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Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, both of whom have played their entire WNBA careers with the Phoenix Mercury, are among the 25 greatest players in league history.
The W25, announced Sunday, is a list of the WNBA’s top players over its first quarter century. Players were chosen by a panel of media and women’s basketball pioneers from a ballot of 72 players, eligible based on league-determined criteria.
The Mercury also are represented by Cappie Pondexter, who played on two of Phoenix’s three championship teams and was 20007 WNBA Finals MVP. She played with five teams in all before retiring.
Taurasi and Griner are among 10 active players making the W25. Others are Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Elena Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles, Angel McCoughtry, Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart.
Other retired players on the list are Seimone Augustus, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Lindsay Whalen.
Taurasi, 39, is WNBA regular season and postseason career scoring leader. She is in her 17th season with the Mercury and has a league high 14 All-WNBA selections.
The No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick in 2004, Taurasi has played on all three Mercury championship teams. She was 2009 WNBA MVP and 2009/2014 Finals MVP and is a five-time league scoring champion.
Taurasi also made the WNBA top 15 list in 2011 and top 20@20 in 2016. She was honorable mention on the WNBA all-decade team in 2006.
Griner, 30, is among seven players on one of the WNBA honorary anniversary teams for the first time as are Charles, Delle Donne, Fowles, McCoughtry, Ogwumike and Stewart.
A two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Griner led the WNBA in blocks from 2013-19. She is a two-time scoring champion, league leader in career dunks and five-time All-WNBA selection. Griner played on the Mercury’s 2014 championship team and was No. 1 overall draft pick in 2013.
Four on the W25 list — Cooper, Leslie, Swoopes, Thompson — played in the league’s inaugural season in 1997. They are among nine players to make all four WNBA honorary anniversary teams along with Bird, Catchings, Griffith, Jackson and Smith.
A’ja Wilson, in her fourth WNBA season, is the only league MVP (2020) not on the W25 list.
In conjunction with the W25 list, the league is launching its first Vote for the GOAT campaign, allowing fans to choose the W25 player they believe to be the greatest player in league history.
Fan voting is available though Sept. 19 via Twitter, at WNBA.com and on the WNBA app. The winner will be announced during the WNBA Finals.
W25 nominees were required to be on a WNBA team for at least two seasons and meet four of seven criteria based on on-court performance, leadership, sportsmanship and community service. The Republic’s Jeff Metcalfe was among those on the media panel narrowing the list from 72 to 25.
Up next
Phoenix Mercury at Indiana Fever, 4 p.m. Monday, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis, NBA TV — The Mercury (17-10) are going for their ninth consecutive win and a series sweep over the Fever (6-20). They won 87-65 over Indiana on Saturday, outscoring the Fever 36-9 in the third quarter. Nine straight wins would be sole possession of the second longest win streak in team history behind 16 in 2014. The Fever are 5-6 in their last 11 games with two of the losses to Phoenix.
More: Phoenix Mercury blitz Indiana in third quarter for eighth straight win
Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.
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