Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
- Angel Reese named AP Defensive Player of the Year after her first season with the Atlanta Dream.
- Angel Reese averaged 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds, ranking first in rebounds and third in steals.
- Angel Reese set WNBA records with 521 total rebounds and 206 offensive rebounds, first player over 500 in a season.
- Reese helped the Atlanta Dream to an Eastern Conference best 30-14 record in her first season with the team.
- Flau'jae Johnson named to the AP All-Rookie Team, averaged 14.9 points and set the Seattle Storm rookie scoring record with 626.
By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
A pair of former Tigers stars earned WNBA honors from the Associated Press. Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was named the AP Defensive Player of the year, and Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson was an AP All-Rookie team selection.
Reese also received an All-AP second team nod after averaging 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 43 games this season. She ranked No. 1 in the WNBA in rebounds, No. 3 in steals and No. 24 in blocks. She became the first player in league history to record over 500 rebounds in a season and set league records for both total (521) and offensive rebounds (206). She helped the Dream to an Eastern Conference-best 30-14 record in her first season in Atlanta.
Reese made her playoff debut with the four-seed Dream on Sunday night. Atlanta beat the Mystics 92-77 at home, and Reese scored 13 points to go with 12 boards, two steals and a block.
Johnson was the No. 8 overall pick in the WNBA draft and finished her rookie season in Seattle averaging 14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. She was second among rookies in points per game and set a new franchise record for points scored in a rookie season (626), Breanna Stewart’s 2016 rookie season. The Storm finished with a league-worst 8-36 record.
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