For most WNBA awards, fan discourse and team campaigns are normally in full swing well before votes are due in September.

But one honor on the ballot is seldom discussed, and Aces guard Jewell Loyd is nominated for it this year: the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

Named for the Houston Comets guard who helped her team win back-to-back WNBA championships in the league’s first two seasons before dying in 1999 after a battle with cancer, the award is annually presented to a player who “exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, including ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.”

Loyd is in familiar company as a nominee. Aces coach Becky Hammon won it as a player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2014. Sue Bird, Loyd’s former Seattle Storm teammate, won it in 2017 and 2018.

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