WNBA NEWS - All-WNBA First Team

A’ja Wilson - (NBA - photo)

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier - (NBA - photo)

Satou Sabally - (NBA - photo)

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Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas and A’ja Wilson unanimously selected to 2023 All-WNBA First Team - THIS DAY IN THE NBA

NEW YORK, NY USA

Monday October 16, 2023

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson have been unanimously selected to the 2023 All-WNBA First Team, the WNBA announced today.

Stewart, Thomas and Wilson, who finished first, second and third, respectively, in the voting for the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, were named to the All-WNBA First Team on all 60 ballots in voting by a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Stewart earned a spot on the First Team for the fourth consecutive season and fifth time overall. Thomas, a two-time All-WNBA Team selection, makes her debut on the First Team. Wilson was selected to the All-WNBA First Team for the third time.

Voting for the All-WNBA Teams was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season. Players were selected without regard to position and received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.

Joining Stewart, Thomas and Wilson (300 points each) on the 2023 All-WNBA First Team are Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (236 points) and Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally (186).

This is the second All-WNBA Team selection for Collier, who makes her debut on the First Team. Sabally is an All-WNBA Team selection for the first time in her career.

The 2023 All-WNBA Second Team consists of Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (168), Aces guards Jackie Young (163) and Chelsea Gray (159), Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd (158) and Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (143).

Ogwumike is an All-WNBA Team choice for the sixth time. Gray and Loyd are All-WNBA Team picks for the third time. Ionescu is a two-time selection and Young makes her debut on the All-WNBA Team.

2023 All-WNBA First Team

Breanna Stewart, Liberty: In her seventh WNBA season and first with the Liberty, the 2023 Kia WNBA MVP averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.57 blocks and 1.45 steals in 40 games. The 6-4 forward ranked second in the WNBA in scoring, third in rebounding and double-doubles (20), 16th in assists, fourth in blocks and minutes and eighth in steals. She also was the Kia Eastern Conference Player of the Month in May, July and August.

Alyssa Thomas, Sun: The 6-2 Thomas finished in second place in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award after setting WNBA single-season records for triple-doubles (six) and double-doubles (28). In her 10th season, Thomas led the league in rebounding (9.9 rpg) and ranked second in assists (7.9 apg), establishing career-highs in both categories, and equaled her career-best of averaging 15.5 points per game.

A’ja Wilson, Aces: The 6-4 Wilson was named the Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. In her sixth season, Wilson ranked third in the league in scoring (22.8 ppg), second in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and double-doubles (22), and led the league in blocks (2.23 bpg), setting career highs in each category. She was the Kia Western Conference Player of the Month in June, July and August.

Napheesa Collier, Lynx: In her fourth full season in the WNBA, Collier finished fourth in the voting for Kia WNBA MVP and was selected to the league’s All-Defensive Second Team. The 6-1 forward ranked fourth in the league in scoring averaging a career-high 21.5 points per game and seventh in rebounding (8.5 rpg) over 37 games. In addition, she paced Minnesota in steals (1.65 spg) and blocks (1.16 bpg).

Satou Sabally, Wings: Sabally, the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player, averaged career highs of 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.79 steals, up from 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.5 steals in 2022. The 6-4 forward also raised her overall field goal percentage to a career-best 43.5 percent. She ranked ninth in the league in scoring, 10th in rebounding, 13th in assists and fourth in steals.

2023 All-WNBA Second Team

Nneka Ogwumike, Sparks: In her 12th season, Ogwumike ranked sixth in the WNBA in scoring (19.1 ppg), rebounding (8.8 rpg) and steals (1.69 spg). Her 689 points surpassed the Sparks’ record of 680, set by Lisa Leslie in 2006. The 6-2 forward finished sixth in voting for the 2023 Kia WNBA MVP Award, was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team and was a starter in the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game.

Jackie Young, Aces: Young averaged a career-high 17.6 ppg (11th in the WNBA) and was voted as a starter in the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game. The 6-0 guard scored at least 20 points in 15 games. Young ranked second in the WNBA in three-point shooting percentage (44.9) and seventh in overall field goal percentage (52.3, tops among guards). She also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.30 steals in 40 games.

Chelsea Gray, Aces: The 5-11 guard, who was selected as a starter for the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, ranked third in the WNBA with 7.3 assists per game, an Aces’ single-season record. She also set a team record for point/assist double-doubles with 10. In addition, Gray recorded the franchise’s first point/rebound/assist triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against New York on Aug. 17.

Jewell Loyd, Storm: The 5-11 guard scored a WNBA single-season record 939 points while playing in 38 games and leading the league in scoring (24.7 ppg), the second-highest average in WNBA history (Diana Taurasi, 25.3 in 2006). Loyd also led the WNBA with 21 games of at least 25 points and 12 games with at least 30 points. In addition, Loyd was named the MVP of the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game after setting All-Star Game records with 31 points and 10 three-pointers made.

Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty: The 5-11 guard set a WNBA single-season record with 128 three-pointers, eclipsing the mark of 121 set by Diana Taurasi in 2006. In addition, Ionescu ranked seventh in the WNBA in assists (5.4 apg) and 16th in scoring (17.0 ppg). She won the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest at the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, where her 37-point final round set an all-time WNBA and NBA single-round record.

In honor of their accomplishments, each member of the All-WNBA First Team will receive $10,300 and each member of the Second Team will receive $5,150.

Below are the voting results for the 2023 All-WNBA Team.

Players were selected without regard for position. Players received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.

October 16, 1962 Dave DeBusschere made his debut for the Detroit Pistons against Los Angeles during a neutral site contest in New York. The Lakers won 122-106.

October 16, 1963 Jerry Lucas made his debut for the Cincinnati Royals at the St. Louis Hawks. The Royals won 112-93.

October 16, 1965 Billy Cunningham made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers at the Baltimore Bullets. The 76ers won 133-101.

October 16, 1968 The Milwaukee Bucks made their debut with a 89-84 loss to the Chicago Bulls before a Milwaukee Arena crowd of 8,467.

October 16, 1968 Wes Unseld made his debut for the Baltimore Bullets at home against the Detroit Pistons. The Bullets won 124-116.

October 16, 1970 The Portland Trail Blazers defeated fellow expansion club Cleveland 115-112 to pick up their first victory in the NBA.

October 16, 1971 Artis Gilmore made his debut for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA at home against the New York Nets. The Colonels won 107-98.

October 16, 1999 After a scare in the opening game the previous day, the San Antonio Spurs flexed their muscles in Milan, Italy and continued the NBA's domination of the McDonald's Championship. With Tim Duncan leading the way, the Spurs rolled to a 103-68 rout of Vasco da Gama of Brazil in the final of the biennial international tournament at the FilaForum. Duncan earned the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as the tournament MVP with a 32-point, 18-rebound performance. Duncan had 20 of his points in the first half when the Spurs built a 56-36 lead. After seeing its lead cut to 79-66, San Antonio outscored the Brazilian team, 24-2 in the fourth quarter. David Robinson had 16 points and Avery Johnson added 14 for the Spurs.

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