A Look Back at WNBA Most Valuable Players

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Voting for the WNBA Most Valuable Player award takes place immediately following the regular season. The winner is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States.

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.

1997: Cynthia Cooper

Aug. 20, 1997: Cynthia Cooper of the Houston Comets celebrates with her teammates after the championship game against the New York Liberty at The Summit in Houston, Texas. The Comets won the game, 65-51.

1998: Cynthia Cooper

1 Sep 1998: Guard Cynthia Cooper #14 of the Houston Comets in action against guard Bridget Pettis #32 of the Phoenix Mercury during game three of the WNBA Finals at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Comets defeated the Mercury 80-71. Mandatory Cre

Sept. 1, 1998: Guard Cynthia Cooper, No. 14 of the Houston Comets, in action against guard Bridget Pettis, No. 32 of the Phoenix Mercury, during Game Three of the WNBA Finals at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Comets defeated the Mercury 80-71.

1999: Yolanda Griffith

15 Jun 2000: Yolanda Griffith #33 of the Sacramento Monarchs guards Quancy Barnes #42 of the Seattle Storm at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. The Monarchs defeated the Storm 54-50. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport

Yolanda Griffith was a player in the now defunct ABL before becoming a team member of the Sacramento Monarchs. She was named the 1997-1998 ABL Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-ABL first team.

Griffith was selected as the No. 2 overall draft pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and won the WNBA's MVP and Defensive Player awards in 1999.

2000: Sheryl Swoopes

17 Aug 2000: Sheryl Swoops #22 of the Houston Comets poses with her trophy and WNBA President Val Ackerman after the WNBA Playoff Game 1 against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Comets defeated the Sparks 77-56. NOTE

Aug. 17, 2000: Sheryl Swoopes, No. 22 of the Houston Comets, poses with her trophy and WNBA President Val Ackerman after the WNBA Playoff Game One against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. The Comets defeated the Sparks 77-56.

2001: Lisa Leslie

Aug. 26, 2001: Lisa Leslie, No. 9 of the Los Angeles Sparks, receives the WNBA Most Valuable Player trophy from Kirk Rimsnider, Regional Divisional Marketing Manager for the Buick Motor Division, prior to Game Two of the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Monarchs at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Monarchs won 80-60.

2002: Sheryl Swoopes

LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 25: Sheryl Swoopes #22 of the Houston Comets drives to the basket past Mwadi Mabika#4 of the Los Angeles Sparks on August 25, 2003 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Sparks won 67-84. NOTE TO USER: User expressly ack

Sheryl Swoopes earned her second MVP award in 2002. That year she also won Defensive Player of the Year.

2003: Lauren Jackson

ATHENS - AUGUST 18: Lauren Jackson #15 of Australia looks on during the women's basketball preliminary game against Japan on August 18, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Indoor Arena of the Helliniko Olympic Complex in Athens, Greec

Lauren Jackson, the all-time greatest Australian women's basketball player, took the MVP award in 2003. She has played her entire WNBA career with the Seattle Storm. She is a member of the Opals, Australia's national team.

2004: Lisa Leslie

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - DECEMBER 1: Basketball player Lisa Leslie attends the Sixth Annual Family Television Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on December 1, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Lisa Leslie won her second MVP award in 2004.

2005: Sheryl Swoopes

LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 17: Sheryl Swoopes arrives at the 2007 NBPA All-Star Gala presented by Budweiser Select at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on February 17, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Sheryl Swoopes won her third MVP award in 2005.

2006: Lisa Leslie

HOLLYWOOD - JULY 13: Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie (R) and guest arrive at the 13th Annual ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre on July 13, 2005 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Lisa Leslie won her third MVP award in 2006. Leslie and her husband, pilot Michael Lockwood, arrive at the 13th Annual ESPY Awards on July 13, 2005.

2007: Lauren Jackson

AUBURN HILLS, MI - SEPTEMBER 05: Lauren Jackson #15 of the Seattle Storm holds up her trophy after being named WNBA Most Valuable Player for 2007 prior to Game One of the WNBA Finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills on September 5, 2007 in Auburn Hills, Mich

Lauren Jackson, No. 15 of the Seattle Storm, holds up her trophy after being named WNBA Most Valuable Player for 2007 prior to Game One of the WNBA Finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Sept. 5, 2007.

2008: Candace Parker

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: WNBA player Candace Parker accepts the award for best female athlete onstage at the 2008 ESPY Awards held at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on July 16, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. The 2008 ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 20 at 9P

Pictured here at the 2008 ESPY awards, phenom Candace Parker swept major awards on the pro and college level in her first year in the WNBA. In addition to league's MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, she also won two ESPYs: Best Female College Athlete and Best Female Athlete.

2009: Diana Taurasi

PHOENIX - SEPTEMBER 25: Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury drives the ball past Candace Parker #3 of the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals during the 2009 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center on August 21, 2009 in Phoenix

Lisa Leslie's favorite player, Diana Taurasi, is expected to win this year's award. She led her team, the Phoenix Mercury, to the best record in the league this year. She won the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2004.

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