University of Georgia Athletics
Deanna Nolan Named WNBA Player Of The Week
June 24, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nolan collects her first-career Player of the Week award in her seventh WNBA season after averaging 26.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. The four-time WNBA All-Star boosted the Shock to a 2-0 record on the week, including an overtime win against Minnesota and a 21-point win at Atlanta.
On Friday, June 20 against Minnesota, Nolan scored a career-high and franchise-record 44 points to break her own franchise-record of 36 points (July 24, 2007 at Connecticut). She closed out the game by scoring 28 points combined in the fourth quarter and overtime. Trailing by three points with four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the 2006 WNBA Finals MVP was fouled while taking a three-pointer and sank all three free throws to force overtime.
Nolan, who was a member of Detroit's two WNBA championship teams (2003, 2006), is averaging 15.5 points per game and 5.7 assists per game this season, ranking behind only Seattle's Sue Bird (6.1 apg) among league leaders. She is the second Detroit Shock player to be named Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season. Nolan's teammate Katie Smith won the award for the week ending June 8.
