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NEW YORK (AP) — DeWanna Bonner scored 20 points, Rebecca Allen added 18 and the Connecticut Sun played stellar defense to beat the New York Liberty 78-63 on Sunday in the first game of their best-of-five WNBA semifinals playoff series. Third-seeded Connecticut lost all four games between the teams in the regular season, including getting blown out twice in New York. New York led by three at halftime before Connecticut went on a 16-2 run to start the third quarter. She scored the first five points of the fourth to push it to 70-55 — the team's biggest lead of the game. Allen had 12 to lead Connecticut while Alyssa Thomas had six points, five rebounds and five assists.

Persons: — DeWanna Bonner, Rebecca Allen, Hiedeman, Allen —, Jones, —, Bonner, Breanna, couldn't, Stewart, she's, Ionescu, Allen, Alyssa Thomas, Thomas, ___ Organizations: Connecticut Sun, New York Liberty, Connecticut, Sun, Liberty, New York, Minnesota, New Locations: New York, York, Washington, Connecticut

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson was honored as the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in a row. Wilson received 32 of 60 votes from a national media panel. No other player received more than three votes. In playing for the league's top-rated defense, Wilson also led the WNBA in defensive efficiency rating (93.2) and blocked shots (2.2). This is the third time in four years Wilson led the league in blocked shots.

Persons: HENDERSON, A'ja Wilson, Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Thomas, Brittney Sykes, Breanna Stewart, Jordin Canada, Betnijah Laney, Ezi, Nneka, Napheesa Collier, Elizabeth Williams, ___ Organizations: Las Vegas Aces, WNBA, Connecticut Sun, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks, Liberty, Seattle Storm, Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Chicago Sky, Aces, Wings Locations: Nev

She finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. It’s been a lot of amazing basketball going on this year and makes you feel good going into the playoffs.”Stewart narrowly edged Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson by one vote from the 12-member media. It's the fourth time that an Aces player has won the award with Clark joining Dearica Hamby, who won it twice and Kelsey Plum. Joining them on the first-team are Seattle's Jewell Loyd and Las Vegas' Chelsea Gray. AP WNBA POWER POLLNew York finished atop the power poll with Las Vegas second.

Persons: Breanna Stewart, Stewart, “, ”, It’s, ” Stewart, Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Thomas, Washington's Brittney Sykes, Alysha Clark, Clark, Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum, Connecticut's Stephanie White, Brionna Jones, Achilles, Brittney, Napheesa Collier, Griner, Collier, Satou, Sabally, Grace Berger, Dorka Juhasz, Diamond Miller, Jordan Horston, Haley Jones, Seattle's Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Arike, Ogunbowale, ___ Organizations: Liberty, Associated, Aces, Las Vegas, AP, WNBA, Sun, Boston, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Diamond Miller of, Las, AP WNBA, New York, Aces ., Phoenix Locations: Seattle, New York, Diamond Miller of Minnesota, Atlanta, Las Vegas, . Connecticut, Dallas, Washington, Aces . Atlanta, Minnesota, Chicago, Los Angeles, Indiana

A look at the best-of-3 first-round series in the WNBA playoffs, which starts Wednesday:No. Season series: Sun, 3-1Game 1: WednesdayConnecticut: The Sun start on offense and defense with Alyssa Thomas, who led the league in rebounding and assists. Connecticut, which made the WNBA Finals last season, had a change in coaches with Stephanie White taking over. New York won the Commissioner's Cup championship beating Las Vegas and is now hoping to win its first WNBA title. Add to that Brittney Sykes, who is one of the top defenders in the WNBA, and Washington could cause problems for New York.

Persons: A'ja Wilson, Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Candace Parker, Kahleah, Courtney Williams, James Wade, Alyssa Thomas, Thomas, Stephanie White, Brionna Jones, Napheesa Collier, Diamond Miller, Dorka, Teaira McCowan, Natasha Howard, Satou Sabally, Arike Ogunbowale, Rhyne Howard, Cheyenne Parker, Allisha Gray, Monique Billings, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot, Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Shakira Austin, Elena Delle Donne, Natasha Cloud, Ariel Atkins, Brittney Sykes Organizations: WNBA, Vegas, Aces, Connecticut Sun, NBA, Connecticut, Lynx, Dallas, Wings, Atlanta, Washington, Liberty, New York, Commissioner's, Las Vegas, Mystics Locations: Chicago, Angeles, Vegas, Connecticut, Minnesota, Atlanta, Dallas, York, New, Washington

There are several playoff spots still up for grabs in the final week of the WNBA's regular season. The Liberty visit Dallas on Tuesday before hosting Los Angeles on Thursday and Washington on Sunday. Los Angeles caps off the season with road games at Connecticut, New York and Seattle. The Lynx became just the second team to start 0-6 and qualify for the playoffs, joining the 2015 Los Angeles Sparks. Dallas, Minnesota and Los Angeles followed the Sun.

Persons: haven't, Kristi Toliver, Eric Thibault, We’re, She's, Napheesa Collier, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Mitchell, Jewell Loyd, ___ Organizations: Connecticut, Aces, Phoenix, Liberty, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington, Sunday, Wings, Lynx, Angeles Sparks, Indiana, Sparks ., WNBA, Mystics, AP, York, Vegas, Sun, Minnesota, Seattle, Atlanta Locations: Vegas and New York, Los, Chicago, Angeles, Connecticut , New York, Seattle, Dallas, Minnesota, Connecticut, Atlanta, Washington, Sparks . Indiana, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Dallas , Minnesota, Sun . Washington, Indiana, Las Vegas, New York

☆ Griner named WNBA All-Star for ninth time
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was named a WNBA All-Star for the ninth time on Sunday, just a little over six months after being released from a Russian prison. Griner warned during the preseason that she would need time to regain her full abilities after the 10 months she spent in Russian custody but has blown away her own expectations and was ninth in the league in average points per game as of Sunday. Twice MVP A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty were named the captains for the All-Star Game, which is set for July 15 in Las Vegas. The Indiana Fever's Aliyah Boston, who went first overall in the 2023 draft, became the first rookie since 2014 to earn an All-Star selection. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Griner, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Amy Tennery, Hugh Lawson Organizations: YORK, Mercury, Western Conference, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Aliyah Boston, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas, The Indiana, New York

☆ What to Know About the 2023 W.N.B.A. Season
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Sara Ziegler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Griner played no basketball during her imprisonment and is still working to get back into game shape. The off-season was dominated by free-agent signings and trades that established what could be two superteams: the Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty made three key moves: First, they traded with the Connecticut Sun for Jonquel Jones, the league’s most valuable player in 2021. Then they landed one of the top free agents: Breanna Stewart, the 2018 M.V.P., who had won two championships in Seattle. Those three join the returnees Betnijah Laney and Sabrina Ionescu, who have each made an All-Star team.

☆ Griner, 'superteams' in focus as WNBA season kicks off
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, May 17 (Reuters) - Brittney Griner is back in action for the Phoenix Mercury while the New York Liberty and defending champions Las Vegas Aces are expected to usher in the WNBA's "superteam" era when a new season tips off on Friday. "It was cool, and then at the same time, I was sitting there looking around, zoned out a little bit," said Griner, who will open her season on the road against the Sparks on Friday. I mean, these are some of the best players in the league," head coach Sandy Brondello told reporters this week. She will join reigning MVP A'ja Wilson and All-Star Kelsey Plum, along with two-time champion Alysha Clark, who also signed as a free agent. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Scoot Henderson on being a projected top pick in the 2023 NBA draft and his endorsement deal with Puma
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( John Lynch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Scoot Henderson is projected to be one of the top draft picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. So, you know, I'm just blessed that I came here and made the right decision. So I knew it was gonna be pretty tough, and I knew I was gonna really develop from it at a high level. And, uh, like I said, like I'm gonna keep saying, I'm blessed that I came here. And Puma, they gave me that confidence that I needed in a group, and in a brand like Puma, man.

☆ The New York Liberty Sign Breanna Stewart, and Build Their Superteam
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Robert O'Connell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Breanna Stewart has done just about everything a basketball player can do. In college, at the University of Connecticut, she won four NCAA tournament championships in four years and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player each time. With Team USA in the Olympics, she’s won two gold medals. Over six seasons with the Seattle Storm, she won two WNBA titles and an MVP award. Bringing a championship to a basketball-crazed city that hasn’t seen an NBA or WNBA title since 1973.

☆ Former WNBA MVP Stewart headed to Liberty
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Twice WNBA champion and four-times All-Star Breanna Stewart is signing with the New York Liberty, the former first overall pick said on social media on Wednesday, in one of the most highly anticipated free agency moves. The announcement marks the end of an astonishingly prolific tenure with the Seattle Storm, where the lethal forward led the league in scoring last year and was twice named the WNBA Finals MVP. The Liberty are on the hunt for their first Women's National Basketball Association championship title after bouncing out of the playoffs in the first round the last two years. Last month they secured 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones in a trade with the Connecticut Sun. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brittney Griner's return could be the unlikely catalyst that forces the WNBA to relent on its most contentious policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Meredith Cash | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

WNBA free agency is underway, with teams receiving the green light to recruit stars as of this weekend. Top free agent Breanna Stewart has reportedly made charter flights a key issue for teams wooing her. Private flights are not covered by the league's CBA, but Brittney Griner's return may force policy changes. The 2018 MVP took to Twitter to announce that she's prepared to help "subsidize charter travel for the entire WNBA" by offering her "NIL, posts + production hours." Several current WNBA players, including Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, Elena Delle Donne, Napheesa Collier, Alysha Clark, Erica Wheeler, Kahleah Copper, and Natalie Achonwa, offered their support in the comments.

☆ Storm to retire four-time WNBA champion Bird's number 10 jersey
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - The Seattle Storm will retire four-times WNBA champion Sue Bird's No. 10 jersey, the team said on Thursday, months after the 42-year-old called time on one of the most decorated careers in basketball. "When Sue came to Seattle, they embraced her and obviously she embraced Seattle back," said former team mate Breanna Stewart. The five-time Olympic gold medalist earned a record 13 WNBA All-Star selections during her career and is only the second Storm player to have her number retired after Australian three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'She is coming home': WNBA players cheer Griner's release
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Brittney Griner's Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team mates and fellow athletes cheered her release from Russian custody on Thursday, months after she was first detained in a Moscow airport. Emma Cannon, who plays for the Indiana Fever and was previously on Griner's Phoenix Mercury, wrote on Twitter. "Thank you to every single person that kept Brittney Griner’s name alive," her Phoenix Mercury team mate Brianna Turner tweeted. The WNBA and its men's counterpart, the National Basketball Association (NBA), had advocated for the release of the eight-times All-Star. tweeted twice WNBA champion and finals MVP Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm, who was among the league's vocal advocates for her release.

☆ With Griner in jail, WNBA players skip Russia in offseason
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Brittney Griner’s highly publicized legal woes in Russia and the country’s invasion of Ukraine has the top WNBA players opting to take their talents elsewhere this offseason. For the past few decades, Russia has been the preferred offseason destination for WNBA players to compete because of the high salaries that can exceed $1 million and the resources and amenities teams offered them. Nearly a dozen WNBA players competed in Russia last winter and none of them are heading back this year. Like Stewart, Vandersloot also isn’t headed back to Russia, choosing to play in Hungary where she obtained citizenship in 2016. The Griner situation also is weighing heavily on the minds of young WNBA players.

☆ WNBA players skipping Russia, choosing other places to play
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Brittney Griner's highly publicized legal woes in Russia and the country's invasion of Ukraine has the top WNBA players opting to take their talents elsewhere this offseason. For the past few decades, Russia has been the preferred offseason destination for WNBA players to compete because of the high salaries that can exceed $1 million and the resources and amenities teams offered them. Nearly a dozen WNBA players competed in Russia last winter and none of them are heading back this year. Like Stewart, Vandersloot also isn't headed back to Russia, choosing to play in Hungary where she obtained citizenship in 2016. The Griner situation also is weighing heavily on the minds of young WNBA players.

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