Taurasi Becomes Finals MVP, Other Players Tied To Award

The Phoenix Mercury have won three championships, and two of their stars have won Finals MVP. However, the ties do not stop there.

May 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) moves the ball against Chicago Sky guard Kahleah Copper (2) in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have won three championships in their time, and the first one was in 2007. They beat the Detroit Shock that year, and their top players helped them achieve that feat.

One of Phoenix's stars stood out the most, as she won Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). She had a strong playoff run, and in Phoenix's nine games, she averaged 23.9 points, 5.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

Oct 1, 2009; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter (23) against the Indiana Fever in the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Cappie Pondexter could not be stopped during that run, and because of that, she solidified her place in WNBA history.

Mar 9, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke poses for a photo prior to the Pac-12 Tournament Trophy presentation after defeating the Oregon State Beavers at Key Arena. Southern California defeated Oregon State 71-62. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Before Pondexter won, WNBA greats like Cynthia Cooper and Lisa Leslie won the Finals MVP. In Cooper's case, she won it four times in a row. While Cooper played for the Houston Comets, she became tied to the Mercury later on.

Cooper was the team's second coach, as Cheryl Miller resigned from the position. The Comets legend coached the Mercury in 2001, and the team finished the season with a record of 13-19. The four-time Finals MVP started the 2002 season as Phoenix's head coach, but she resigned after 10 games. The legend is a part of Mercury history, and outside of the team's winners, she is one of two Finals MVPs with ties to the franchise.

Mercury great joins Pondexter, wins Finals MVP

Diana Taurasi was one of the active Mercury players to win it, and she joined Pondexter. She had an excellent 2009 season, and before winning Finals MVP, the All-Star guard became the franchise's first MVP. She won that award due to her strong regular season, and she averaged 20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals.

The Mercury had their second championship, and years later, they won their third. Taurasi won Finals MVP once again, as the Mercury defeated the Chicago Sky.

A few years later, Taurasi or another Mercury player had the chance to add another Finals MVP to the franchise's legacy, but Phoenix came up short. The Mercury reached the WNBA Finals in 2021, but they lost to the Sky. As a result one of Chicago's players won the award, and a few years later, she came to Phoenix.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) laughs with guard Kahleah Copper (2) after being fouled against the Los Angeles Sparks during the fourth quarter on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kahleah Copper won Finals MVP, and she averaged 17.0 points and 5.5 rebounds during the series. Fast forward to the present, and Copper helped the Mercury reach the Finals for the sixth time in history.

The Mercury have many ties, and as time goes on, those ties add to their legacy.

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