2021 WNBA Major Awards Watch – Week 11

This was the first full week of the season restarting again after the Olympic break and we are starting to see some teams separate themselves from the rest. There’s still a month or so left before the WNBA Playoffs, but some teams like the Sparks and the Mercury are rolling right now as both have won 4 straight games and are among the teams in the playoff picture.

Curious to see who made the awards list the last week before the Olympic break? Click here to view it.

2021 Major Awards Watch – Week 11

Most Valuable Player: Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun. Looking at this point, there’s three clear MVP candidates. A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces who was last season’s MVP, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm. I have been tracking the MVP award this season weekly and for this week, both Jonquel Jones and A’ja Wilson were spectacular. Both had double doubles, their team won, etc. It was nearly identical. So, I looked closer at the competition they faced this week. The Aces had two comeback wins over the Washington Mystics, a below .500 team at this point. The Sun beat the Lynx twice, a playoff team. So for this week, the edge goes slightly more towards Jonquel Jones.

Defensive Player of the Year: For this week, no player stands out alone to me as the one player who would win this award. This week, there were some standout performances which I will put in my All-Defense Team below, but no one in particular stood out from the rest.

Most Improved Player of the Year Award: Brionna Jones is the front runner for this award, but this week, she was held in check against Minnesota.

Sixth Woman of the Year: This week, this honour goes to Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces. I’ve had both Dearica Hamby and Plum as my co-winners in the past, but this week Kelsey Plum stood out. She had a team high 24 points against the Mystics as the Aces came back to win that game after being down the whole game. She was one of the key reasons why the Aces were able to comeback and win that game.

Rookie of the Year: This week, this award belongs to a new player. Michaela Onyenwere was leading the rookie of the year race, but this week, this honour belongs to Aari McDonald of the Atlanta Dream. With the Dream likely headed to the WNBA Draft lottery, it has earned Aari McDonald playing time and boy, has she delivered. She had 15/13 points against the likes of Phoenix and Los Angeles after struggling against the same two teams a couple of nights earlier. She bounced back and was terrific this past week.

Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm

Coach of the Year: Noelle Quinn, Seattle Storm

Executive of the Year: Dan Padover, Las Vegas Aces

All-WNBA First Team(*not position based)

• Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun
• A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
• Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
• Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
• Dewanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun

All-WNBA Second Team (*not position based)

• Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
• Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx
• Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
• Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
• Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago Sky

All-Defense Team

• Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx
• Ariel Atkins, Washington Mystics
• Brittney Sykes, Los Angeles Sparks
• Kahleah Copper, Chicago
• DiDi Richards, New York Liberty

All-Rookie Team

• Aari McDonald, Atlanta Dream
• Michaela Onyenwere, New York Liberty
• DiDi Richards, New York Liberty
• DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun
• Dana Evans, Chicago Sky