LOS ANGELES — Sparks guard Brittney Sykes was named to the All-Defensive Second Team, the WNBA announced Tuesday morning.
Sykes was recognized as one of the best defenders in the WNBA for the third consecutive season.
Connecticut Sun guard Courtney Williams, left, tries to pass while under pressure from Sparks forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa, center, and guard Brittney Sykes during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Brittney Sykes of the Sparks reaches for a loose ball during the second half against the Washington Mystics at Crypto.com Arena on July 12, 2022. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
Kayla McBride of the Minnesota Lynx takes a shot against Brittney Sykes of the Los Angeles Sparks in the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena on July 31, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Brittney Sykes of the Los Angeles Sparks takes a shot against the Minnesota Lynx in the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on July 31, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Brittney Sykes of the Los Angeles Sparks passes the ball against the Minnesota Lynx in the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on July 31, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Washington Mystics guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, front, is fouled by Sparks guard Brittney Sykes during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sparks guard Brittney Sykes handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sparks guard Brittney Sykes reacts after a basket during the first half of their game against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sparks guard Brittney Sykes reacts after drawing a foul against the Washington Mystics during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sparks guard Brittney Sykes reacts after scoring against the Washington Mystics during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Guard Brittney Sykes #15 of the Los Angeles Sparks controls the ball against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half of a WNBA basketball game at Crypto.com in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sparks guard Brittney Sykes, right, and Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride battle for a loose ball during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
The Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, shown being defended by the Sparks’ Brittney Sykes in a photo from last season, led Las Vegas to a 89-72 victory over the Sparks on June 11 with 35 points on 13-for-23 shooting, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. The teams meet again Monday. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot looks to pass the ball as Sparks guard Brittney Sykes defends during the first half their WNBA season opener on Friday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot looks to pass the ball as Sparks guard Brittney Sykes defends during the first half their WNBA season opener on Friday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Connecticut Sun forward DiJonai Carrington, left, pressures Sparks guard Brittney Sykes, right, during Saturday’s game in Uncasville, Conn. The Sparks’ four-game, season-opening road trip ended with a 77-60 loss. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day via AP)
L.A. Sparks player Brittney Sykes finds a seat during their 2022 preseason Media Day on Wednesday at Jump Beyond Sports in Torrance. (Photo by Chuck Bennett, Contributing Photographer)
She made her first All-Defensive team as a second team member in 2020. That season was played in the WNBA’s bubble (Wubble) in Bradenton, Florida.
In 2021, she earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team, and finished second overall for Defensive of the Year (DPOY).
In 2022, Sykes led the WNBA in total steals (65) and steals per game (2.0), both career-highs.
In fact, she was the back-to-back WNBA steals leader in 2021 and 2022, joining Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Teresa Weatherspoon and Tamika Catchings as just the third player in league history to accomplish the feat.
Sykes, a 5-foot-9 guard, also averaged nearly one block a game (0.7), which was a career-high.
In her final game of the 2022 season, Sykes dropped 35 points against the Dallas Wings. For the season, she averaged 12.7 points per game in 28.8 minutes in 32 games. She also finished the season with a career-high 3.7 assists per game.
Sykes will be a free agent in 2023 and her defensive pressure and effectiveness could make her a highly sought-after two-way player across the WNBA.
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