Minnesota center Sylvia Fowles becomes WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder

Minnesota center Sylvia Fowles became the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder Tuesday, when the Lynx faced the Seattle Storm in Bradenton, Florida.

Fowles, 34, opened the WNBA season on Sunday with 18 rebounds, leaving her just seven short of the record. She got her seventh rebound with 3.9 seconds left in the second quarter off a miss from the Storm’s Breanna Stewart. That gave Fowles 3,357 rebounds in her career, which began in 2008 in Chicago, after she was the No. 2 overall draft pick out of LSU.

Fowles entered Tuesday’s game having averaged 15.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in her career.

“As far as rebounding, I think it pretty much sums up who I am,” the 6-foot-6 Fowles said earlier Tuesday. “Growing up, that was me. I was always that defensive player.”

Fowles passed former Lynx teammate Rebekkah Brunson, who is now an assistant coach for the Lynx and finished her career with 3,356 rebounds. Brunson spent the first six years of her career in Sacramento and the last nine with Minnesota.

“I got to be part of so many of those rebounds,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said prior to Tuesday’s game. “Just the relentlessness they both play with … This has been invaluable to our franchise.

“I know how incredible Rebekkah Brunson was at rebounding, so it’s just kind of a cool moment for our franchise, with Rebekkah being on staff and able to be here to hand off the lead, so to speak. I know Rebekkah is really proud it’s Sylvia Fowles who is passing her.”

Five years ago this week, Fowles was traded to Minnesota after she sat out the first part of the season to force the deal after playing seven seasons in Chicago. The Lynx won their third WNBA title that year and won again in 2017, when Fowles was the league’s MVP.

“The trade was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” Fowles said, “and probably one of the hardest decisions as well, having to sit out half a season. But I’m glad I stuck to my guns, and I ended up in a great place.”