NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2017 – Tina Charles of the New York Liberty and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Aug. 21-27.

Charles was selected Player of the Week for the 27^th time in eight seasons, extending her WNBA record. This is her sixth Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor this season.

Behind Charles, New York went 3-0 last week to extend its winning streak to eight games and improve to 20-12 for the season.  The 6-4 center ranked fourth among East players in scoring (18.3 ppg) and fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg).  She also was second in three-point field goal percentage (62.5, 5-of-8) and tied for second in steals (2.0 spg).

The 2012 WNBA MVP opened her week with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists in just 25 minutes as New York defeated the host Indiana Fever 71-50 on Aug. 23.  She then posted 20 points, seven rebounds and three steals in a 74-66 home win over the Washington Mystics on Aug. 25.  Charles capped the week with 22 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes during a 92-62 victory over the Chicago Sky at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 27 – the former University of Connecticut star’s 19^th 20-point game of the season.

Parker was named Western Conference Player of the Week for fourth time this season.  She raised her career total to 22 Player of the Week awards in 10 seasons.

With the 6-4 forward-center leading the way, Los Angeles went 3-0 for the week to improve to 24-8 and move within a half-game of the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (24-7).  Parker tied for sixth among West players in scoring (16.0 ppg), was fifth in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and contributed 3.7 assists per game.  She also converted six of her 14 three-point field goal attempts (42.9 percent).

A two-time MVP (2008, 2013), Parker’s week was highlighted by a game-high 24-point effort in a 78-67 defeat of the visiting Lynx on Aug. 27.  She also finished with 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win.  The former University of Tennessee standout began the week with 12 points, six assists and five rebounds in just 24 minutes in a 75-55 home win over the San Antonio Stars on Aug. 22.  Her week also included a 12-point, seven-rebound performance in an 82-67 win at the Phoenix Mercury on Aug. 24.

Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were the Atlanta Dream’s Tiffany Hayes and Elizabeth Williams, Chicago’s Stefanie Dolson, the Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas, the Dallas Wings’ Skylar Diggins-Smith, Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike and Odyssey Sims, Phoenix’s Brittney Griner and Washington’s Elena Delle Donne and Emma Meesseman.

 

 

For more information on the WNBA Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.

 

The 2017 WNBA regular season runs through Sept. 3 and the playoffs begin on Sept. 6.  For more information on the WNBA and game tickets, fans may visit www.wnba.com.

 

 

2017 WNBA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

 

Week Ending    East Player                    Team                       West Player                        Team

5/21/17               Layshia Clarendon         Atlanta                     Sylvia Fowles                      Minnesota

5/28/17               Epiphanny Prince           New York                Sylvia Fowles                      Minnesota

6/4/17                 Tina Charles                   New York                Diana Taurasi                       Phoenix

6/11/17               Tina Charles                   New York                Sylvia Fowles                      Minnesota

6/18/17               Jonquel Jones                 Connecticut              Candace Parker                    Los Angeles

6/25/17               Alyssa Thomas               Connecticut              Skylar Diggins-Smith          Dallas

7/2/17                 Jasmine Thomas             Connecticut              Candace Parker                    Los Angeles

7/9/17                 Alyssa Thomas               Connecticut              Brittney Griner                     Phoenix

7/16/17               Stefanie Dolson             Chicago                    Breanna Stewart                  Seattle

7/23/17               Tina Charles                   New York                Sylvia Fowles                      Minnesota

7/30/17               Tina Charles                   New York                Candace Parker                    Los Angeles

8/6/17                 Courtney Vandersloot   Chicago                    Glory Johnson                      Dallas

8/13/17               Jonquel Jones                 Connecticut              Sylvia Fowles                      Minnesota

8/20/17               Tina Charles                   New York                Breanna Stewart                  Seattle

8/27/17               Tina Charles                   New York                Candace Parker                    Los Angeles