The following members of the New York Liberty are in contention for 2021 WNBA Player Awards:

Sami Whitcomb
Kia WNBA Most Improved Player

 

• Compiled a career-best regular season in her first campaign with New York.
• Averaged career-highs of 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
• Shot personal bests of 47.3% from the field and 42.5% from deep, as well as logged a career-high 28.1 minutes per game across 25 starts. Whitcomb did not start in any games in 2020.
• Sami is No. 2 in the WNBA in three-point field goals made on the season (76).

Betnijah Laney
All-WNBA Team

 

• Became just the fourth player in WNBA history to finish the regular season averaging 16.7+ points, 5+ assists and 4+ rebounds, joining Cappie Pondexter (2009), Diana Taurasi (2013), and Candace Parker (2015).
• 2021 WNBA All-Star and Liberty leading scorer Betnijah Laney is top 10 in the WNBA across the following categories:
  • MPG: 33.7 (4^th)
  • Total Minutes: 1079 (1^st)
  • PPG: 16.8 (10^th)
  • Total Points: 536 (9^th)
  • APG: 5.2 (7th)
  • Total Assists: 167 (5^th)
• Laney scored 536 points during the regular season, more than her first four WNBA seasons combined.
• Betnijah scored in double figures in 27 of 32 games this season, scoring 20+ points in the first eight consecutive contests.
• Laney is the first Liberty player to open a season with eight games of 20+ points in franchise history. Throughout the league’s history, the record for the longest 20+ point streak to open a season is 9 and is held by Cynthia Cooper (1999 season).

Rebecca Allen
WNBA All-Defensive Team

 

• Leads the Liberty in steals (40) and blocks (31).
• Ranks 5th in the WNBA in steals per game with 1.6, and 8th leaguewide in blocks per game with 1.3. Also ranks No. 1 in blocks per game amongst WNBA guards.
• Allen is just one of three players across the WNBA this year to average 2.8+ stocks (steals and blocks) per game along with Sylvia Fowles and Breanna Stewart.
• Bec finished the regular season as just the 17th player in league history to average at least 1.6 steals and 1.2+ blocks per game.
• Recorded back-to-back blocks in the final two possessions against the Los Angeles Sparks in Liberty’s 76-73 win on June 20.

Michaela Onyenwere
Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year

 

• Onyenwere is leading all WNBA rookies in:
  • PPG: 8.6
  • Total Points: 275
  • Total Field Goals Made: 91
  • MPG: 22.5
  • Total Minutes: 721
  • RPG: 3.0 (2^nd)
• She has won three consecutive WNBA Rookie of the Month honors — the only newcomer to garner the award this season and the only Liberty rookie to ever win consecutively.
• Michaela scored in double figures in 12 contests in her rookie regular season campaign.
• Her 11 points and career-high 10 rebounds against Minnesota on August 31 was her first-career double-double.

DiDi Richards
WNBA All-Rookie Team

 

• Richards is leading all rookies in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 45.5% (10-22) from distance despite attempting only one three in four seasons at Baylor.
• DiDi ranks second amongst rookies in:
  • Games Played: 31
  • Field Goal Percentage: 42.1% (minimum 30 attempts)
  • Steals: 17
• Also ranks third in assists (25), blocks (5), and total minutes (320).