NEW YORK – 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 June 13 through June 19.

Charles earned Player of the Week honors for the third time this season and the 17^th time in her seven-year career.  The 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player and four-time All-Star helped the Liberty win all three of its games during the week.  The team improved to 8-4 on the season and earned a share of the top spot in the East with the Atlanta Dream.  Through 12 games, Charles leads the WNBA in scoring (22.0 ppg) and shares the lead in rebounding (9.8 rpg) with Courtney Paris of the Dallas Wings.

The former University of Connecticut standout paced all WNBA players in scoring (28.7 ppg) and ranked fourth among Eastern Conference players in rebounding (8.0 rpg) for the week.  Charles tipped off her week with 28 points in a 91-88 home win over the Wings on June 14.  Two days later, she matched a career high with 32 points and added six rebounds and four assists in New York’s 80-72 win over the Connecticut Sun.  Charles capped her week with 26 points, 15 boards and six assists in a 78-75 road win over the Indiana Fever on June 19.

Parker, the 2008 and 2013 WNBA MVP, was named Player of the Week for the second time this season and the 17^th time in her nine-year career.  The University of Tennessee product helped the Sparks improve to 11-0 on the season with home wins in both of their games last week.  Los Angeles and the Minnesota Lynx share the best record in the West and remain the WNBA’s only unbeaten teams.

Through 11 games, Parker ranks 10^th in the WNBA in scoring (16.5 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (7.4 rpg).   For the week, she was fourth among Western Conference players in scoring (20.5 ppg), third in rebounding (9.0 rpg) and tied for third in assists (4.5 apg).  Behind her 17 points, seven boards and five assists, Los Angeles opened its week with a 98-85 win over the Chicago Sky on June 14.  She then posted 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in a 77-71 win at the Phoenix Mercury on June 17.

Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week include Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne, Connecticut’s Alex Bentley, Dallas’ Karima Christmas, Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike, the San Antonio Stars’ Kayla McBride and the Seattle Storm’s Breanna Stewart.

For more information on this week’s Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.

2016 WNBA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Week Ending    East Player                     Team                West Player                     Team

5/22/16               Tina Charles                    New York            Maya Moore                 Minnesota

5/29/16               Angel McCoughtry          Atlanta               Candace Parker           Los Angeles

6/5/16                 Tina Charles                    New York            Maya Moore                 Minnesota

6/12/16               Emma Meesseman          Washington       Nneka Ogwumike         Los Angeles

6/19/16               Tina Charles                    New York            Candace Parker           Los Angeles