The WNBA announced on Tuesday that NY Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has won the 2023 WNBA MVP award, the second of her career. Stewart joined New York ahead of the 2023 season, and went on to a career-best scoring season in her first season with team. Stewart won the award for the first time in ’18 during her tenure with the Storm. She now becomes the eighth player in WNBA history to win the award multiple times, joining Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker and A’ja Wilson.
The 29-year-old Stewart edged out Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, who won the 2022 award. Stewart earned 20 of the 60 first-place votes and 446 total points (23 second-place and 17 third-place votes). Thomas was second with 439 points (23 first-place votes) and Wilson third with 433 points (17 first-place votes). This is the second time in league history that the winner received fewer first-place votes than the runner-up. Sheryl Swoopes won the 2005 award over Lauren Jackson with four fewer first-place votes.
Stewart, Thomas and Wilson were all named to the All-Defensive Teams announced last week, and are playing in the WNBA semifinals.
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