Charles, Parker named WNBA Players of the Month, Prahalis awarded rookie honors

Tina Charles was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month.(photo by Brian Babineau/Connecticut Sun)

Tina Charles of the Connecticut Sun and Candace Parker of the of the Los Angeles Sparks, were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month of June.  In addition, Samantha Prahlis of the Phoenix Mercury was named the Rookie of the Month.

Charles led the Sun to a 7-3 record, averaging 17.9 points, 11.5 rebound and 1.5 blocks per game.  This month, the former UConn star recorded six double-doubles and scored 20 or more points five times. 

On June 3rd Charles scored 30 points, the second-highest total of her career, in a win over Washington.  On June 17th, Charles had another spectacular performance when she scored 23 points, pulled down 22 rebounds, and hit a pair of free throws with 3.1 seconds left to give the Sun its first lead of the game in a 75-73 win at Atlanta.  In the process she became the first player in WNBA history to log three 20-20 games in a career.

In the West, Canace Parker helped the Sparks to a 6-5 mark in June while leading the conference in rebounds (10.2 rpg) and blocks (2.7 bpg), and ranking second in scoring (18.8 ppg). 

Candace put up a game high 33 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocks in an 87-81 road win over Connecticut June 13.  Then on June 20th she tallied 33 points, nine blocks, and eight rebounds in a 95-79 victory over Tulsa becoming the third player in WNBA history to post nine or more blocks (the late Margo Dydek and Lisa Leslie each recorded a 10-block game, and Dydek swatted away nine shots three other times).  

This month Prahalis led all rookies in assists (5.1 apg) and free-throw percentage (.963), converting 26 of 27 attempts.  Among first-year players, she also ranked second in points (13.8 ppg) and third in steals (1.8 spg).  Overall, Prahalis ranked in the top five in assists per game and was second in free-throw percentage.

She had a career-high nine assists to go along with 11 points in an 85-66 loss to the San Antonio Silver Stars on June 1, and had a career-high 22 points on June 23, in a 93-84 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.  Prahalis scored in double-figures in all but two games in June. She led the Mercury in assists and steals and placed second in points for the Month.