After a record-breaking regular season, Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot earned her third consecutive WNBA peak performer award for assists, the league announced Monday.
Vandersloot put on the best performance of her nine-year WNBA career this season. She led the league in assists, averaging a record 9.1 dimes in 33 games. The second closest player to Vandersloot was Sparks point guard Chelsea Gray, who averaged 5.9 per game.
To top off her wildly successful season, Vandersloot, a two-time All-Star, became the first WNBA player to rack up 300 assists in a season. Her milestone helper came in the fourth quarter against the Mystics on Sunday when she passed the ball to first-round pick Katie Lou Samuelson, who sank a three-pointer.
“[It] just speaks to putting her down as one of the all-time greats,” coach James Wade said.
After the game, Vandersloot, who was also named a peak performer in 2015, gave credit to her teammates.
“300 buckets! Love you guys,” she wrote on Instagram. “We made history together. Thanks for making me look good every night.”
View this post on Instagram300 buckets! Love you guys We made history together Thanks for making me look good every night
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But guard Kahleah Copper said it’s the other way around.
“She’s just amazing and she really puts us in great positions to be better,” Copper said. “She’s a big part of what we are today.”
Along with Vandersloot, Mercury center Brittney Griner and Sun forward/center Jonquel Jones were also named peak performers. This season, Griner led the WNBA averaging 20.7 points in 31 games, and Jones averaged a league-high 9.7 rebounds in 34 games.
The three, who were all named peak performers in 2017, will receive a trophy crafted by Tiffany & Co. in honor of their achievements.
