How Phoenix's Stars Made History

In 1998, the Mercury had another player in the MVP race, as Jennifer Gillom finished second. She had eight first-place votes, and she earned 303 points. It would be some years before a Mercury player won the award, but it finally happened in 2009.

Mercury star wins MVP

Diana Taurasi won the award that year, and she had 27 first-place votes. She ended up with a total of 323 points, and she had a significant lead over other candidates.

Taurasi averaged 20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals. She had a fantastic season, and today, she is still the only Mercury player who received this honor. Others have come close, and Alyssa Thomas was the most recent.

The 2009 season was a big year for Taurasi and the Mercury, as they won the franchise's second championship. The All-Star guard also won Finals MVP, which made her the second Mercury player to do it. Cappie Pondexer did it first, as she helped Phoenix win back in 2007.

Phoenix's stars have played well on both ends, and the franchise has had someone take home the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Brittney Griner won the award, and she became the franchise's first winner back in 2014. She is known for her shot-blocking ability, and she averaged 3.7 blocks. That was a big year for Griner and the team, as they finished the season with a record of 29-5. They won a championship, as they beat the Los Angeles Sparks, the Minnesota Lynx and the Chicago Sky in the playoffs.

After winning the award, Griner won another. She won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards, as she averaged four blocks in 2015. She was on a roll, and her defense helped the Mercury win important games.

Griner and Taurasi have special places in Mercury history, and one day, another star will join them.

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