what you want to eat, get the right gains, because if you know me, I&#8217;m an itty bitty, so I&#8217;m just trying to get gains, get bigger. I feel like that&#8217;s the thing, to stay in the gym, and that&#8217;s what I&#8217;m going to do.
WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

the-w-in-designer-the-organic-charisma-of-didi-richards

The W in Designer: The Organic Charisma of DiDi Richards

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A historic year for sports stars to bring their strength and beauty to the runway. 
While players on the Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun battled it out in the WNBA Finals, other players set their sights on New York Fashion Week. From September 9 to September 14, independent designers and major sportswear brands scheduled exciting runway shows, presentations, and hard-to-get-into parties. Building off of the momentum for fashion from the 2022 season, several players walked in their first shows and were spotted in highly coveted front-row seats. Offering a unique opportunity for exposure that&#8217;s outside of the sports realm, the latest iteration of New York Fashion Week proves that female athletes have an undeniable influence on style.
Historically, WNBA players haven&#8217;t been invited to participate in the high fashion world as often as their male counterparts are. It&#8217;s rare to find their presence in past Fashion Weeks, apart from Skylar Diggins-Smith, who was spotted at shows in 2014. As more designers and brands aim to expand the female identity through clothing, it&#8217;s a fitting opportunity for WNBA players to join the conversation around fashion finally. Since designers plan custom fittings for their runway, the minor height differences between the players and models sample sizes aren&#8217;t noticeable&#8211; it&#8217;s tricky to spot Isabelle Harrison, Katie Lou Samuelson, and DiDi Richards, among the other models. 
&#8220;The WNBA is the most expressive and progressive league in the world. The players know exactly who they are and how they want to express themselves. Tunnel outfits helped perpetuate that, and I see players&#8217; confidence grow year by year. Their style, their fashion choices, their conscious effort to STUNT is dope,&#8221; says <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ariivory/">Ari Chambers</a>, &#8220;It naturally lends itself to the blurred line between fashion and sport.” Celebrating the trailblazing quality of New York Fashion Week, here&#8217;s a recap of the WNBA players (and a broadcaster) with an undeniable impact on the future of high fashion and sports. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-165018 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-1-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Isabelle Harrison Closes the Kim Shui Runway Show
Making her first runway debut, Dallas Wings player <a href="https://www.instagram.com/omg_itsizzyb/">Isabelle Harrison</a> closes out the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimshuistudio/">Kim Shui</a> Spring/Summer 23 runway show in a silky dress. Continuing their relationship, where Shui created custom outfits for Harrison with the Jordan Brand, the dynamic duo reunited at the Grand Terminal Station for a high fashion event. Although the player recently sprained her ankle, she strutted down the runway with an undeniable sense of confidence while wearing Shui&#8217;s armored-inspired designs. With each model showing the multidimensional identity of the Kim Shui brand girl, Harrison brings a rare combination of beauty and exceptional basketball athleticism. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165019" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Katie Lou Samuelson Spreads Positivity at PUMA’s Futrograde Show
Signing a multiyear contract with PUMA in 2019, Los Angeles Sparks player <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katielou33/">Katie Lou Samuelson</a> was spotted on the runway for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/puma/">PUMA&#8217;s</a> Futrograde show. Exploring PUMA&#8217;s sportswear heritage and futuristic applications of technology, Samuelson was dressed in a classic mustard-colored outfit with colorful hair accessories and a pair of white PUMA sneakers. Sitting at the intersection of sports and fashion, the show invited Samuelson and other athletes like Usain Bolt and Kyle Kuzma to participate as models. Pushing these athletes outside of their comfort zones, it&#8217;s exciting to see a sports brand and its ambassadors in an unfamiliar, seriously chic setting. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165020" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-3-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Lexie Brown and Michaela Onyenwere Watch DiDi Richards at Dur Doux
Working in partnership with the WNBA, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/durdoux/">Dur Doux</a> invited <a href="https://www.instagram.com/didirich2/">DiDi Richards</a> to walk in its show and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lexiebrown/">Lexie Brown</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michaela_o21/">Michaela Onyenwere</a> to sit in its front row. By elevating athletes to the most visually important parts of its runway presentation, Dur Doux is representing how hard and soft qualities can appear in fashion. Founded by a unique mother-daughter duo, Dur Doux dressed Richards in a bright orange maxi dress, gold bangles and seashell hoop earrings. While brand DNA lays in Florida&#8217;s tropical environments, its free-flowing looks fit the elegant vibes of New York Fashion Week. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165021" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-4-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Ari Chambers Reps Brittney Griner at KA Originals Runway
Taking place at a sunny rooftop in New York&#8217;s Soho neighborhood, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kaoriginals/">KA Originals</a> made its Fashion Week debut. Featuring <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ariivory/">Ari Chambers</a>, an on-camera talent and co-host of WNBA weekly, as one of its models, the looks combine founder Kristine Anigwe&#8217;s affinity for ultra chic materials with sports references. As captured by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialapmg/">Charles Spears</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/divinevision7/">Derrick Lockett</a>, Chambers wears a backward jersey with Brittney Griner&#8217;s 42 number with structured leather pants and a long coat. &#8220;There&#8217;s something so symbolic about elevating Brittney Griner while being on an elevated stage during Fashion Week,&#8221; shares Chambers. Presented under independent designer platform Flying Solo&#8217;s programming, KA Originals continues its neutral color palette with an entire collection of stunning looks. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-165024 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-5-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Natasha Cloud Stunts at LUAR and Kim Shui 
Running into <a href="https://www.instagram.com/t__cloud9/">Natasha Cloud</a> at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/luar/">LUAR</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimshuistudio/">Kim Shui</a> runway shows, the Washington Mystics player blends in with New York City locals with an array of edgy, all-black outfits. Cloud’s natural sense of style can be seen in all of the player’s pre-game outfits for this season, and her friendly personality led to epic New York Fashion Week mingling moments. Besides showing support for Harrison on the Kim Shui runway, Cloud used the week to debut streetwear-approved hats like a Prada bucket hat and an interesting black and white checkered hat.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165025" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/09/WNBA-at-NYFW-6-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />
Charli Collier slays at Sergio Hudson&#8217;s collection launch
Dallas Wings Player <a href="https://www.instagram.com/charlicollier/">Charli Collier</a> was also spotted in New York at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sergiohudson/">Sergio Hudson&#8217;s</a> collection launch in a silky teal outfit. When she was the number one draft pick in the 2021 season of the WNBA, Collier wore a custom Sergio Hudson dress for the virtual draft. Continuing her relationship with the brand, Collier brings her natural strength and beauty to the brand&#8217;s event. The latest collection from Sergio Hudson features bright solid colors in fun shapes like mini dresses and collared blouses that tie at the waist.
WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

the-w-in-designer-wnba-takes-on-new-york-fashion-week

The W in Designer: WNBA Takes On New York Fashion Week

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				CHICAGO, IL &#8211; JUNE 5: Washington Mystics arrives to the arena before the game against the Chicago Sky on June 5, 2022 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
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				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; June 6: Katie Lou Samuelson #33 of the Los Angeles Sparks arrives to the arena prior to the game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 6, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
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				COLLEGE PARK, GA &#8211; JUNE 5: Kelsey Mitchell #0 of the Indiana Fever shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 5, 2022 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.
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				SEATTLE, WA &#8211; JUNE 5: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm arrives at the arena before the game against the Connecticut Sun on June 5, 2022 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
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				LAS VEGAS, NV &#8211; JUNE 5: A close up portrait of the WNBA ball before the game between the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces on June 5, 2022 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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				LAS VEGAS, NV &#8211; JUNE 5: Tyasha Harris #52 of the Dallas Wings arrives to the arena before the game against the Las Vegas Aces on June 5, 2022 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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				BROOKLYN, NY &#8211; JUNE 5: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx drives to the basket during the game against the New York Liberty on June 5, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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				COLLEGE PARK, GA &#8211; JUNE 5: Aari McDonald #2 of the Atlanta Dream shoots the ball during the game against the Indiana Fever on June 5, 2022 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/indiana-fever-v-atlanta-dream-47/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241127460-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156357" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156357'>
				COLLEGE PARK, GA &#8211; JUNE 5:Aari McDonald #2 of the Atlanta Dream shoots the ball during the game against the Indiana Fever on June 5, 2022 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.
				</dd>
</dl>
 
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/minnesota-lynx-v-new-york-liberty-31/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241126388-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156356" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156356'>
				BROOKLYN, NY &#8211; JUNE 5: DiDi Richards #2 of the New York Liberty looks on before the game against the Minnesota Lynx on June 5, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/minnesota-lynx-v-new-york-liberty-30/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241126346-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156355" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156355'>
				BROOKLYN, NY &#8211; JUNE 5: Aerial Powers #3 of the Minnesota Lynx shoots the ball during the game against the New York Liberty on June 5, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/indiana-fever-v-atlanta-dream-46/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241125725-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156354" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156354'>
				COLLEGE PARK, GA &#8211; JUNE 5: Danielle Robinson #3 of the Indiana Fever smiles during the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 5, 2022 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.
				</dd>
</dl>
 
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-82/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241130987-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156370" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156370'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; June 6: Skylar Diggins-Smith #4 of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 6, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/dallas-wings-v-las-vegas-aces-42/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241131062-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156371" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156371'>
				LAS VEGAS, NV &#8211; JUNE 5: Tyasha Harris #52 of the Dallas Wings shoots the ball during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on June 5, 2022 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-80/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241129176-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156365" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156365'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Skylar Diggins-Smith #4 of the Phoenix Mercury arrives to the arena before the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
 
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/washington-mystics-v-chicago-sky-37/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241129239-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156366" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156366'>
				CHICAGO, IL &#8211; JUNE 5: Courtney Vandersloot #22 of the Chicago Sky drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Mystics on June 5, 2022 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-81/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241129356-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156367" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156367'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Sam Thomas #14 and Sophie Cunningham #9 of the Phoenix Mercury arrive to the arena before the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/connecticut-sun-v-seattle-storm-35/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241129709-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156368" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156368'>
				SEATTLE, WA &#8211; JUNE 5: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm shoots the ball during the game against the Connecticut Sun on June 5, 2022 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
				</dd>
</dl>
 
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/connecticut-sun-v-seattle-storm-36/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241131388-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156372" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156372'>
				SEATTLE, WA &#8211; JUNE 5: Jonquel Jones #35 of the Connecticut Sun shoots the ball during the game against the Seattle Storm on June 5, 2022 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-83/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241131497-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156373" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156373'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-84/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241133412-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156374" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156374'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Young fans hold a signs supporting the Phoenix Mercury during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
 
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-85/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241133214-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156375" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156375'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Shey Peddy #11 of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates a play during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
<dl class='gallery-item'>
<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>
				<a href='https://www-qa.nba.com/photo_gallery/photos-of-the-night-june-5th/los-angeles-sparks-v-phoenix-mercury-88/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/06/GettyImages-1241133336-3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" loading="lazy" aria-describedby="gallery-106-156378" /></a>
			</dt>
<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-106-156378'>
				PHOENIX, AZ &#8211; JUNE 5: Skylar Diggins-Smith #4 of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates after the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 5, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
				</dd>
</dl>
			 
		</div>

photos-of-the-night-june-5th

Photos of the Night (June 5th)

<figure class="wp-image size-full"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image- size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/05/RankingsWk2_Site_Cover.png" alt="" /></figure>
How much have we learned through the first 10 days of the 2022 WNBA season? It&#8217;s a tricky question to answer as so many teams are still in a state of flux and not at full strength. Whether it&#8217;s wrapping up overseas commitments, health and safety protocols, suspension, or injury, most teams have opened the season without fully complementing players.
However, the games keep coming – and so do the power rankings. With a condensed 36-game schedule, every win and every loss is significant, so the teams that can best navigate this time of roster instability will be in a strong position moving forward.
(Power Rankings are based on each team&#8217;s play through 5/16.)
1. Washington Mystics (3-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 2</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (1-1) W vs. LVA 89-76; L vs. DAL 94-86</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday at DAL; Sunday vs. CHI</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 106.0 (2); DefRtg: 96.2 (6); NetRtg: 9.7 (4); eFG%: 51.8 (4); Pace/40: 79.50 (9)</li>
</ul>
Washington improved to 3-0 to open the season with an 89-76 win over Las Vegas on Tuesday as Elena Delle Donne led five Mystics in double figures with 19 points. The Mystics are one of the teams dealing with an incomplete roster – Natasha Cloud has missed the last two games in health and safety protocols, Alysha Clark just returned in Washington&#8217;s loss to Dallas on Friday, and Elizabeth Williams has yet to play this season. Those absences not only make this 3-1 start impressive but point toward the Mystics being even better when fully healthy.
2. Las Vegas Aces (3-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 1</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (1-1) L at WAS 89-76; W at ATL 96-73</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday vs. PHX; Thursday vs. MIN; Saturday vs. PHX</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 108.0 (1); DefRtg: 97.0 (7); NetRtg: 11.0 (2); eFG%: 55.4 (1); Pace/40: 83.75 (1)</li>
</ul>
Remember how the Las Vegas Aces never shot 3-pointers over the past five seasons? Those days are long gone as the Aces are launching – and splashing – 3-pointers on a nightly basis through their first four games of the season. On Friday, the Aces made a franchise-record 16 3-pointers in a road win over the Dream; it was just the <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://go.nba.com/wwfcz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14th time in WNBA history</a> that a team has made at least 16 3s in a game. Considering the Aces are shooting a league-best 44% from beyond the arc so far this season, they should keep letting them fly.
3. Chicago Sky (2-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 5</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (2-0) W vs. NYL 83-50; W at MIN 82-78</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Wednesday at SEA; Sunday at WAS</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 105.3 (3); DefRtg: 93.8 (4); NetRtg: 11.6 (1); eFG%: 51.9 (3); Pace/40: 77.44 (11)</li>
</ul>
After an overtime loss to the Sparks on the opening night of the 2022 season, the defending champion Sky bounced back with a pair of wins over New York and Minnesota this week. Chicago should have its entire squad back on the court soon; Allie Quigley made her season debut on Saturday after missing the first two games of the season, finishing with seven points and four assists in 21 minutes. And WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper just wrapped up her overseas season <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeagueWomen/status/1525095498750824455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in dominant fashion</a> as she added EuroLeague MVP, Spanish league champion, and Finals MVP honors to her resume.
4. Connecticut Sun (1-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 7</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (1-0) W vs. LAS 77-60</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday at NYL; Friday vs. IND; Sunday at IND</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 102.0 (5); DefRtg: 92.2 (1); NetRtg: 9.8 (3); eFG%: 44.4 (11); Pace/40: 76.50 (12)</li>
</ul>
The Sun have had the lightest schedule of any team through the first 10 days of the season – with only two games played thus far. After falling to the Liberty in their season opener, the Sun looked much more like themselves in a 77-60 win over the Sparks as Alyssa Thomas (23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) and Jonquel Jones (16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) each recorded double-doubles. With Courtney Williams eligible to play following her two-game suspension to start the season, and DeWanna Bonner returning from overseas play, the Sun will add more playmaking, scoring, defense and swag to their squad as their schedule starts to get busy.
5. Phoenix Mercury (2-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 8</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (2-0) W vs. SEA 97-77; W at SEA 69-64</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday at LVA; Thursday vs. DAL; Saturday at LVA</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 104.5 (4); DefRtg: 100.4 (10); NetRtg: 4.1 (6); eFG%: 53.7 (2); Pace/40: 81.50 (T-5)</li>
</ul>
The Mercury swept a home-and-home set against a depleted Storm team this past week – Breanna Stewart and Epiphanny Prince in health and safety protocols, Mercedes Russell out due to injury – to improve to 2-1 after opening the season with a loss to Las Vegas. Tina Charles led the way in the first win over Seattle with her first 20-10 game with the Mercury – Tina is the <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://go.nba.com/7pwaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all-time leader with 95 such games</a> in her career. Diana Taurasi took the baton in the second win, scoring 24 points and making six 3-pointers. In their season-opening loss to the Aces, the Mercury were without Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields (who have both since returned) as well as Kia Nurse (who remains out). The Mercury visit the Aces twice this week to close out their season series just 15 days into the season and will be closer to full strength in the matchup.
6. Atlanta Dream (3-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 9</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (2-1) W vs. LAS 77-75; L vs. LVA 96-73; W at IND 85-79</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday at IND; Friday vs. WAS</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 90.9 (11); DefRtg: 93.6 (3); NetRtg: -2.7 (8); eFG%: 46.1 (7); Pace/40: 82.62 (3)</li>
</ul>
In just her fourth WNBA game, No. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard exploded for 33 points in Atlanta&#8217;s win over Indiana on Sunday to help the Dream improve to 3-1 to open the season. She is only the 14th rookie in WNBA history to score at least 33 points in a game. Here&#8217;s the complete list: A&#8217;ja Wilson (3x), Arike Ogunbowale (2x), Candace Parker (2x), Sue Bird, Cappie Pondexter, Angel McCoughtry, Danielle Robinson, Odyssey Sims, Breanna Stewart, Brittney Sykes, Kia Nurse, Sabrina Ionescu, Chennedy Carter, Rhyne Howard. With 32 more games to play, can Howard join Wilson, Ogumbowale, and Parker with multiple 33-point efforts in her rookie season?
7. Dallas Wings (2-1)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 11</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (2-0) W at WAS 94-86; W at NYL 81-71</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday vs. WAS; Thursday at PHX; Saturday vs. MIN</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.5 (6); DefRtg: 93.3 (2); NetRtg: 4.2 (5); eFG%: 44.9 (10); Pace/40: 79.83 (8)</li>
</ul>
After scoring just 59 points in their season-opening loss to the Dream, the Wings bounced back in a big way by handing the Mystics their first (and so far only) loss of the season and followed it up with a 10-point win over the Liberty – with both wins coming on the road. After being held to seven points in the season-opener, Arike Ogunbowale scored 27 against the Mystics and 21 against the Liberty to pace the Wings&#8217; offense. The Wings should also get Satou Sabally back soon as she just wrapped up her play in the Turkish league – <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://twitter.com/DallasWings/status/1525860469692669952" target="_blank" rel="noopener">winning the title and MVP honors</a> – to bolster their roster as well.
8. Los Angeles Sparks (2-2)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 3</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (0-2) L at ATL 77-75; L at CON 77-60</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday vs. MIN; Friday at SEA</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 94.7 (8); DefRtg: 95.5 (5); NetRtg: -0.9 (7); eFG%: 45.2 (9); Pace/40: 81.82 (4)</li>
</ul>
The Sparks opened the season with a four-game road trip and after winning the first two games (including an overtime win over the defending champs on opening night), they suffered a pair of setbacks in Atlanta and Connecticut this week to even their record at 2-2 headed into Tuesday&#8217;s home opener against the Lynx. With so many new players on the roster this season – Liz Cambage, Jordin Canada, Chennedy Carter, Lexie Brown, as well as their rookies – we expected that L.A. would need some time to build chemistry and find its optimal lineups and rotations. One player that is still a ways away from returning is Kristi Toliver, who is an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks and just advanced to the NBA&#8217;s Western Conference Finals, meaning she&#8217;s at least two weeks away (and potentially more if the Mavs advance) from making her season debut.
9. Seattle Storm (1-3)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 4</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (0-2) L at PHX 97-77; L vs. PHX 69-64</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Wednesday vs. CHI; Friday vs. LAS</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 95.4 (7); DefRtg: 100.0 (9); NetRtg: -4.6 (10); eFG%: 46.2 (6); Pace/40: 81.50 (T-5)</li>
</ul>
This Storm team is tough to judge through the season&#8217;s first four games. They had an impressive win on opening night against the Lynx (who are now the only winless team in the league) and fell to the Aces on the road in a competitive and entertaining matchup. They then dropped a pair of games to the Mercury as they were missing two key players (Breanna Stewart and Epiphanny Prince) due to health and safety protocols. This is where we go back to the fact that there are only 36 games in the season, the schedule is compacted to finish ahead of the World Championships, and every game counts regardless of who is and is not available. At full strength, the Storm are not ranked ninth in the league; but a key to this ranking is looking at a team at the moment.
10. Indiana Fever (2-3)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 12</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (2-1) W vs. MIN 82-76; W at NYL 92-86; L vs. ATL 85-79</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday vs. ATL; Friday at CON; Sunday vs. CON</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 93.7 (9); DefRtg: 97.4 (8); NetRtg: -3.8 (9); eFG%: 46.1 (8); Pace/40: 83.51 (2)</li>
</ul>
Last season, the Fever did not pick up their second win of the season until their 18th game. This season, they did it in just four games. After opening the season 0-2, the Fever defeated Minnesota at home, New York on the road, and saw their fourth-quarter rally against Atlanta come up just short on Sunday. The rookie frontline of NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo has been impressive through Indiana&#8217;s first five games. Smith leads all rookies in rebounding (Egbo and another Fever rookie Emily Engstler round out the top three) and ranks third overall at 10 boards per game. Egbo leads all rookies and ranks fourth overall in blocks at 1.4 per game.
11. New York Liberty (1-3)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 6</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (0-3) L at CHI 83-50; L vs. IND 92-86; L vs. DAL 81-71</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday vs. CON</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 89.2 (12); DefRtg: 103.7 (11); NetRtg: -14.6 (12); eFG%: 46.5 (5); Pace/40: 78.30 (10)</li>
</ul>
The high of New York&#8217;s season-opening win over Connecticut came crashing down this week with a trio of losses – a 33-point blowout at the defending champion Sky, an overtime loss to the Fever at home, and a 10-point loss to the Wings at home in a game the Liberty never led after midway through the second quarter. The Liberty allow the second-highest points per game (83.8 ppg) and the most free throw attempts (22.8 per game) of any team through the first two weeks. The Liberty are still awaiting the return of DiDi Richards from injury but did get Betnijah Laney back this week after she missed the season opener.
12. Minnesota Lynx (0-4)
<ul>
<li>Previous Ranking: 10</li>
<li>Last Week&#8217;s Results: (0-2) L at IND 82-76; L vs. CHI 82-78</li>
<li>This Week&#8217;s Schedule: Tuesday at LAS; Thursday at LVA; Saturday at DAL</li>
<li>Team Stats: OffRtg: 92.5 (10); DefRtg: 105.3 (12); NetRtg: -12.8 (11); eFG%: 44.3 (12); Pace/40: 80.00 (7)</li>
</ul>
When we talk about teams in flux, no team has seen more roster movement than the Minnesota Lynx as head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve has had to remake her roster on the fly while the season is underway. Veterans Angel McCoughtry and Odyssey Sims are out. New guards Moriah Jefferson and rookie Evina Westbrook are in. There have been hardship signings to cover for players out of the lineup – Napheesa Collier (pregnant), Damiras Dantas (foot), Natalie Achonwa (hamstring), and Kayla McBride (overseas). A few signs of hope for the Lynx are that McBride is set to return soon, which is not uncharted territory for Reeve and the Lynx. Minnesota also opened last season 0-4 before bouncing back to finish at 22-10. While there isn&#8217;t time to waste in a 36-game season, the Lynx proved last season that an 0-4 start does not equal doom for the rest of the year.
Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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2022 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 2

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NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2021 – New York Liberty forward Michaela Onyenwere has been named the 2021 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, the WNBA announced today.  She becomes the first player to win the annual award with the Liberty.
Onyenwere received 47 votes from a national panel of 49 sportswriters and broadcasters.  Atlanta Dream guard Aari McDonald and Liberty guard/forward DiDi Richards received one vote each.
Onyenwere averaged 8.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 22.5 minutes in 32 games (29 starts) this season.  She led all WNBA rookies in points per game, field goals made (91) and three-pointers made (37).  The 6-foot Onyenwere also ranked second among rookies in total rebounds (94).
A regular starter in her first WNBA season, Onyenwere recorded 12 games with 10 or more points and five games with five or more rebounds.  In her WNBA debut, she finished with 18 points and five rebounds against the Indiana Fever on May 14.  Onyenwere scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed five rebounds against the Dream on May 29.  In her first career double-double, she posted 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 31.
Onyenwere won all four Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month awards this season.  She helped New York qualify for the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season.
New York selected Onyenwere with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft.  Onyenwere played four college seasons at UCLA, where she became the Bruins’ first two-time AP All-America Team selection and finished her career as the fourth-leading scorer in program history (1,888 points).
In honor of being named the 2021 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, Onyenwere will receive $5,150 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany &amp; Co.
Below are the voting results for the 2021 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Award and a list of past recipients.
 2021 WNBA KIA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
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<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;text-align: center">Player</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;text-align: center">Team</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;text-align: center">Votes</td>
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<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">Michaela Onyenwere</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">New York Liberty</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">47</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">Aari McDonald</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">Atlanta Dream</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">DiDi Richards</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">New York Liberty</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px;text-align: center">1</td>
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</table>

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New York Liberty's Michaela Onyenwere Named 2021 Kia WNBA Rookie Of The Year

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DiDi Richards

CAREER
2022: Missed the majority of the season due to a hamstring injury&#8230;Appeared in 14 of New York’s regular season contests…Averaged 2.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists…Shot 30.6% from the field.
2021: Selected No. 17 overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty&#8230; Named to the Associated Press All-Rookie Team… Appeared in 31 games for New York… Averaged 2.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game… Ranked first among rookies in three-point field goal percentage (45.5%, 10-22), second in games (31), field goal percentage (minimum 30 attempts: 42.1%, 27-64) and steals (17), as well as third in assists (25), total minutes (346) and blocks (5)… Totaled career highs of 14 points on 4-5 (80.0%) from beyond the arc against the Phoenix Mercury on August 25.
PLAYOFFS
2022: Averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and an assist per game while shooting 40.0% (2-5) from the field in the Liberty’s First Round, three-game series against the Chicago Sky…Tallied eight points in Game Two along with a pair of boards and steals.
2021: Recorded 5 points on a perfect 2-2 shooting from the field and one rebound over 12:23 minutes in her WNBA Playoff debut against the Phoenix Mercury on September 23.
COLLEGE: Four-year letter winner for the Baylor Lady Bears…In her 2020-21 senior campaign, averaged 6.3 points and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the field, leading Baylor to a 28-3 finish…DiDi’s 189 assists ranked second in the nation&#8230; As a junior, garnered the 2020 Naismith, WBCA and BIG 12 Defensive Player of The Year Awards…Helped Baylor secure their third-ever National Championship during her sophomore season in 2019.
PERSONAL: Born on February 8, 1999… Given name is Deauzya, but goes by her nickname, DiDi…Daughter of Damian and Ungeanetta Richards&#8230;Has one brother, Damian&#8230;Attended Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, Texas…All-time leading scorer, male or female, at Cypress Ranch with 2,251 career points&#8230;Ranked No. 4 at guard and No. 16 overall in her class according to ESPN Hoopgurlz&#8230;Three-time All-District first team honoree&#8230;2017 TABC 6A Girls High School Player of the Year&#8230;2017 TABC 6A All-State selection&#8230;2017 6A-III All-Region&#8230;Named a Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American in 2017.

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