Lynx players named to WNBA All-Defensive Team

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The WNBA today announced that Lynx center Sylvia Fowles has been named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team while teammates Rebekkah Brunson and Maya Moore were named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. For Fowles, the 2016 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, this is her 7^th WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection (2008, 2010-2013, 2016) while Brunson earns her 5^th career WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honor and Moore her second such recognition.

Fowles, started all 34 contests for Minnesota this season, averaging 18.9 points, a franchise-record 10.4 rebounds while adding a career-best 1.5 assists, 1.29 steals and 1.97 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. Fowles finished second in the WNBA in blocks and 12^th in steals. She led the WNBA in field goal percentage, shooting a career-best 65.5% from the field, the 4th-best field goal percentage in league history and the 2^nd-highest by a Lynx player behind Tamika Williams’ WNBA-record 66.8% in 2003. Fowles also finished 5^th in scoring, 2^nd in rebounding and 15^th in minutes. She was named Western Conference Player of the Month three times (May, June, July) and earned Western Conference Player of the Week honor on five occasions (May 22, May 30, June 12, July 24, Aug. 14). Earlier this season Fowles became the seventh player in league history to reach the 500-block plateau on July 25 vs. New York. She also blocked 3+ shots 12 times this season.

Brunson, a WNBA All-Star this season for the 4^th time in her career, averaged 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 26.9 minutes per game. She finished the season ranked 14^th in the WNBA in rebounding, 24^th in steals (1.10 spg) and 25^th in field goal accuracy (44.9%). Brunson connected on 34.8% (23-of-66) for her three-point attempts this season, having entered the season 2-of-12 from beyond the arc for her career.

Moore earns her second career WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honor after finishing the 2017 campaign ranking 2^nd in the WNBA in steals with a career-best 1.88 steals per game. In 34 contests Moore averaged 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. She shot 44.2% from the floor, 41.2% from three-point range – the 2^nd-best percentage of her career – and 85.8% from the free throw line. 

The Lynx tip off their 2017 WNBA Playoffs run tonight by hosting the Washington Mystics at Williams Arena in Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN. Tickets are available to purchase now at lynxbasketball.com or by calling 612-673-1234, which includes single-game tickets and playoff strips. Playoff strips allow fans to purchase an exact seat location for all home games played during the entire playoff run.