INDIANAPOLIS – The WNBA announced today Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith and center Queen Egbo were both named to the 2022 All-Rookie Team. Smith also earned recognition from the Associated Press All-Rookie Team on August 16.
Smith and Egbo are joined on this year’s WNBA All-Rookie Team by Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Shakira Austin (Washington Mystics) and Rebekah Gardner (Chicago Sky).
“NaLyssa and Queen were exceptional during their rookie seasons. We are very excited about the impact these two will have for the Fever for many years,” Fever Interim General Manager Lin Dunn said.
The two rookies from Baylor are the seventh and eighth Fever players to make the WNBA All-Rookie Team, joining Julie Allemand (2020), Teaira McCowan (2019), Kelsey Mitchell (2018), Tiffany Mitchell (2016), Natalie Achonwa (2015) and Tan White (2005).
Smith, the No. 2 overall pick this season, started all 32 games played during the 2022 campaign and averaged 13.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and shot 41.9 percent from the field. Smith was one of seven players in the WNBA to average at least 13 points, 7.5 rebounds and one assist per game in 2022. She was the leading rebounder among rookies and sixth in the WNBA in rebounds per game, second among rookies in scoring average and averaged the second most minutes played among first-year players.
Smith finished with eight double-doubles, while the rest of the 2022 WNBA rookie class only combined for nine such performances during the regular season. Smith also earned an invitation to the WNBA Skills Challenge, as part of WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
As rookies, Smith and Egbo also led the greatest rebounding game in franchise history. Smith finished with a career-high 17 rebounds and Egbo pulled down a personal-best 14 boards as the Fever tallied 57 rebounds as a team in the 92-86 overtime victory at the New York Liberty on May 13. The 31 combined rebounds are the most rebounds corralled by a pair of rookies on the same team in a game in WNBA history.
Egbo was selected by Indiana with the No. 10 overall pick this season and averaged 7.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 21.8 minutes in 33 games played with 31 starting appearances. Among rookies, the 6-foot-4 center was the fifth best scorer, second leading rebounder and led all first-year players in blocks per game. Egbo was fifth in the entire WNBA in blocks per game and led the Fever in blocked shots in 21 of her 33 games played this season.