NEW YORK – Tina Charles of the New York Liberty and Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month presented by Samsung, respectively, for games played in May.  Moore earned her seventh Player of the Month honor, the most since the award’s inception in 2010.  With her sixth Player of the Month selection, Charles remains one behind Moore.

The Eastern and Western Conference Player of the Month awards, as well as the WNBA Rookie of the Month, are presented by Samsung and are part of the larger WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung program.  This marks the third consecutive season that Samsung, an official WNBA marketing partner, will present the WNBA’s highest individual honors, including the WNBA Most Valuable Player, WNBA Most Improved Player, WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Charles, the 2012 WNBA MVP and a former teammate of Moore’s at the University of Connecticut, led the WNBA in scoring (23.4 ppg) and rebounding (11.8 rpg) during May and recorded double-doubles in all five games.

Charles began the month with back-to-back games of 24 points and 11 rebounds – first in an 87-76 win at the Washington Mystics on May 14 and then in a 79-71 win over the visiting Dallas Wings in New York’s home opener on May 15.  In an 85-79 loss to the visiting Atlanta Dream on May 24, she finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, seven steals and six assists.   Charles’ performance marked just the third time in WNBA history that a player recorded at least 29 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and five assists (Brandy Reed, Phoenix at Charlotte, June 22, 2000; and Candace Parker, Los Angeles at Washington, June 1, 2014).

Additional highlights of Charles’ play in May included:

• May 21 vs. Los Angeles: 17 points and 16 rebounds in a 79-72 loss

• May 31 vs. Minnesota: 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 79-69 loss

Moore, the 2013 WNBA Finals MVP and 2014 regular-season MVP, led all Western Conference players in scoring during May (22.3 ppg) and guided Minnesota to a league-best 6-0 start.  She also ranked second in the West in assists (5.3 apg), sixth in field goal percentage (.544, 49-of-90) and blocks (1 bpg), and seventh in three-point shooting (.409, 9-of-22), along with contributing 4.6 rebounds per game.

Moore opened 2016 with 27 points and a career-high 10 assists in a resounding 95-76 win over the visiting Phoenix Mercury on May 14.  She then contributed 22 points and six assists in a 97-80 road win over the Chicago Sky on May 18.  Moore also tallied 34 points in a win at Phoenix on May 25, including the tie-breaking layup with 36.5 seconds remaining.  The 34-point effort equaled the WNBA single-game high this season set by Los Angeles’ Parker (against Seattle on May 15) and extended Moore’s franchise record for 30-point games to 18.

Additional highlights of Moore’s play in May included:

• May 22 at Seattle: 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 78-71 win
• May 31 at New York: 25 points, six rebounds and three assists in a 79-69 victory

For more information on this year’s WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung, visit www.wnba.com/awards.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology.  A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and America’s fastest growing home appliance brand. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 236,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion.

About the WNBA
The WNBA, which features 12 teams, is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  The league, which counts Verizon as its leaguewide marquee partner, began its 20^th season on May 14, 2016.

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.