PHOENIX – The WNBA announced Friday that New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for July and Sandy Brondello has been named WNBA Coach of the Month for July.
Through the Liberty’s six-game July slate, the team finished 5-1 and Ionescu averaged a conference-high 23.2 points to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while converting on a combined 42.7% (47-110) from the field, 35.7% (20-56) from three and 92.6% (25-27) at the free throw line.
Sabrina’s historic month included the following milestones:
- Scored in double figures during each of her first 25 games this season, the most in the WNBA and the second-longest streak to begin a season in Liberty franchise history.
- Tied Cynthia Cooper for the second-most games of at least 25 points and five assists (18) within the first five seasons of a player’s career.
- Passed Becky Hammon for the second-most three-pointers in Liberty franchise history.
- Made a three-pointer in 50 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in WNBA history.
- Blocked Tyasha Harris’s potential game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer on 7/10 at Connecticut.
- Set a Liberty franchise record for most career 30-point games with her 13th career 30-point performance on July 16 vs. Connecticut.
- Made at least six three-pointers for the 13th time in her career, which is the second-most in WNBA history.
- Recorded her seventh career game of at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists on July 16 vs. Connecticut, which is the fourth-most all-time.
Brondello led the Liberty to a league-best 5-1 record in July. Sandy surpassed Michael Cooper for the sixth-most coaching wins in WNBA history as the Liberty finished the first half of the season with the WNBA’s best record and the best start in Liberty franchise history. Under Brondello’s leadership, the Liberty tied a WNBA record for most consecutive games with 10 or fewer turnovers, with a six-game streak.
This monthly honor is Ionescu’s fourth of her career and the 18th all-time in Liberty history, while this marks Brondello’s third career Coach of the Month award and her second with the Liberty, as well as the fourth Coach of the Month award in franchise history.