NEW YORK – Elena Delle Donne of the Washington Mystics and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played from Aug. 1 through the conclusion of the regular season on Aug. 19.

For both Delle Donne and Taurasi, each of whom won the award in June, this marks the fourth such honor since the award was instituted in 2010.

Washington posted a 7-1 mark in the seven games Delle Donne played in August, finishing the month with a 22-12 overall record and the No. 3 seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.  The 2015 WNBA MVP ranked first among Eastern Conference players in scoring (20.0 ppg) and ninth in rebounds (6.3 rpg).  She also finished sixth in field goal percentage (53.5, 54-of-101) and three-point shooting accuracy (44.8, 13-of-29).  Delle Donne scored in double figures in each of her last six games, including two games with 30 points.  She also recorded at least 23 points two times.

The 6-5 forward/guard’s month featured back-to-back 30-point efforts in a 103-98 win at the Phoenix Mercury on Aug. 7 and in a 100-77 home win over the league-leading Seattle Storm on Aug. 9.  She then registered 23 points and seven rebounds in a 93-80 win over the visiting Dallas Wings on Aug. 12, and three days later scored 25 points and pulled down another seven boards in a 76-62 road win over the Indiana Fever.

Led by Taurasi, Phoenix went 5-2 in August to improve to 20-14 and earn the No. 5 seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.  The 6-foot guard ranked fourth among West players in scoring (22.0 ppg) and first in assists (7.4 apg).  She also finished third in field throw percentage (90.9, 50-of-55).

The two-time WNBA Finals MVP (2009, 2014) posted four games of at least 20 points, including a season-high 37-point effort, to go along with nine assists, in a 104-93 road win over the Las Vegas Aces on Aug. 1.  On Aug. 7, Taurasi registered 29 points, seven boards and five assists in a home loss to Washington, 103-98.

Now in her 14^th WNBA season, Taurasi set a career-high with 14 assists, to go along with 20 points, in an 86-78 win over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 12.  Five days later, she dished out another 14 assists and added 27 points as Phoenix earned a 104-95 home win over the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 17.

Other candidates for the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Tiffany Hayes, the Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones, the Chicago Sky’s Diamond DeShields and Courtney Vandersloot, Dallas’ Liz Cambage, Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson,  Los Angeles’ Candace Parker, the Minnesota Lynx’s Sylvia Fowles, and Phoenix’s DeWanna Bonner and Brittney Griner.

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

The 2018 WNBA regular season continues through Aug. 19 and the playoffs begin on Aug. 21.  For more information on the WNBA and game tickets, fans may visit wnba.com.

2018 WNBA Players of the Month