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Lynx Star Sylvia Fowles Tallies 10 Points, 12 Rebounds in Final WNBA Appearance

WNBA legend Sylvia Fowles concluded her illustrious 15-year career on Sunday, logging one last double-double in the Lynx’s 90–83 loss to the Sun in Connecticut.

Fowles, appearing in her 409th career game, recorded a final stat line of 10 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block in 31 minutes as Minnesota fell to 14–22 on the season. The defeat officially eliminated the Lynx from playoff contention, marking the first time in Fowles’ eight seasons in Minnesota that the club has not made it to the postseason.

The narrow defeat came after a furious comeback attempt by the Lynx, who trailed 71–54 entering the fourth quarter. After checking back into the game at the 7:54 mark, Fowles shook off what had been a difficult outing and scored seven points as Minnesota fought valiantly to keep its season alive. A basket from reigning WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones with 1:03 remaining proved to be the deciding bucket as Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve elected to pull Fowles with 43.2 seconds left down 88–81.

The two-time WNBA champion and eight-time All-Star exited the floor to thunderous applause from the crowd inside Mohegan Sun Arena as Fowles embraced Reeve and her teammates on the sidelines one last time. 

A teary-eyed Fowles then sat on the bench with a towel draped over her head as the emotions of the moment overcame the former MVP with the game clock winding down.

On a night where Fowles also became the first WNBA player to surpass 4,000 career rebounds, the Lynx star now heads into retirement as one of the most decorated players in the sport’s history.

Drafted second overall out of LSU in the 2008 draft, Fowles ended her final season averaging 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 27.7 minutes a night across 30 starts. For her career, the future Hall of Famer averaged 15.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 1.8 BPG with the Sky (’08–’14) and Lynx (’15–’22).

In addition to winning four Olympic gold medals and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards among a host of other accolades, Fowles is the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder (4,006) and a member of the 25th Anniversary Team. She is also a seven-time WNBA All-Defensive team member, and was named to the All-WNBA first team three times and All-WNBA second team four times.

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