AP WNBA Awards (Stewart Wins POY)

[bbsamjj]

Stewart first player to win AP POY twice, edges out Wilson 6-4.
Tanisha Wright named COY.
Wilson named DPOY.
Howard: ROY
J. Young: Most Improved
B. Jones: 6th Woman

• All-WNBA Teams: Stewart and Wilson were unanimous first-team selections. Joining them on the first-team are Candace Parker, Chicago; Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas; and Sabrina Ionescu, New York. The second team: Jonquel Jones, Connecticut; Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles; Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut; Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago; and Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix.

Seems pretty non controversial to me. You can argue EDD should be on one of the all WNBA teams, but was going to be tough with her missed games. The league's awards will be announced throughout playoffs.

Storm's Stewart 1st 2-time AP Player of the Year

After leading the league in scoring for the first time in her career, Seattle's Breanna Stewart narrowly edged Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson to be named the AP's WNBA Player of the Year.

www.espn.com

 

[Geew1992]

Can't disagree with this

 

[CBus13]

Sam Thomas being on the All-Rookie team is....wild. 10 points all season? First three-pointer in her final regular season game? As many Personal fouls all season as points, 5 rebounds all season, averaged 4.9 minutes a game?

I feel like Queen Egbo, even on a losing team, should have been there in Thomas' place. 7.2 points (44% shooting), 6.3 rebounds.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oh, the South Carolina fans are gonna be up in arms over this POY selection. Dawn will probably chime in.

 

[WFFL]

Oh, the South Carolina fans are gonna be up in arms over this POY selection. Dawn will probably chime in.

Maybe when the real awards the WNBA awards are announced.

 

[bballnut90]

Love Parker but she isn't a 1st teamer this year. I'd pick A'ja over Stewart for MVP based on regular season, both were great though.

 

[GoChips20]

Oh, the South Carolina fans are gonna be up in arms over this POY selection. Dawn will probably chime in.

It’s not that Stewart is an undeserving pick — she probably is the best overall player in the league — but the “best player on the best team” argument has been used to crown MVPs with far weaker cases than Wilson.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It’s not that Stewart is an undeserving pick — she probably is the best overall player in the league — but the “best player on the best team” argument has been used to crown MVPs with far weaker cases than Wilson.

Either one is deserving. It's a tough call.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Sam Thomas being on the All-Rookie team is....wild. 10 points all season? First three-pointer in her final regular season game? As many Personal fouls all season as points, 5 rebounds all season, averaged 4.9 minutes a game?

I feel like Queen Egbo, even on a losing team, should have been there in Thomas' place. 7.2 points (44% shooting), 6.3 rebounds.

That. Is. Insane. How's this for a "all-rookie" season-long stat line:

I guess she... can make her free throws?

 

[GCKSFN4L]

It’s not that Stewart is an undeserving pick — she probably is the best overall player in the league — but the “best player on the best team” argument has been used to crown MVPs with far weaker cases than Wilson.

This, the precedent has always been like this. No one reasonable would say Stewie isn't deserving but it seems out left field considering the h2h games, team record and all the accolades throughout the season favor Wilson. Again not a bad pick but just not consistent.

Also that Rookie team selection was inexcusable.

 

[eebmg]

Either one is deserving. It's a tough call.

The vote was 6-4. Close indeed

 

[CBus13]

That. Is. Insane. How's this for a "all-rookie" season-long stat line:
View attachment 78343
I guess she... can make her free throws?

Well, she attempted one and made one all season. It was in the final regular season game…when the Mercury were down Taurasi, Diggins-smith, and Cunningham (I believe)

Veronica Burton actually shot 100% from the FT line this season 32 FTA/FTM.
So, she tops Sam Thomas there and also could have been a good all-rookie choice

 

[SECbbfan24]

Sam Thomas being on the All-Rookie team is....wild. 10 points all season? First three-pointer in her final regular season game? As many Personal fouls all season as points, 5 rebounds all season, averaged 4.9 minutes a game?

I feel like Queen Egbo, even on a losing team, should have been there in Thomas' place. 7.2 points (44% shooting), 6.3 rebounds.

I'd love to eat crow on Egbo, she has been a nice surprise to me, performed way better than I thought she would in the WNBA. Still things to improve on but for a rookie she did pretty well and showed some great flashes.

Egbo deserved to be on the all Rookie team...

Egbo Stats:

GP	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG%	3P%	FT%	PF
33	21.8	7.2	6.3	0.9	0.9	1.2	1.9	44.2	0.0	64.5	3.0

Thomas Stats:

GP	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG%	3P%	FT%	PF
24	4.9	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.2	21.1	6.7	100.0	0.5

 

[triaddukefan]

That. Is. Insane. How's this for a "all-rookie" season-long stat line:
View attachment 78343
I guess she... can make her free throws?

Wow

 

[Argonaut]

I’m chuckling thinking of the hypothetical outrage if a UConn alum with that stat line made an all-rookie team.

One of my favorite lines in Ozark is when Ruth tells Marty, “I don’t know s___ about f ___” The AP voters who gave Sam the nod should put that as the subtitle in all of their future WNBA reporting.

 

[bbsamjj]

Love Parker but she isn't a 1st teamer this year. I'd pick A'ja over Stewart for MVP based on regular season, both were great though.

I think you can flip a coin between Parker/A. Thomas/Nneka. I'd probably have gone with Alyssa, but I think all three are deserving of first/second team.

 

[bballnut90]

I think you can flip a coin between Parker/A. Thomas/Nneka. I'd probably have gone with Alyssa, but I think all three are deserving of first/second team.

I'd put Parker on 2nd team behind one of SDS, Thomas or Jones. I think she deserves 2nd team but she hasn't been one of the 5 best players in the league this year IMO.

 

[bbsamjj]

Fair enough. Both Chicago and CT are so deep and spread out the wealth on offense, so hard for any single player to stand out.

 

[cancontent]

I feel bad for Thomas as she didn't ask to get put into this debate. Still, how anyone thought she was a viable option for the team when others like Egbo, and Hillmon have been playing significant minutes, even starting for majority of the season.

And people wonder why most don't think the voters are paying attention. Didn't she have quite a few DNP-Coach's Decision on box scores this season?

 

[PoppaBear]

 

[Tangential]

Why in the world does Maya Caldwell have to bounce back and forth between the Association and barely get opportunities (btw, horrible decision by Dream management to not call her before their last 2 defeats of winnable games), and Sam Thomas has a contract all year? I know DT put in a good word and Adia used her connections, but come on. It's one thing to have her as the 12th (which almost never is a reality) player, but she was playing when they only suited 8 or 9. Same thing with KP in Indy. What about giving someone like Sverjen a shot -- she only outbattled 3 of the 5 members of the soon to be announced all-rookie team in the 1st 2 rounds of the tourney? It's no wonder that the W whiffed on Gardner for years and years.

Completely agree. Just like I mentioned in my post yesterday, there are so many examples of much better players not in the Association, relative to current bench players. And it's often the 8th, 9th, 10th players that need to be contributing. I'll reiterate, should S Thomas be in the league?

I guess that I jumped the gun with my comments from weeks ago. The only free throw that she made was because Coach Wade selected her to shoot it.

She is super-smart, seems to have endless positive energy, & was an integral part of Arizona's defense and run in the 2021 tourney. Apparently, I underrated her and was wrong about her pro talent by a large margin???

 

[Bigboote]

It’s not that Stewart is an undeserving pick — she probably is the best overall player in the league — but the “best player on the best team” argument has been used to crown MVPs with far weaker cases than Wilson.

But this isn't a MVP, it's Player of the Year. Two different things, two different sets of criteria. There are both in many sports. Last I knew, MLB had a MVP given by the organization, while Sporting News had MLB players of the year. Often the same players, sometimes not, less weight given to the winning team in the POY relative to the MVP.

How did it even occur to someone to vote for Sam Thomas? Egbo, Engstler, and Burton all had impacts on their teams. I'd personally give the last spot to Engstler, but have no complaints with anyone who'd give it to either of the others.

 

[eebmg]

I feel bad for Thomas as she didn't ask to get put into this debate. Still, how anyone thought she was a viable option for the team when others like Egbo, and Hillmon have been playing significant minutes, even starting for majority of the season.

And people wonder why most don't think the voters are paying attention. Didn't she have quite a few DNP-Coach's Decision on box scores this season?

I am beginning to wonder if there was some crazy mistake (misreading the name on a spread sheet ???)

 

[Bigboote]

Wow, the Lib run off 13 straight late to take it. Fun game, and I really like Marine Johannes's game. She and Ionescu make a great young backcourt to build a team around.

Han Xu's surname is Han, not Xu. For a couple of games, the Liberty announcers finally got it. You'd think the folks doing national broadcasts would pay attention to things like that.

 

[cancontent]

I am beginning to wonder if there was some crazy mistake (misreading the name on a spread sheet ???)

Well, someone at AP better get somebody out to explain because it's not making them look good in this case. Did anyone see the Score's tweet about it yesterday?