WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

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WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

The Women's National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual Women's National Basketball Association

Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association has 13 teams and is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States....
(WNBA) award given since the league's inaugural season

1997 WNBA Season

The 1997 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's first in existence. It started off with 8 franchises: Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz....
. MVP voting takes place immediately following the regular season. The award recipient is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. 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.

In 2008

2008 WNBA season

The 2008 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 12th season....
, fans could also have a say in who won the award.

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Encyclopedia

The Women's National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual Women's National Basketball Association

Women's National Basketball Association

1997 WNBA Season

United States

2008 WNBA season

The 2008 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 12th season....
, fans could also have a say in who won the award. Fans were able to vote online for their top five MVP picks. These selections accounted for 25% of the total vote, while the media panel's selections accounted for the other 75%.

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie is an American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner....
and Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who played most recently for the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association....
have won the award three times, while Cynthia Cooper

Cynthia Cooper (basketball)

Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke is a retired American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
and Lauren Jackson

Lauren Jackson

Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. She is often called LJ or Loz. She is a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, the Australian national team Australia women's national basketball team and, until 2006, the Canberra Capitals of the Australian WNBL....
have each won twice.

Most Valuable Players

Year	Player	Team
1997 1997 WNBA Season The 1997 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's first in existence. It started off with 8 franchises: Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz....	Cynthia Cooper Cynthia Cooper (basketball) Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke is a retired American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association ....	Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team is one of the original eight WNBA teams and won all four championships in the first four years of the league's existence....
1998 1998 WNBA season The 1998 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's second season. The 1998 season saw two expansion teams join the league, the Detroit Shock and Washington Mystics....	Cynthia Cooper Cynthia Cooper (basketball) Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke is a retired American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association .... (2)	Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team is one of the original eight WNBA teams and won all four championships in the first four years of the league's existence....
1999 1999 WNBA season The 1999 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's third season. The 1999 season saw two expansion teams join the league, the Minnesota Lynx and Orlando Miracle....	Yolanda Griffith Yolanda Griffith Yolanda Evette Griffith is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association....	Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Sacramento, California. The team is one of the WNBA's eight original franchises and was noted early on for standout players Ticha Penicheiro, Ruthie Bolton and Yolanda Griffith....
2000 2000 WNBA season The 2000 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's fourth season. The 2000 season saw four expansion teams join the league, the Indiana Fever, Miami Sol, Portland Fire, and Seattle Storm....	Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who played most recently for the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association....	Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team is one of the original eight WNBA teams and won all four championships in the first four years of the league's existence....
2001 2001 WNBA season The 2001 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's fifth season. The season ended with the Los Angeles Sparks winning their first WNBA championship....	Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie is an American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner....	Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks are a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1997, the Sparks are one of the eight original WNBA teams....
2002 2002 WNBA season The 2002 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's sixth season. The season ended with the Los Angeles Sparks winning their second WNBA championship....	Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who played most recently for the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association.... (2)	Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team is one of the original eight WNBA teams and won all four championships in the first four years of the league's existence....
2003 2003 WNBA season The 2003 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's seventh season. It was first season in which team either folded or relocated....	Lauren Jackson Lauren Jackson Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. She is often called LJ or Loz. She is a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, the Australian national team Australia women's national basketball team and, until 2006, the Canberra Capitals of the Australian WNBL....	Seattle Storm Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently led by Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird....
2004 2004 WNBA season The 2004 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's eighth season. The league was decreased by one team as the Cleveland Rockers folded after the 2003 season....	Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie is an American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner.... (2)	Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks are a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1997, the Sparks are one of the eight original WNBA teams....
2005 2005 WNBA season The 2005 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's ninth season....	Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who played most recently for the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association.... (3)	Houston Comets Houston Comets The Houston Comets was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team is one of the original eight WNBA teams and won all four championships in the first four years of the league's existence....
2006 2006 WNBA season The 2006 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's tenth season. The league added one team the Chicago Sky. On April 5 the Women's National Basketball Association held their draft....	Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie Lisa Leslie is an American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner.... (3)	Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks are a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1997, the Sparks are one of the eight original WNBA teams....
2007 2007 WNBA season The 2007 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 11th season. On January 3, 2007 The Charlotte Sting folded. Three months later on April 4, the Women's National Basketball Association held their annual draft in Cleveland, Ohio....	Lauren Jackson Lauren Jackson Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. She is often called LJ or Loz. She is a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, the Australian national team Australia women's national basketball team and, until 2006, the Canberra Capitals of the Australian WNBL.... (2)	Seattle Storm Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently led by Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird....
2008 2008 WNBA season The 2008 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 12th season....	Candace Parker Candace Parker Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Sparks. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008 WNBA Draft....	Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks are a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1997, the Sparks are one of the eight original WNBA teams....

Trivia

Sheryl Swoopes won the award for a record third time in 2005 by the closest margin in league history. She had a total of 327 votes, while runner-up Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson

Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. She is often called LJ or Loz. She is a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, the Australian national team Australia women's national basketball team and, until 2006, the Canberra Capitals of the Australian WNBL....
had 325 votes. She also became the second player in WNBA history to win both the All-Star Game MVP award and the regular season MVP award in the same season.
Only once has a player from the Eastern Conference won the award, that being Cooper of the Houston Comets in 1997—the year before the Comets moved into the Western Conference.
In 2008, Candace Parker became the first player in WNBA history to win the MVP award in her rookie season.