LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby was named 2019 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year on Sunday, hours before making a game winning 3-point shot to take the Aces into the semifinals.
The five-year veteran earned the award as the league’s top reserve for the first time.
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The 25-year-old Hamby received 41 votes from a national panel of 43 sportswriters and broadcasters.
Washington Mystics guard Aerial Powers received the other two votes.
To be eligible for the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award, a player had to have come off the bench in more games than she started. Hamby saw action as a reserve in 25 of her 34 games this season.
Behind Hamby and All-Stars Liz Cambage, Kayla McBride and A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas earned the No. 4 seed in the WNBA Playoffs after not qualifying for the postseason in 2018.
Hamby, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft, averaged career highs of 11.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.97 steals in 24.8 minutes. She ranked 10th in theWNBA in rebounding and 17th in field goal percentage (48.8).
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With five double-doubles off the bench, Hamby tied the WNBA record for the most by a reserve in a season. DeWanna Bonner set the record in 2009, when she won the first of her three consecutive WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year honors.
Hamby scored a career-high 27 points (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) off the bench against the Dallas Wings on June 22. For the season, she averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.6 minutes in 25 games as a reserve and 14.2 points and 9.7 rebounds in 33.5 minutes in nine games as a starter.
Outside of hitting what may be the shot of the year, @dearicamarie also produced 17 PTS, 4 REB & 5 AST in the win! 💪#WatchMeWork #WNBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/t3dcKImUCk
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2019
In honor of being named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, Hamby will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany & Co.
Below are the voting results for the 2019 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award and a list of past recipients.
| 2019 WNBA SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS | ||
| Votes | Player | Team |
| 41 | Dearica Hamby | Las Vegas Aces |
| 2 | Aerial Powers | Washington Mystics |
| WNBA SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS | ||
| Year | Player | Team |
| 2019 | Dearica Hamby | Las Vegas Aces |
| 2018 | Jonquel Jones | Connecticut Sun |
| 2017 | Sugar Rodgers | New York Liberty |
| 2016 | Jantel Lavender | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2015 | Allie Quigley | Chicago Sky |
| 2014 | Allie Quigley | Chicago Sky |
| 2013 | Riquna Williams | Tulsa Shock |
| 2012 | Renee Montgomery | Connecticut Sun |
| 2011 | DeWanna Bonner | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2010 | DeWanna Bonner | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2009 | DeWanna Bonner | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2008 | Candice Wiggins | Minnesota Lynx |
| 2007 | Plenette Pierson | Detroit Shock |
