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WNBA Rookie of the Year power rankings: Who’s winning?

By Howard Megdal

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 30: Allisha Gray
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 30: Allisha Gray /
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ST. PAUL, MN – AUGUST 3: Brittney Sykes
ST. PAUL, MN – AUGUST 3: Brittney Sykes /

2. Brittney Sykes, Atlanta Dream

If recent form dictated the award, Sykes would have to be considered the winner. She captured July’s Rookie of the Month award, capping a period since entering the starting lineup at the end of June that’s provided the Dream with strong production at both ends of the floor.

Sykes is now up to 12.2 points per game, but the real burst in production came in July: 17.8 points per game, and a robust 38.5 percent from three. However, what sets Sykes apart is what she does on the defensive end: 23rd of 82 in defensive points per possession, per Synergy, among players with at least 100 possessions. Her 2.0 block percentage leads all rookies. And her 9.6 rebounding percentage is second among rookies, trailing only Emma Cannon. If her August/September resemble her July, Sykes could overtake Gray and win the hardware.

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