With the Chicago Sky finishing their season and winning their first WNBA championship, it’s time to give out the end of the year awards.
MVP: Candace Parker
The numbers might lean more in Kahleah Copper’s favor, but it’s called the most valuable player award, not the best player award. When you look at leadership and the player’s impact as a whole, the MVP has to be Candace Parker. She brings the leadership the team lacked years prior; she’s a versatile stretch big and a productive player averaging 13.3 and 8.4 rebounds a night. Without Candace Parker, this team doesn’t have the playoff run it had, doesn’t win the championship; that alone makes her the MVP.
DPOTY: Candace Parker
Throughout the season, one thing has been clear, and Candace Parker is the best defender on the team. Her ability to take on the best big on the opposing teams, switch to smaller guards, and hold her own is unmatched. She was dominant on the defensive glass averaging seven a night, and she led the team in blocks with 1.2.
MIP: Kahleah Copper
A bit weird to call Kah most improved given how good she was in 2020, but that’s how good Kahleah Copper was in 2021. She exploded to another level during the season, especially in the playoffs being the Finals MVP. It was clear she was the best player on the floor night in and night out when the games mattered most. Kahleah had a fantastic 2021, averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds during the regular season and outperforming those numbers in the playoffs, where she averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. The scary part is it seems like she’s not done developing. The Sky’s not the limit for KFC; she has no ceiling.
6th Woman of the Year: Stefanie Dolson
A few options for this award, but I have to go with Big Mama Stef. She was incredible off the bench, especially in the playoffs. She was a stretch five, didn’t make silly defensive mistakes, had big performances in the Finals scoring late in the close-out game, and had a huge Game 1, scoring 14 points. Dolson is a tremendous versatile big coming off the bench and was the player you could depend on when the games mattered most.
Peak Performers
Kahleah Copper 14.4 ppg
Candace Parker 8.4 rpg
Courtney Vandersloot 8.6 apg
Sky in the Chi 