August 28, 2010; San Antonio, TX, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) controls the ball against the San Antonio Silver Stars during the second half at the AT&T Center. Phoenix beat San Antonio 92-73. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images

How Phoenix's Stars Made History, Won A Championship

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 12:00 PM ET

The Phoenix Mercury did something special in 2007. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2000, and they won the franchise's first championship in the process.

Phoenix defeated the Detroit Shock that year, and the Shock were the defending champions. They beat the Sacramento Monarchs in 2006, and later on, they would win two more championships. However, this was not one of those years.

Mercury stars included in MVP race

The Mercury had a strong season, and some of the team's stars received recognition for their efforts. Two of Phoenix's stars were involved in the Most Valuable Player race, and in Diana Taurasi's case, she finished third.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lauren Jackson was the MVP that year, and she received 42 first-place votes. She earned 473 points, and the most a player could have was 480. She was the clear frontrunner, but Taurasi and others were still in the mix.

Becky Hammon was second in the race, and she received 254 points. Then, Taurasi was behind her, and she had 144 points. The Mercury guard averaged 19.2 points, 4.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks.

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Penny Taylor was a few spots below Taurasi, and she earned 48 points. Then, players like Katie Douglas, Seimone Augustus, Alana Beard and others were behind her.

Taylor was also involved in the Most Improved Player race, and she received a point. She was tied with players like Asjha Jones, Jia Perkins, Nakia Sanford and others.

Janel McCarville won that award, and she received 33 points. She averaged 10.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 assists. Her role increased, as she joined a new team. She played 32 games in her first season with the New York Liberty, and she started in 21 of them. When she played with the Charlotte Sting, she was a starter six times in her two years with the team.

Taylor averaged a career-high 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals. Up to that point, she had some strong seasons, but this year stands out the most. She was a great, established player, and McCarville was still in the early years of her career.

Phoenix's All-Star was a part of another race, as she received two points in the Sportsmanship Award race. Tully Bevilaqua won the award, and she had 15 points.

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The Mercury were well-represented that year, and they were also a part of the Coach of the Year race. Paul Westhead finished second, and he had 14 points. His team played well throughout the season, and by the end of the playoffs, they became champions.

This article first appeared on Phoenix Mercury On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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