Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter
F | 6-0, 178 lbs
2016 season: 34 games, 34 starts, 19.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 44.8 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 86.8 FT%
Ever since Maya Moore was selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the No. 1 pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, she has been one of the top players in the league.
The 2016 season was no different.
Moore helped lead Minnesota to its fifth WNBA Final appearance in six years in 2016, ultimately falling to the Los Angeles Sparks in five games.
Moore ranked first among Lynx players and fifth in the WNBA in points (19.3), first on the team and seventh in the WNBA in assists (4.2), first on the team and sixth in the league in steals (1.6), first on the team and sixth in the league in 3-point percentage (40.4 percent), third on the team in rebounds (5.1) and third on the team in blocks (0.7) during her stellar 2016 season.
Through her six-year WNBA career, Moore has created quite the resume for herself.
The 27-year-old forward holds a career average of 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while accomplishing accolades such as: three-time WNBA Champion, 2014 WNBA MVP, four-time WNBA All-Star, 2015 WNBA All-Star MVP, four-time All-WNBA First Team, 2014 WNBA scoring leader, 2011 WNBA Rookie of the Year, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 2014 FIBA World Championship Gold Medal, five-time ESPY Award Winner and the first female basketball player to sign with the Jordan brand.
But in playing collegiate basketball at UCONN, WNBA wasn’t the start of the success in Moore’s basketball career. Moore is UCONN’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time NCAA All-American and a two-time NCAA Champion. She’s continued to bring that winning mentality to the Lynx in her time in the WNBA.
Moore looks to continue to build on her already impressive resume when her seventh WNBA season begins in 2017. Moore and the Lynx are set to kick off the 2017 season at 6 p.m. May 14 against the Chicago Sky at Xcel Energy Center.
Top Three Games Of The Season
3.) July 5 vs. Chicago Sky
In the 87-82 win over the Chicago Sky at Target Center, Moore went off for 33 points, six rebounds, three steals and one assist. She finished with six threes in the game and shot 12-for-18 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
2.) Oct. 16 at Los Angeles Sparks
In the 85-79 win over the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, Moore had 31 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks to help the Lynx force a series-deciding Game 5 in Minneapolis. Moore shot 9-for-17 from the field and made 11-for-12 free throws in the game while tallying a +/- of +17.
1.) July 7 at Connecticut Sun
In the 93-89 overtime loss to the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena, Moore finished with a season-best 40 points on 13-for-27 shooting, including shooting 3-for-11 from three and 11-for-12 from the free throw line. She also had eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in 41-plus minutes.
Offseason Plans
Moore is spending the offseason in Atlanta, the first offseason not playing overseas.
During her time this offseason, Moore has been hosting various camps in Atlanta and Connecticut.
Role For 2017?
Like seasons prior, Moore proved to be a dominant scorer in 2016, leading the team in scoring and averaging almost six more points per game than anyone else on Minnesota.
But Moore also added more to the Lynx than just scoring, as she was in the top three on the team in both rebounds and assists.
Moore was one of Minnesota’s go-to options in 2016, both offensively and defensively. Expect more of the same from Moore in 2017.
They Said It…
“We are thrilled that Maya will continue her career with the Minnesota Lynx,” Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith said after the team announce it re-signed Moore in 2015. “Maya has proven herself to be one of the best players in the WNBA in her young career, and her continued success and leadership will be great for our franchise moving forward.”