The WNBA announced their 2020 Peak Performer Awards early this week with the Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (Points), Los Angeles Forward Candace Parker (Rebounds), and Chicago Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot (Assists) taking home the honors.
The Peak Performer Awards are given out annually to players who lead the league in the specific categories of points, rebounds and assists during the regular season.
Scoring: Arike Ogunbowale
Arike Ogunbowale ranked first in the WNBA this season in scoring at 22.8 points per game. Her scoring averaged made history when she passed Cynthia Cooper for second-year scoring average. The previous record held by Cooper was 22.7 points per game in 2018.
No stranger to the ability to put up massive points, Ogunbowale ranked third in the league in 2019 in scoring at 19.1 points per game. The second-year guard led the Dallas Wings in scoring and scored at least 14 points in all 22 games she played and scored over 30 four times.
Rebounds: Candace Parker
Candace Parker had a dominant regular season leading the Los Angeles Sparks in scoring at 14.7 points and rebounds at 9.7 rebounds per game. The 13-year WNBA veteran earned her third rebounding Peak Performer award with her first two coming in 2008 and 2009.
Parker has one of the most decorated careers in the WNBA as a two-time MVP, five-time All WNBA selection, Finals MVP and WNBA Champion. The six-foot-four forward nearly averaged a double-double this season and snagged more than 10 rebounds 12 times.
Assists: Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Vandersloot earned her fourth consecutive Peak Performer Award and fifth total as she completely dominated the WNBA in assists. The Chicago Sky point guard averaged a new WNBA-record best 10 assists per game breaking her old record of 9.1 from 2019.
On August 31, Vandersloot broke the WNBA single-game record with 18 assists in a game, a record previously held by Ticha Penicheiro with 16 assists. With another record-setting season, Vandersloot won her fourth consecutive Peak Performer Award for assists and her fifth overall (she also won in 2015).
Each award winner will receive a trophy crafted by Tiffany & Co. in honor of her accomplishments
