NEW YORK – Aug. 4, 2015 – Tina Charles of the New York Liberty and Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month presented by Samsung, respectively, for games played in July.
For Charles, the Player of the Month award is her first of the season and the fifth of her career. The 2012 WNBA MVP presented by Samsung led all Eastern Conference players in rebounding (9.5 rpg) during July, ranked second in scoring (19.9 ppg) and minutes (32.5 mpg), and registered the fifth-best field goal percentage (.488, 62-of-127). Charles helped New York post a 6-2 record, including a 4-2 road mark, as the Liberty vaulted into the top spot in the conference standings.
Now in her sixth WNBA season, Charles paced the Liberty in scoring in seven of the team’s eight games in July. She scored 14 or more points in all eight contests, with one 30-point game and three outings of 20-plus points. On the glass, Charles recorded four games with double-digit rebounds, including a season-high 14 boards on two occasions.
The four-time All-Star selection opened the month with a 21-point, 10-rebound effort in a 79-76 win at Washington on July 9. She then led New York to a 3-0 West Coast road swing, tipping off the trip with 18 points and 14 rebounds in a 75-73 overtime win at Phoenix on July 18 and following that performance with 30 points in an 81-77 victory at Seattle on July 21. She closed out the trip with 14 points and 14 rebounds in a 59-53 win at Los Angeles on July 22.
Additional highlights of Charles’ play in July included:
- July 16 vs. Connecticut: 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 64-57 win
- July 29 at Indiana: 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in an 84-72 loss
The Eastern and Western Conference Player of the Month awards, as well as the WNBA Rookie of the Month, are presented by Samsung and are part of the larger WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung program. This marks the second consecutive season that Samsung, an official WNBA marketing partner, will present the WNBA’s highest individual honors, including the WNBA Most Valuable Player, WNBA Most Improved Player, WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and WNBA Rookie of the Year.
For more information on this year’s WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung, visit www.wnba.com/awards.