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Congratulations to the Atlanta Dream’s Naz Hillmon, the 2025 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year.
Hillmon earned 44 of 72 first-place votes, with the Minnesota Lynx’s Natisha Hiedeman finishing second with 22 votes. The Lynx’s Jessica Shepard received four votes for third, while the Seattle Storm’s Dominique Malonga and Phoenix Mercury’s Sami Whitcomb were fourth with one vote each.
Truly great reserves embody the idea that, “It’s not about who starts games, but who finishes them.”
Hillmon, who played all but 10 seconds in first-round Game 3 that eliminated the Dream from the playoffs, meets that measure. Although, she had to prove she deserved such a position.
When the season began, Hillmon was almost glued to the bench, playing no more than five minutes in the Dream’s first four games. An injury to Brittney Griner opened a rotational spot for Hillmon in Atlanta’s fifth game, and she not only did not relinquish her opportunity but also expanded it. Month by month, her minutes increased, as the Dream kept consistently winning her minutes by the most points. Her impact was so evident that head coach Karl Smesko eventually inserted Hillmon into the starting lineup, resulting in her earning 17 starts to 27 games off the bench as she played in all 44 games.
In fact, Hillmon hasn’t missed a game in her four-year WNBA career, demonstrating a reliability that enhances her value; whether she’s starting or coming off the bench, Naz is always going to be ready and willing to contribute whatever the team needs. This year, that meant firing off 3-pointers without fear. With a refined form and flush of confidence, Hillmon took 165 3s after taking a combined five across her first three seasons. That willingness to shoot provided floor spacing that helped the Dream offense hum, as Atlanta had a 110.2 offensive rating when she was on the court—the best mark on the team. The Atlanta defense was also drum tight with Hillmon, sporting a defensive rating of 95.8 when she was on the court. The resulting net rating of 14.5 was a team high by two points.
It’s that impact on winning more than Hillmon’s career highs in points (8.6), rebounds (6.2) and assists (2.4) that makes her the Sixth Player of Year.
To commemorate her achievement, Hillmon will receive a trophy, as well as a prize of $5,150.
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