NEW YORK – Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles has been named the 2017 WNBA Most Valuable Player, the WNBA announced today.  The 10-year veteran earned her first MVP award and became the ninth different player in the last nine years to win the honor.  She is the second winner for the Lynx, joining teammate Maya Moore (2014).

Fowles (385 points) received 35 of 40 first-place votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.  New York Liberty forward Tina Charles earned three first-place votes and finished second with 199 points.  Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker received the other two first-place votes and was third (132 points).  Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.

Behind Fowles, Minnesota went 27-7 and earned the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs 2017 presented by Verizon.  After earning a double bye to start the postseason, Minnesota will host the Washington Mystics in Game 2 of a best-of-five Semifinals series tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Minnesota leads the series 1-0.

A four-time WNBA All-Star and three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Fowles ranked fifth in the WNBA in scoring (18.9 ppg), second in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and tied for second in blocked shots (1.97 bpg) this season.  She also shared the league lead in double-doubles with Connecticut Sun forward/center Jonquel Jones (20).

Fowles paced all players in field goal percentage (65.5) for the fifth time in her career (2009, 2011-13).  Only two other players have led the league in as many as two seasons (Washington’s Murriel Page, 1999-00; and Minnesota’s Tamika Williams, 2003-04).

The former LSU standout set single-season career highs in field goal percentage, offensive rebounds (123) and assists (52).  Her totals of 644 points, 354 rebounds, 254 made field goals and 44 steals were the second-highest totals in her career.

Fowles was named Western Conference Player of the Week five times this season and earned the Western Conference Player of the Month award for May, June and July.

In honor of being named the WNBA Most Valuable Player, Fowles will receive $15,000 and a specially designed trophy.

adidas is commemorating Fowles’ MVP win with exclusive T-shirts available tomorrow on WNBAStore.com.

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 21^st 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.