SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career Tuesday after averaging 23.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor (28-for-47) through the first three games of the season.

Young topped 20 points in each of the Silver Stars’ first three games, guiding the team to a 2-1 start with key wins over Western Conference rivals Phoenix and Seattle. She was the Stars’ leading scorer in each game.

On May 17, Young suited up for San Antonio after playing her final game of the Turkish League Championship on May 14. Following the Turkish League game, she flew from Turkey to San Antonio and then from San Antonio to Sacramento with the team where she poured in a game-high 22 points.

A two-time All-Star, Young has already received a number of accolades in her two years in the WNBA. She was a unanimous selection to the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie Team and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2007.

Connecticut’s Lindsay Whalen earned player of the week honors for the Eastern Conference after averaging 16.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists while hitting 56.5 percent (13-23) of her field goals and 57.1 percent of her three-pointers (4-for-7). With 7.0 assists per game, Whalen is tied with Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks for the league lead in assists while her mark stands as best average in the Eastern Conference. Her 7.0 assists average over the Sun’s first three games is a full 2.1 assists per game higher than her career average (4.9 apg).

Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Erika De Souza, Chicago’s Armintie Price, Indiana’s Katie Douglas, Houston’s Tina Thompson, Los Angeles’ Candace Parker, Minnesota’s Charde Houston, Phoenix’s Cappie Pondexter, Sacramento’s Rebekkah Brunson, Seattle’s Lauren Jackson and Washington’s Taj McWilliams-Franklin.