Sparks’ Brittney Sykes named to WNBA’s All-Defensive First Team

Sparks defender Brittney Sykes was named to the WNBA’s All-Defensive archetypal squad and finished 2nd successful the moving for Defensive Player of the Year, with six first-place votes from the 49-member sheet of sportswriters and broadcasters, the league announced Sunday.

Minnesota Lynx halfway Sylvia Fowles was named the league’s apical defender aft she finished 2nd successful rebounds, steals and blocks per crippled — thing nary different subordinate successful WNBA past has successful the aforesaid season.

They’re joined connected the archetypal squad by Connecticut Sun guardant Jonquel Jones, Phoenix Mercury guardant Brianna Turner and Sun defender Briann January.

Sykes made nary concealed astir her extremity of winning “DPOY” this play aft being named to the All-Defensive 2nd squad successful 2020.

“I went for DPOY and came up ‘short,’” said the 5-foot-9 Sykes via a connection shared by the Sparks’ nationalist relations team. “Blessed to person humbly earned 1st Team. I admit my coaches, my squad and my opponents for making maine amended this year! 2022 is the twelvemonth a defender volition drawback DPOY.”

Sparks adjunct manager Latricia Trammell — the team’s antiaircraft coordinator — tweeted her congratulations to Sykes, who led the WNBA successful steals (58) and was tied for archetypal successful steals per crippled (1.8).

“I’m truthful precise arrogant of @BrittBundlez,” tweeted Trammell. “It’s astonishing what you tin execute erstwhile you acceptable your caput to something. From 2nd squad to 1st squad and 6 first-place votes for DPOY! We are already talking expectations for adjacent season. We’re lone getting started.”

Sykes — oregon “Slim,” arsenic she’s known astir the league — led a Sparks defence that finished 3rd successful the WNBA successful antiaircraft standing and allowed the second-fewest points per crippled (77.1).

The fifth-year subordinate besides finished apical 10 successful the league successful antiaircraft triumph shares, per Basketball Reference, and had respective highlight-reel steals and blocks, including her game-saving rejection of Sabrina Ionescu that preserved an 86-83 triumph connected Aug 22 and made the chopped arsenic 1 of ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays.

The league’s All-Defensive 2nd team: guards Jasmine Thomas (Sun) and Ariel Atkins (Washington Mystics), forwards Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm) and Brionna Jones (Sun) and halfway Brittney Griner of Phoenix.

Brittney Sykes with the game-winning artifact (and look down) connected Sabrina Ionescu 🚫🖐

(via @WNBA)pic.twitter.com/aj1q4caXdz

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) August 22, 2021

Brittney Sykes’ response, via the @LASparks: “I went for DPOY and came up ‘short.’ … Blessed to person humbly earned 1st Team. I admit my coaches, my squad and my opponents for making maine amended this year! 2022 is the twelvemonth a defender volition drawback DPOY 💯 – Slim” https://t.co/bY1czg08sh

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) September 26, 2021

I’m truthful precise arrogant of @BrittBundlez
It’s astonishing what you tin execute erstwhile you acceptable your caput to something. From 2nd squad to 1st squad and 6 first-place votes for DPOY! We are already talking expectations for adjacent season. We’re lone getting started. I admit and emotion ya#slim pic.twitter.com/nkore6zLhG

— Coach Trammell (@TrammellCoach) September 26, 2021