Phoenix Mercury point guard Monique Akoa Makani made the ESPN list of the WNBA’s top 25 players under the age of 25.
She’s the team’s only player on the list, released Wednesday, Aug. 27, landing at No. 11.
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Indiana Fever superstar, second-year guard Caitlin Clark, is No. 1, and the Dallas Wings’ Rookie of the Year candidate Paige Bueckers is No. 2.
“Akoa Makani moved from Cameroon to France as a child and has played professionally there for several years,” ESPN wrote. “At 24, she made her WNBA debut this season and started 32 games as a key part of the new-look Mercury. Most WNBA fans didn’t know much about Akoa Makani, but have watched as she has adjusted well to the league.”
Akoa Makani is the Mercury’s youngest player on the WNBA’s oldest team, which was fourth in the standings (23-14) as of Aug. 27. She’s started in 33 of her 34 appearances, averaging 8.1 points, 2.6 assists and shooting a team-best 40.2% from 3.
She also leads the team in free-throw percentage (94.7%) and owns the Mercury’s best individual net rating (plus-10.2 per 100 possessions).
Akoa Makani helped the Mercury notch a league record in their 81-72 home win over the Golden State Valkyries on Aug. 22. She hit a career-high four 3-pointers, which made Phoenix the first team to have four different rookies make four-plus treys in a game within a season. She joined teammates Lexi Held, Kitija Laksa and Kathryn Westbeld.
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Akoa Makani has hit at least three 3s in eight games, tied for the second-most among all WNBA rookies this season.
In addition, Akoa Makani is one of two players this season, alongside Minnesota Lynx All-Star Kayla McBride, to have at least 40/40/90 shooting splits. She would become one of four rookies in league history, joining Kristi Toliver, Sue Bird and Elena Delle Donne, to have those splits or higher in a season (minimum 25 games played).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury’s Makani among ESPN’s WNBA Top 25 players under age 25 list
