Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins Named 2014 Most Improved Player - Presented by Samsung

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2014 – Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins is the winner of the 2014 WNBA Most Improved Player of the Year presented by Samsung, the WNBA announced today. Diggins received 29 of 38 votes from a panel of national and local sportswriters and broadcasters.

This year marks the first season that Samsung, an official WNBA marketing partner, is serving as the presenting partner of the WNBA’s highest individual honors. The WNBA Most Improved Player, WNBA Most Valuable Player, WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, WNBA Rookie of the Year, and the WNBA Players of the Month and Rookie of the Month awards are a part of the WNBA Performance Awards presented by Samsung program.

Washington Mystics center Emma Meesseman, Shock center Courtney Paris, and Chicago Sky guard Allie Quigley tied for second in the voting with two votes apiece. Rounding out the vote-getters were Connecticut Sun guard Alex Bentley, Sky forward Jessica Breland and Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, with each receiving one vote.

Diggins more than doubled her scoring average in 2014 (20.1 ppg) from 2013 (8.5 ppg), and also improved in terms of assists (5.0 apg, up from 3.8 apg in 2013) and rebounds (2.5 rpg, up from 1.9 rpg). Diggins lifted her field goal percentage from .328 a year ago to .423 this season (232-of-548) and raised her three-point shooting accuracy from .244 as a rookie to .282 (33-of-117) in 2014.

In her second season in the league, Diggins, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013, started all 34 games for the Shock and led Tulsa in scoring, assists, steals (1.5 spg) and minutes (35.1 mpg). Among all WNBA players, Diggins led the league in minutes, placed second in scoring and ranked fourth in assists.

In honor of being named the WNBA Most Improved Player presented by Samsung, Diggins will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy.

Below are the voting results of the 2014 WNBA Most Improved Player presented by Samsung, and a list of past recipients:

2014 WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER PRESENTED BY SAMSUNG VOTING RESULTS

Points	Player	Team
29	Skylar Diggins	Tulsa Shock
2	Emma Meesseman	Washington Mystics
2	Courtney Paris	Tulsa Shock
2	Allie Quigley	Chicago Sky
1	Alex Bentley	Connecticut Sun
1	Jessica Breland	Chicago Sky
1	Brittney Griner	Phoenix Mercury

ALL-TIME WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER PRESENTED BY SAMSUNG WINNERS

Points	Player	Team
2014	Skylar Diggins	Tulsa Shock
2013	Shavonte Zellous	Indiana Fever
2012	Kristi Toliver	Los Angeles Sparks
2011	Kia Vaughn	New York Liberty
2010	Leilani Mitchell	New York Liberty
2009	Crystal Langhorne	Washington Mystics
2008	Ebony Hoffman	Indiana Fever
2007	Janel McCarville	New York Liberty
2006	Erin Buescher	Sacramento Monarchs
2005	Nicole Powell	Sacramento Monarchs
2004	Wendy Palmer/Kelly Miller	Connecticut Sun/Indiana Fever
2003	Michelle Snow	Houston Comets
2002	Coco Miller	Washington Mystics
2001	Janeth Arcain	Houston Comets
2000	Tari Phillips	New York Liberty

Credit: wnba