Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry, Los Angeles' Candace Parker Named WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week
NEW YORK, June 3, 2013 -- Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks were named the WNBAs Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played May 24 through June 2.
McCoughtry, the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year and the leagues 2012 scoring champion, led Atlanta to its second 3-0 start in franchise history, which included a pair of road wins. This is McCoughtrys eighth Player of the Week award in her four WNBA seasons.
McCoughtry erupted for 29 and led the Dream to an 86-77 win over the defending champion Indiana Fever on May 31. She also scored 16 points in a May 25 win over Tulsa, and 15 to beat Washington on June 2. McCoughtry is averaging 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.7 steals. She is tied for fourth in the league in scoring.
For Parker, who earned league MVP and Rookie of the Year accolades in 2008, the Player of the Week award is the eleventh of her career.
Her 20 rebounds in the Sparks 83-78 loss to San Antonio on Saturday were a personal single-game high and the second-most in Sparks history behind the 21 of Lisa Leslie (June 19, 1998). She also swatted four shots and dished out four assists.
Parker also turned in a 10-point, five-rebound performance in Los Angeles 102-69 win over Seattle on May 26. She ranks third in the league in rebounding with 12.5 per game.
Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Chicagos Sylvia Fowles, Connecticuts Kara Lawson, New Yorks Cappie Pondexter, and Washingtons Ivory Latta in the East, as well as Minnesotas Maya Moore and Tulsas Glory Johnson in the West.