The Sports Inquirer

McCoughtry Named Player of the Week

Atlanta Dream guard/forward Angel McCoughtry has been named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It marks the 12th Player of the Week award for McCoughtry during her six-year career.

McCoughtry led the Dream to a 2-1 record last week, averaging a conference-best 26.0 points for the week, while adding 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She also shot 95 percent from the free throw line (19-of-20).

McCoughtry started the week by scoring a game-high 27 points with six rebounds, four assists and three steals as the Dream beat Washington on June 18, 83-73. Two nights later, she led Atlanta with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists as the Dream topped New York, 85-64, to tie the franchise record with the team’s sixth consecutive victory. Sunday in a rematch in New York, she poured in a season-best 33 points and added 10 boards for her first double-double of the season, while also collecting four steals.

McCoughtry is currently tied for second in the WNBA in scoring (20.3), ranks third in steals (2.5), fifth in free throw percentage (.882) and 11th in assists (4.3).

Schimmel, McCoughtry among top vote-getters for All-Star Game

Atlanta Dream rookie Shoni Schimmel leads all Eastern Conference guards and Angel McCoughtry ranks second among frontcourt players as the WNBA announced the early returns of voting for the 2014 Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star game Tuesday. In addition, Erika de Souza ranks fourth among frontcourt players in the race to secure one of three starting spots.

Schimmel has received 14,635 votes, more than doubling her closest competitor among guards, as Washington’s Ivory Latta is second with 5,974 votes. In the frontcourt, Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne leads the way with 16,542 votes, while McCoughtry is next with 9,736. Indiana’s Tamika Catchings is third with 8,341, while Erika de Souza follows with 7,579. Sancho Lyttle (2,525) is currently ninth.

In addition to Delle Donne, the only other player from either league with more votes than Schimmel is Minnesota’s Maya Moore, who has received 16,509 votes to lead all Western Conference players.

The WNBA will announce the All-Star Game starters on July 8 during the nationally televised game on ESPN2 featuring the Los Angeles Sparks at the Minnesota Lynx (9 p.m. ET).  Reserves, which are voted on by the WNBA’s head coaches, will be announced on ESPN2 on July 15, during the game between the Sparks and the Indiana Fever (8 p.m. ET).