Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx Named WNBA’s 2017 MVP

Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx has been named WNBA's 2017 MVP, getting 35 out of 40 first-place votes.

September 15, 2017

Sylvia Fowles with the Minnesota Lynx in 2016. Photo by Anthony Nesmith/CSM/REX/Shutterstock (5753414bk)

It has been announced on the WNBA’s official site that center Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx has been honored with the WNBA’s 2017 Most Valuable Player award. Sylvia Fowles had 385 points in the voting, receiving 35 of 40 first-place votes. After receiving the award, Lynx gave an emotional speech, thanking everyone who helped her through her career. You can check out a part of her acceptance speech below.

"I said I wasn't going to cry."

Huge congrats to our very own @SylviaFowles on being crowned the 2017 @WNBA MVP! pic.twitter.com/bcf8jpG5Ii

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) September 14, 2017

This is the first MVP award for Fowles, and the second for Lynx, after Maya Moore won the award in 2014. WNBA’s MVP award had 9 different winners in the last 9 years. New York Liberty forward Tina Charles finished behind Fowles in the voting receiving three first-place votes and 199 points, while Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks received the remaining two Los Angeles Sparks and ended on the third spot with 132 points.

Sylvia Fowles had an amazing season for the Lynx, guiding the team to 27-7 record and No. 1 seed in the 2017 WNBA Playoffs. In 34 games played, Fowles averaged 18.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Minnesota Lynx currently has a one game lead against the Washington Mystics in the best-of-five Semifinals series.

Fowles was drafted in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky with the 2^nd overall pick. She spent 7 years with the team, becoming an All-Star caliber player and receiving numerous honors including All-WNBA First Team on two occasions (2010, 2013) and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2011 and 2013. More of the same followed after Fowles got traded to Minnesota Lynx in 2015 per her own request. With the Lynx, Fowles finally managed to win her first WNBA title in 2015, while being named WNBA Finals MVP. She also has three Olympics Gold medals won with the United States women’s national basketball team in addition to World Championship gold medal. During WNBA off-season, Fowles played overseas on several occasions.