New York, NY – Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird and San Antonio center Ruth Riley have been selected as the co-recipients of the WNBA's Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award for 2011.
The award is voted on by sportswriters and broadcasters and is intended to "honor a player who exemplifies ideals of sportsmanship on the court -- ethical behavior, fair play and integrity."
Its named after the late Kim Perrot, who helped guide the Houston Comets to their first two WNBA championships before passing away in August of 1999 following a seven-month battle with cancer.
Bird, recently named of one of the top 15 players in WNBA history, has been a staple in the Seattle community during her 10-year career there.
"She is as quality a person as there is in the league. Sue is respected by all the coaches, all the players and all the fans throughout the country. She is as steady and reliable as they come. It's a testament to her reputation that Sue is being honored with the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award," Seattle head coach Brian Agler said.
Riley is a volunteer for numerous organizations on both a national and local level and served as the spokesperson for the Nothing But Nets campaign.
"Ruth Riley's work on a daily basis makes her team, community and world a better place to be," said Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes. "We are thrilled that she is being recognized for her incredible contributions on and off the court."
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.