Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young has been announced by the WNBA as the winner of the 2022 KIA Most Improved Player. She is the first player in franchise history to win the award.
First time @WNBA All-Star, Commissioner's Cup Champion, now add 2022 @Kia ???? ???????? ??????!
What a year for Jackie Young! Aces fans, join us in congratulating @JackieYoung3! pic.twitter.com/k0ejKUJiI1
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 29, 2022
This is the Aces’ second award from the regular season with head coach Becky Hammon winning the Coach of the Year award.
Young received 32 votes from a panel of 56 sportswriters and broadcasters. Sabrina Ionescu from the New York Liberty came in second place with 10 votes and Sophie Cunningham from the Phoenix Mercury was third with seven votes.
The Aces had two candidates this year for the award with Kelsey Plum making a leap this season, she received four votes. Teaira McCowan from the Dallas Wings, Gabby Williams from the Seattle Storm, and Han Xu from the New York Liberty received one vote each.
This season, Young earned her first selection to the WNBA All-Star Game and a WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week recognition in May. She had career-highs in points (15.9), rebounds (4.4), and steals (1.4), but her biggest improvement came from beyond the three-point line with a 43.1 shooting percentage.
Now, the team shifts focus to even the semifinals series against the Seattle Storm on Wednesday, August 31.
