Mystics reserve Meesseman named 2019 Finals MVP

Despite coming off the bench for the entirety of the WNBA Finals, Washington Mystics center Emma Meesseman was named the 2019 Finals MVP - the first reserve to capture the award in league history.

The Mystics beat the Sun 89-78 in the win-or-go-home Game 5, with Meesseman scoring a team-high 22 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks in 27 minutes of action.

Overall, Meesseman tallied 17.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and shot 50% from beyond the arc during the series. The 26-year-old's performance off the bench helped keep the Mystics afloat despite franchise superstar Elena Delle Donne sustaining a herniated disc in Game 2 of the Finals.

An All-Star for the Mystics in 2015, Meesseman sat out the previous season to train with Team Belgium ahead of the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.