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Milestone watch: WNBA player stats to watch in 2019

By Kurtis Zimmerman

TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 6: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm and Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury look on in Round One of the 2017 WNBA Playoffs on September 6, 2017 at Arizona State University Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 6: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm and Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury look on in Round One of the 2017 WNBA Playoffs on September 6, 2017 at Arizona State University Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Assists

Sue Bird leads all-time, entering this season with 2,831 assists, likely to become the first player to 3,000 assists by the end of 2019. Among active players, she also has two of the top-5 assist seasons in league history (221 in 2003 and 2018), but setting the new standard in that respect the past two years has been Courtney Vandersloot for the Chicago Sky.

Last year she set a new single-season record with 258 assists — she easily passed Ticha Penicheiro’s previous mark of 236 in 2000 — and twice she had 15 assists, inching up on Penicheiro’s single-game record of 16. Every game is must-watch for Bird and Vandersloot as they could easily topple any of the assist records every time out on the court.

WNBA Active Assists Totals
WNBA Active Assists Totals /

Other passers to watch:

  • Within the first handful of games, Candice Dupree can notch her 750th assist, while Rebekkah Brunson and Chelsea gray could each get their 500th and Kelsey Plum could get the 250th of her young career.
  • In the first half of the season both Danielle Robinson (971) and Jasmine Thomas (926) will likely become the 27th and 28th players to notch 1,000 assists. Skylar Diggins-Smith is also near that mark, but it’s unlikely she will play enough games to get there this season.
  • Based on her later start to the season, it’s unlikely Diana Taurasi will be able to get to 2,000 assists this year, but entering 2019 with 1,835 in her career, I won’t be the one to bet against her.
  • Renee Montgomery (1,050), Alana Beard (1,038), and Briann January (1,018) are all likely to enter the top 20 this season.
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