Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale, Los Angeles Sparks forward/center Candace Parker and Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot have won the 2020 WNBA Peak Performer Awards in scoring, rebounding and assists, respectively, the WNBA announced.
The WNBA presents the Peak Performer Awards annually to the players who lead the league in each of those categories during the regular season. Each winner will receive a trophy crafted by Tiffany & Co. in honor of her accomplishments.
SCORING AVERAGE: Arike Ogunbowale
Ogunbowale averaged 22.8 points in 22 games in her second WNBA season, earning her first scoring title. Last season, she finished third in scoring as a rookie (19.1 ppg).
A 2019 WNBA All-Rookie Team selection, Ogunbowale scored at least 14 points in every game this season and shot at least 50.0 percent from the field in all four of her 30-point games.
The Other Elite Gunners
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson ranked second in the WNBA in scoring with 20.5 points per game. She was followed by Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner (19.73 ppg), Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (19.7 ppg) and Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (18.7 ppg).
Rebounding Average: Candace “Shebron” Parker
Playing her 13th WNBA season, Parker continues to be amazing as a baller, leader, top media analyst and social activist. The 12-year-veteran and future first-ballot Hall of Famer averaged 9.7 rebounds in 22 games to win her third rebounding title and first since back-to-back Peak Performer Awards for boards in 2008 and 2009.
A two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, Parker posted 10 or more rebounds 12 times this season, including a streak of five consecutive double-digit rebounding games July 30 – Aug. 9. She grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds against the Mystics on Sept. 10.
With Parker leading Los Angeles in scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounding, the Sparks earned the No. 3 seed in WNBA Playoffs 2020 presented by AT&T and received a bye into the second round.
They will play a single-elimination second-round game on Thursday, Sept. 17 on ESPN2.
The Other Chairman of The Boards
Sun forward Alyssa Thomas ranked second in the WNBA in rebounding with 9.048 rebounds per game, finishing just ahead of Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (9.045 rpg), Mercury forward Brianna Turner (9.00 rpg) and Mystics forward Myisha Hines-Allen (8.9 rpg).
Assists Average: Courtney Vandersloot
With another record-setting season, The John Stockton of the WNBA, Courtney Vandersloot won her fourth consecutive Peak Performer Award for assists and her fifth overall (she also won in 2015).
Vandersloot averaged a WNBA-record 10.0 assists in 22 games, breaking her record of 9.1 assists from last season. She also set the single-game record with 18 assists against the Indiana Fever on Aug. 31.
With Vandersloot leading the way, Chicago earned the sixth seed in the WNBA Playoffs.
The Sky will face the seventh-seeded Sun in a single-elimination first-round game on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The Other Diamond Dishers
Fever guard Julie Allemand (5.8 apg) ranked second in the WNBA in assists, followed by Storm guard Jordin Canada (5.5 apg), Mystics guard Leilani Mitchell (5.4 apg) and Sparks guard Chelsea Gray (5.3 apg).
