Taurasi

The WNBA announced today that Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi has been named to the 2008 All-WNBA First Team. The 2008 Peak Performer has been named to an all-WNBA team in each of her five career seasons, including four First Team nominations, three of which have come in each of the last three seasons.

Taurasi earns her third consecutive First Team naming after a season in which she submitted the second-best scoring average in league history, 24.1 points per game, placing just under her WNBA-record 25.3 points per game in 2006. The former No. 1 draft pick is the only player to be named to the last three All-WNBA First Teams, and joins Seattle Storm center Lauren Jackson as one of two players to be named to an all-league team in each of the last five seasons.

Taurasi is joined on the First Team by the Sparks’ Candace Parker, who led all players in the voting process, Lisa Leslie, who earns her eighth First Team honor, the Sun’s Lindsay Whalen and the Silver Stars’ Sophia Young, both of whom earn their first career First Team awards.

Voting for the All-WNBA First and Second Teams was conducted by a panel of national sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were selected by position and received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team designation. In honor of being named to the All-WNBA First and Second Teams, each player will receive a Tiffany & Co. designed trophy. In addition, $10,000 will be awarded to each member of the First Team, while each member of the Second Team will receive $5,000 .