STANFORD, Calif. – Los Angeles Sparks forward and 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike added to her haul of postseason accolades on Friday when she was named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team for the second consecutive season.
Ogwumike is the fifth MVP to also earn a spot on the league's all-defensive first team and first since Tamika Catchings in 2011. Sheryl Swoopes (2005), Lisa Leslie (2006) and Lauren Jackson (2007) also took home the WNBA's top individual honor and were voted among the five best defensive players the same season. The WNBA began recognizing an all-defensive team in 2005.
The three-time All-Star was third in the league in rebounds (9.1) and eighth in blocks (1.2). Ogwumike led the WNBA in offensive rating (135.0) and was third in defensive rating (95.9), the only player in the top five in both categories. She topped the league in offensive win shares (6.8), was second in defensive win shares (2.7) and helped the Sparks limit opponents to a league-low 75.9 points per game.
2016 WNBA All-Defensive First Team
| Player | Team | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alana Beard | Los Angeles Sparks | Guard | 55 |
| Angel McCoughtry | Atlanta Dream | Forward | 37 |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | Forward | 37 |
| Sylvia Fowles | Minnesota Lynx | Center | 35 |
| Briann January | Indiana Fever | Guard | 34 |
On Tuesday, Ogwumike became the first Stanford women's basketball alumna to be named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player when she was recognized for finishing her regular season as the most efficient shooter in the history of professional basketball. Her 66.5 field goal percentage is second all-time in WNBA single-season history to Tamika Raymond's 66.8 percent clip in 2003, but the 6-foot-2 forward also shot 16-of-26 from 3-point range (.615) and 146-of-168 from the line (.869).
Combined together, Ogwumike ended the year with a true shooting percentage of 73.7 percent, well clear of Candice Dupree's previous WNBA record of 69.97 percent in 2010. Tyson Chandler in 2011-12 (.7081) and Artis Gilmore in 1981-82 (.7024) are the only NBA players to finish a season with a true shooting percentage of more than 70 percent.
Ogwumike became Stanford's third three-time All-American when she was named to the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team in 2012. Her selection capped a career which included four NCAA Final Four appearances, an undefeated record at Maples Pavilion and numerous Cardinal records. She is one of just six members of the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club at Stanford along with sister Chiney, Jayne Appel, Candice Wiggins, Nicole Powell and Val Whiting.
In her senior campaign, Ogwumike set what were then Stanford single-season benchmarks for points scored (809) and scoring average (22.5). She was named Pac-12 Player of the Year for the second time and earned her second straight Pac-12 Tournament MVP as well as a third NCAA Regional MVP in a row.
In 2009-10, Ogwumike became the first sophomore since Candice Wiggins to be named Pac-10 Player of the Year, leading the conference with 18.5 points per game and a 59.8 shooting percentage to go along with 9.9 rebounds per game.
The Sparks routed Chicago in the first game of their best-of-five semifinals on Wednesday night, 95-75. Ogwumike had 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting in the win to go along with game-highs of 10 rebounds and six assists. The series continues tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPNews.