Elizabeth Williams selected as the 2016 WNBA Most Improved Player
Atlanta Dream center/forward Elizabeth Williams earned the 2016 WNBA Most Improved player award the league announced today. The Duke University graduate and fourth pick of the 2015 draft had a breakout season averaging 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds on the year, which was up from 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds a year ago.
Williams received 14 of 39 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. She is fifth in the league in rebounds (8.1), second in blocks (2.3) and 28th in scoring (11.9). She started all 34 games for the Dream and earned five double-doubles.
Other players that received votes included Washington Mystics guard Tayler Hill who finished second with nine votes. Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd and New York Liberty guard Sugar Rodgers tied for third with five votes apiece. Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas received two votes, followed by Dallas Wings guard/forward Karima Christmas, Chicago Sky guard Jamierra Faulkner, Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard and Washington center Emma Meesseman with one vote each.
Atlanta will open the first round of the WNBA playoffs Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET, versus the Seattle Storm. It will be aired live on ESPNEWS and WatchESPN.
In honor of being named the WNBA Most Improved Player, Williams will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy from Tiffany & Co.
All-time WNBA Most Improved Player Winners
| Year | Player | Team |
| 2016 | Elizabeth Williams | Atlanta Dream |
| 2015 | Kelsey Bone | Connecticut Sun |
| 2014 | Skylar Diggins | Tulsa Shock |
| 2013 | Shavonte Zellous | Indiana Fever |
| 2012 | Kristi Toliver | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2011 | Kia Vaughn | New York Liberty |
| 2010 | Leilani Mitchell | New York Liberty |
| 2009 | Crystal Langhorne | Washington Mystics |
| 2008 | Ebony Hoffman | Indiana Fever |
| 2007 | Janel McCarville | New York Liberty |
| 2006 | Erin Buescher | Sacramento Monarchs |
| 2005 | Nicole Powell | Sacramento Monarchs |
| 2004 | Wendy Palmer/Kelly Miller | Connecticut Sun/Indiana Fever |
| 2003 | Michelle Snow | Houston Comets |
| 2002 | Coco Miller | Washington Mystics |
| 2001 | Janeth Arcain | Houston Comets |
| 2000 | Tari Phillips | New York Liberty |
