Seattle's Lauren Jackson Named WNBA MVP
September 5, 2007 - 5:42 pm
RealGM Staff Report -
The Seattle Storm’s Lauren Jackson has been named the 2007 WNBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced today. Jackson received a total of 473 points, including 42 first-place votes. Guard Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Silver Stars finished second with 254 points. For Jackson, the award is her sixth honor of the season; she previously was named the 2007 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and WNBA Peak Performer for both scoring and rebounding. Additionally, she was a first-team selection to both the WNBA All-Defensive Team and the All-WNBA Team.
Jackson was also named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player in 2003. She becomes the first professional athlete in Seattle to earn the prestigious award twice. The Seahawks’ Shaun Alexander was the NFL’s MVP in 2005, while Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) have been honored by the American League as MVPs.
“I think Lauren cemented the MVP award long before the 2007 season ended,†said Storm head coach Anne Donovan. “She is a dominating force in the women’s game, and clearly showed this season that she’s the best player in the world. Fans in the WNBA saw an amazing display this summer when Lauren was on the court.â€
The WNBA Most Valuable Player Award was voted on by a panel of national sportswriters and broadcasters. Panel members were asked to select their top five choices for the award, with 10 points being awarded for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth and one for fifth.
Along with Jackson and Hammon, Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (144 points), Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings (142 points) and Detroit Shock guard Deanna Nolan (93 points) round out the top five vote-getters.
“Lauren Jackson is an extraordinarily gifted player who turned in one of the most remarkable seasons in WNBA history,†said WNBA President Donna Orender. “In leading the Storm to the WNBA playoffs this season, Lauren displayed the kind of all-around excellence that epitomizes the term Most Valuable Player.â€
Already recognized as an elite player in the league entering the season, Jackson added to her rapidly-growing legacy with a career year in 2007. She led the league in scoring for the third time in her illustrious tenure with the WNBA, while her 23.8 points per game was a career-best. Her scoring average was more than five points-per-game higher than her career mark (18.6 ppg) entering the season.
The Australian native led the league in rebounding, averaging a career-best 9.7 rebounds per game, and ranked atop the league in double-doubles with 17. On June 13 against Indiana, she reached a rebounding milestone when she pulled down her 1,500th career board. Jackson currently ranks ninth (1,740) among the all-time league leaders in total rebounds.