Wings’ Allisha Gray named 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year

NEW YORK – Dallas Wings guard Allisha Gray has been named the 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the WNBA announced today.  She becomes the second player in franchise history to earn the honor, joining Cheryl Ford, who won the award in 2003 with the Detroit Shock.

Gray received 30 votes from a national panel of 40 sportswriters and broadcasters.  Atlanta Dream guard Brittney Sykes received the other 10 votes.

The fourth overall pick in the WNBA Draft 2017 presented by State Farm, Gray finished second among rookies in scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (3.9 rpg).  She also led first-year players in steals with 1.53 per game, which ranked seventh in the WNBA.  The 6-foot Gray started all 34 games for Dallas and averaged a rookie-high 27.2 minutes per game.

Gray helped the Wings (16-18) improve by five games from last season and advance to the WNBA Playoffs 2017 presented by Verizon as the seventh seed.  In the postseason, Dallas lost its first-round game to the Washington Mystics.

A former University of South Carolina standout, Gray tipped off her professional career by winning WNBA Rookie of the Month honors in May and June.  She scored in double figures in five of her first six games and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds twice in her first 12 games.

Gray recorded two games with at least 20 points this season, including a career-high 21-point performance against the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 12.  Two days earlier, she scored 19 points, grabbed six rebounds and matched a career high with four steals against the Phoenix Mercury.

In honor of being named the 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Gray will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany & Co.  Fanatics Branded is commemorating Gray’s Rookie of the Year victory with exclusive T-shirts available tomorrow on WNBAStore.com.

Below are the complete results of the 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year, followed by a list of all-time winners:
2017 WNBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
30                       Allisha Gray                                        Dallas Wings
10                       Brittney Sykes                                   Atlanta Dream

 

WNBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ALL-TIME WINNERS

2017                       Allisha Gray                                        Dallas Wings
2016                       Breanna Stewart                              Seattle Storm
2015                       Jewell Loyd                                         Seattle Storm
2014                       Chiney Ogwumike                           Connecticut Sun
2013                       Elena Delle Donne                           Chicago Sky
2012                      Nneka Ogwumike                            Los Angeles Sparks
2011                       Maya Moore                                      Minnesota Lynx
2010                       Tina Charles                                       Connecticut Sun
2009                      Angel McCoughtry                           Atlanta Dream
2008                       Candace Parker                                 Los Angeles Sparks
2007                       Armintie Price                                    Chicago Sky
2006                       Seimone Augustus                          Minnesota Lynx
2005                       Temeka Johnson                              Washington Mystics
2004                       Diana Taurasi                                     Phoenix Mercury
2003                       Cheryl Ford                                         Detroit Shock
2002                       Tamika Catchings                             Indiana Fever
2001                       Jackie Stiles                                        Portland Fire
2000                       Betty Lennox                                      Minnesota Lynx
1999                      Chamique Holdsclaw                      Washington Mystics
1998                       Tracy Reid                                           Charlotte Sting

 

About the WNBA

The WNBA – which features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world – is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  The league, which counts Verizon as its leaguewide marquee partner, completed its 21st regular season on Sept. 3, 2017.

Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education.  For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.