Janelle Salaün receives 2026 Sixth Player of the Year award

Scored league-record 509 points off the bench

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Oct 51 min read

WNBA

A moment she'll always cherish 💜 Relive last night when Janelle Salaün received her @Kia Sixth Player of the Year award

What happened: Janelle Salaün accepted the 2026 Kia Sixth Player of the Year honor on Oct. 4. The award recognizes bench production across the 2026 season.

Why it matters: The honor is the first major 2026 postseason award to be presented. Bench scoring has become a rotation factor during the semifinal round.

By the numbers: 509 points off the bench, a league record.

What to watch: Her bench role continues into the best-of-five semifinal round.

Sources

@WNBA Oct 5, 12:33 PM ET

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Janelle Salaün receives 2026 Sixth Player of the Year award

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