Phee or Arike?
Phee or Arike?
Phee or Arike?
That is one question that down the stretch of the regular season captivated many a WNBA fan – and a team social media account – particularly those in North Texas, Minnesota, Connecticut and South Bend.
When all was said and done, the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier edged out the Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale for the 2019 Rookie of the Year Award.
We see you ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!
Congrats, Phee! #UConnBred pic.twitter.com/IicFJbS2gV
— UConn Women’s Hoops (@UConnWBB) September 16, 2019
The last Lynx player to claim the Rookie of the Year Award was Maya Moore in 2011, putting her in some awfully good company.
Collier received 29 votes compared to 14 for Ogunbowale.
GREAT job @PHEEsespieces 🙌🏾🙌🏾 https://t.co/gxp3zbyb2Y
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) September 16, 2019
Thank you! 🙏🏽 https://t.co/KuTBFMnkJ5
— napheesa collier (@PHEEsespieces) September 17, 2019
🏆 R O Y 🏆 pic.twitter.com/uBkluuJCT9
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) September 16, 2019
A season for the ages.
Congrats to @Arike_O for being named to the All-Rookie Team! pic.twitter.com/8UDBIqTw9m
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) September 16, 2019
Ogunbowale wasn’t completely left out as the first-year WNBA player from Notre Dame made the all-rookie team along with the Indiana Fever’s Teaira McCowan, Las Vegas’ Jackie Young and the Phoenix Mercury’s Brianna Turner.
Kudos to @minnesotalynx Napheesa Collier @PHEEsespieces, 2019 #WNBA🏀ROY – and to the entire 2019 WNBA All-Rookie class @DallasWings guard @Arike_O, @LVAces guard @JackieYoung3, @IndianaFever center @Teaira_15 McCowan and @PhoenixMercury forward Brianna Turner @_Breezy_Briii https://t.co/7xKLmnLctq pic.twitter.com/Kdw0PCGGI3
— Cathy Engelbert (@CathyEngelbert) September 16, 2019
In 2019, Collier averaged just over 13 points, nearly seven rebounds, slightly under three assists, nearly two steals and started all 34 games. She also became the fourth player to have at least 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks and 25 3-pointers in a season.
She also was integral in Minnesota returning to the postseason in a 2019 where they had a much different look to Lynx teams in the past as they were without Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore.
The only other players who accomplished that feat were Moore, Sheryl Swoopes and Tamika Catchings.
A well-deserved honor. Congrats, Napheesa! Has been a joy watching you this season. https://t.co/CvnuAHhF0a
— Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) September 12, 2019
“This was the goal that I set for myself at the beginning of the year.” 👏
Napheesa Collier (@PHEEsespieces) shares what it meant to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year and a part of the @minnesotalynx. pic.twitter.com/k7qdPEJY4W
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 16, 2019
