Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve gained a pair of prime WNBA awards and ahead Napheesa Collier was named the Defensive Participant of the 12 months, the league introduced on Sunday.
Reeve was honored as Coach of the 12 months and Government of the 12 months after main the Lynx to a franchise-best 30-win common season and a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury within the first spherical of the playoffs.
With the distinction, Reeve, 58, turns into the primary particular person to win Coach of the 12 months 4 occasions. She beforehand gained the award in 2011, 2016 and 2020. That is her second time being named Government of the 12 months title after her 2019 win, and makes her solely the second particular person to win the coach and government awards in the identical season. Curt Miller is the one different particular person to scoop in each prizes in 2017 with the Connecticut Solar
In her fifteenth season as the pinnacle coach of the Lynx, Reeve acquired 62 of 67 votes from a nationwide media panel. Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty acquired 4 votes, and Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides was named on one poll.
As for Collier, that is her first Defensive Participant of the 12 months award. She acquired 36 of 67 votes, with A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces second with 26. Collier, 28, is in her sixth WNBA season and began all 34 of her video games performed. She ranked second within the league in steals per recreation (1.91), third in rebounds (9.7), fourth in defensive rebounds (7.5) and seventh in blocked pictures (1.41). Over the course of the common season, Collier held opponents to only 39.6% taking pictures. She can be solely the fifth participant in league historical past to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months whereas averaging 20 or extra factors a recreation on offense.
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The four-time All-Star had 10 defensive rebounds or extra in seven video games and eight steals in a single night time in opposition to the Los Angeles Sparks on 14 June.
The Lynx completed the common season second within the league with fewest factors allowed (75.6).
Minnesota, who want to win their fifth title, are subsequent in motion in opposition to the Connecticut Solar within the semi-final spherical of the WNBA playoffs on Sunday night time.
