Unmatched introduced the league’s All-Unmatched First and Second Groups on Thursday — and the outcomes had been largely unsurprising.
Napheesa Collier, who has been the league’s most dominant participant on each ends, was named to the primary group, together with Kayla McBride (Laces Membership) and Chelsea Grey (Rose Membership).
The All-Unmatched Second Staff was comprised of Skylar Diggins-Smith (Lunar Owls), Rhyne Howard (Vinyl), and Angel Reese (Rose Membership).
All three had standout seasons; Diggins-Smith averaged 17.9 factors and 4.8 assists, whereas clinching 5 video games with game-winners. Howard averaged 20.5 factors and 1.3 steals per recreation, whereas Reese averaged 13.1 factors and 12.1 rebounds per recreation.
Every of the league’s high two groups was honored with two All-Unmatched alternatives; the Lunar Owls had been represented by Collier (First Staff) and Diggins-Smith (Second Staff), whereas the Rose was represented by Grey (First Staff) and Reese (Second Staff). The opposite two postseason groups had been every awarded one All-Unmatched participant, with Kayla McBride repping the Laces and Rhyne Howard repping the Vinyl.
Who had been the largest snubs from the All-Unmatched Groups?
SB Nation beforehand delineated Unmatched picks, and there have been discrepancies between our picks and the precise alternatives.
Official All-Unmatched Groups [actual results]:
First Staff: Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Grey, Kayla McBride
Second Staff: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese
SB Nation All-Unmatched Groups [our votes]:
First Staff: Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Grey, Kayla McBride
Second Staff: Allisha Grey, Rhyne Howard, Dearica Hamby
Allisha Grey averaged 19.1 factors, 5.5 rebounds, and a pair of.7 assists per recreation — she was the Lunar Owls’ second-leading scorer and the Seventh-leading scorer total. However, Diggins-Smith dealt with extra playmaking duties and did have 5 game-winners, so recognizing her as an All-Unmatched Second Staff member is sensible.
Dearica Hamby, in the meantime, was the league’s fifth-leading scorer, averaging 19.9 factors per recreation and 10.1 rebounds. She was in all probability the largest snub from the All-Unmatched Staff, and doubtless would have secured a spot if she closed the ultimate weekend out higher (she averaged simply 10.5 factors per recreation on 37.5% taking pictures within the remaining two video games.
Nonetheless, she battled effectively in opposition to the league’s high bigs and was a giant a part of why Vinyl in the end secured a postseason berth.
Different gamers additionally had All-Unmatched circumstances however had been largely stored out of our consideration resulting from their group’s lack of success. Brittney Griner, for instance, averaged 16.7 factors, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, however her Phantom Membership completed with a league-worst 4-10 report and was outscored by 137 factors throughout 14 video games. Breanna Stewart averaged 19.1 factors and 10.1 rebounds per recreation, however her Mist membership missed the playoffs. Sabrina Ionescu was additionally individually efficient — averaging 18 factors, 7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists — however missed 5 video games resulting from prior commitments and was additionally a member of the league-worst Phantom.
A number of gamers might have made stronger circumstances in the event that they had been extra accessible; Alyssa Thomas, for instance, averaged 11.3 factors, 11.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, whereas serving to to anchor the Laces’ protection. However, she solely performed in 8 video games resulting from a knee damage she suffered within the opening weeks. Jackie Younger has been nice for the Laces — averaging 15.5 factors and three assists — however she’s solely appeared in 6 contests for the Laces.