Sun’s Kelsey Bone named 2015 WNBA Most Improved Player
Connecticut Sun center/forward Kelsey Bone is the winner of the 2015 WNBA Most Improved Player. Bone received 14 of 39 votes from a panel of national and local sportswriters and broadcasters.
Indiana Fever guard Shenise Johnson finished second with nine votes. Los Angeles Sparks center Jantel Lavender and Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot tied for third with five votes apiece. Washington Mystics center Stefanie Dolson received three votes, followed by fellow teammate and center Emma Meesseman with two votes. Tulsa Shock guard Riquna Williams received one vote.
Bone raised her scoring average from 9.3 points in 2014 to 15.4 in 2015. She improved as a rebounder, averaging 6.3 rebounds in 2015 as compared to 5.3 in 2014. Bone also averaged 2.0 assists, up from 1.4 a season ago. Bone lifted her field goal percentage from 45.1 last season to 50.8, and her defensive rebound average went from 3.6 to 4.8.
How Bone Improved between 2014 and 2015
| 2014 | 2015 | |
| Scoring Avg. | 9.3 | 15.4 |
| Points | 317 | 509 |
| Reb Avg. | 5.3 | 6.2 |
| Rebounds | 181 | 208 |
| Def. Rebs | 124 | 159 |
| Assists | 46 | 66 |
| Steals | 22 | 26 |
| Blocks | 17 | 19 |
| Made FGs | 137 | 224 |
| FG Attempts | 304 | 441 |
| FG% | 0.451 | 0.508 |
| Avg. Minutes | 23.3 | 29.1 |
| Games in double figures | 17 | 27 |
| 20-point games | 1 | 7 |
Bone, the No. 5 overall draft pick in 2013, started every game she appeared in for the Sun (33-of-33) and led Connecticut in scoring and rebounding. Among all WNBA players, Bone placed seventh in scoring and fifth in field goals made (6.8 per game).
She was also named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week on September 15 after leading the WNBA in scoring over the week with 25.0 points. She is the first former Texas A&M player to receive the award.
In honor of being named the WNBA Most Improved Player, Bone will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy.
Most Improved Player Voting Results
| Points | Player  | Team |
| 14 | Kelsey Bone | Connecticut Sun |
| 9 | Shenise Johnson | Indiana Fever |
| 5 | Jantel Lavender | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 5 | Courtney Vandersloot | Chicago Sky |
| 3 | Stefanie Dolson | Washington Mystics |
| 2 | Emma Meesseman | Washington Mystics |
| 1 | Riquna Williams | Tulsa Shock |
All-time WNBA Most Improved Player
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
