Jackson Reaches 3,000-Point Milestone
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When
Lauren Jackson stepped to the free-throw line with 7:32 left in the second quarter of last night's 86-73 win over Chicago with a chance to become the 11th player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career points, almost everyone in the building knew - except Jackson.
"I didn't even know until I was going for the free throws," Jackson said after the game.
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Where Jackson stands out from her peers on the list is in how rapidly she reached the 3,000 mark. Jackson is the first player to enter the league after 1999 to score 3,000 points, as well as the youngest at just over 25 years old (25 years, 28 days, to be exact - 25 years, 33 days was reported yesterday, but that did not account for leap years) and the fastest at 162 games.
"That�s just another reflection about how special Lauren is," said Storm Coach 
Anne Donovan after the game. "She is one of the best if not the best player in the league. How fast she got to 3,000 is another good determination of that."
"I�m excited for her and proud of her," added teammate Sue Bird. "That�s quite an accomplishment. It just proves she the best player in the world."
Jackson was also the youngest WNBA player to 2,000 points, which she hit on July 15, 2004 at Sacramento, and 1,000 points, which she reached on June 7, 2003 against Phoenix.
Over her 162 career games, Jackson has averaged 18.6 points per game. She has scored double-figures in 150 out of those 162 games, topping the 20-point mark 67 teams and hitting for at least 30 points on eight occasions, including her career-high 35 points at Phoenix on May 25.
The Storm will likely get another member of the 3,000-point club at some point this summer when 
Wendy Palmer returns to action. Palmer, who is out for at least a month with a partially torn left Achilles tendon, is sitting on 2,984 career points. Los Angeles' Mwadi Mabika is also on the verge of joining the club, now just six points away from 3,000 in her 10-year career.
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