To read the complete list of the 2018 Unsung WNBA All-Stars, click here.

Who is Brittney Sykes?

Brittney Sykes is in her second season in the WNBA. She was drafted in the first round (seventh overall) by the Atlanta Dream in 2017 from Syracuse University and became the highest drafted women’s basketball player in the school’s history. She wears #7 for Atlanta.

You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram (her IG account is pure comedy).

What is her playing position?

Sykes is formally listed as a 5’9” shooting guard (or “2-guard”) but as the WNBA moves to positionless basketball, she is simply listed as a guard on rosters. She can also play the small forward (number 3) position.

Why should she be an All-Star?

Sykes is a two-way player: she is strong on both the offensive (scoring) and defensive ends of the court. She averages 9.9 points per game (but scores in double digits more often than not) and averages 3.3 rebounds (offensive and defensive) per game.

Her turnover rate is low and she shoots an average of 41% from field goal range so far, and 59% from the free throw line (translation: she will probably make the shots she takes and it’s unwise to send her to the free throw line).  She provides an instant boost off the bench and will change the trajectory of a game, though she functions well as a starter when the need arises (memo to head coach Nicki Collen: more playing time for Sykes, please and thank you!). And she does all of this after coming back from two potentially career-ending injuries in college.

Sykes’ slender build gives her a quickness and agility (color commentator LaChina Robinson described it as “snakelike” during the July 8 game against the Phoenix Mercury) that is disconcerting to opponents. The Dream went on a losing streak when both Sykes and Tiffany Hayes were out due to injury, despite high-scoring games by Angel McCoughtry; they started winning when Sykes came back. Interpret that as you will.

Cast your WNBA All-Star votes now!

The voting period ends July 12. You can vote by:

• Downloading the WNBA app (it’s free, for both iOS and Android)  and casting your vote for Faulkner under the All-Star tab on the left-hand menu (you can only vote once per 24 hours)
• Going to the WNBA All-Star player page on the WNBA website and vote for Sykes there (you can only vote once per 24 hours)
• Tweet Brittney Sykes #WNBAVote (1 player per tweet; 10 tweets per Twitter handle, per day. Each tweet must be for a different player.)

#OneDream