NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2022 – Connecticut Sun forward Brionna Jones has been named the 2022 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She has earned the honor as the league’s top reserve for the first time.
Jones received 53 of 56 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Chicago Sky forward/center Azurá Stevens (two) and Washington Mystics forward Myisha Hines-Allen (one) received the other three votes. To be eligible for the award, a player had to play more games as a reserve than as a starter.
A six-year WNBA veteran, Jones played all 36 of Connecticut’s regular-season games, coming off the bench in 29 games and starting the remaining seven games. Overall, she averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.22 steals in 25.1 minutes per game. Jones ranked 20th in the WNBA in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage (56.9) and second in offensive rebounds (2.6 per game).
Jones recorded seasons highs of 21 points twice, nine rebounds three times, four assists twice and four steals once. On June 5, she finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals as a reserve in a 93-86 win over the Seattle Storm.
Jones was named a WNBA All-Star for the second consecutive season. She helped Connecticut post a 25-11 record and earn the No. 3 seed in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google.
This is the second year in a row that Jones has won an annual performance award. Last season, she was selected as the 2021 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player.
Jones is the third player to win the Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award with the Sun, joining Jonquel Jones (2018) and Renee Montgomery (2012). In honor of being named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, Jones will receive $5,150 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany & Co.
Below are the voting results for the 2022 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award and the list of recipients since the award’s inception in 2007.
2022 KIA WNBA SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
Votes Player Team
53 Brionna Jones Connecticut Sun
2 Azurá Stevens Chicago Sky
1 Myisha Hines-Allen Washington Mystics
KIA WNBA SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
Year Player Team
2022 Brionna Jones Connecticut Sun
2021 Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces
2020 Dearica Hamby Las Vegas Aces
2019 Dearica Hamby Las Vegas Aces
2018 Jonquel Jones Connecticut Sun
2017 Sugar Rodgers New York Liberty
2016 Jantel Lavender Los Angeles Sparks
2015 Allie Quigley Chicago Sky
2014 Allie Quigley Chicago Sky
2013 Riquna Williams Tulsa Shock
2012 Renee Montgomery Connecticut Sun
2011 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2010 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2009 DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury
2008 Candice Wiggins Minnesota Lynx
2007 Plenette Pierson Detroit Shock
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