Taurasi to be named MVP despite DUI Arrest

Taurasi to be named MVP

ESPN.com news services

Phoenix Mercury star guard Diana Taurasi is expected to be named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday, the Arizona Republic reported.

Taurasi led the WNBA in scoring for the third time and is averaging 23.8 points per game in the playoffs. The Mercury open their best-of-5 WNBA Finals series Tuesday night against the Fever at US Airways Center, where Indiana beat Phoenix earlier this season.

"If you look at the list of people who won it, to be mentioned in that group is pretty special," Taurasi told the newspaper, asked what it would mean to her to win the award. "It's a special moment in someone's career. It would be a great honor."

Despite another stellar season on the court, Taurasi endured some off-court drama in July when she was arrested for DUI. She faces three drunken driving-related charges in the incident.

The 27-year-old guard was cited hours after she scored 22 points in the Mercury's 93-81 victory over the Seattle Storm on July 1.

A Phoenix police report showed Taurasi's blood-alcohol level was 0.17 percent, more than twice the Arizona legal limit of 0.08. She is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 31.

She was suspended two games without pay by the Mercury for "conduct detrimental to the team" regarding the incident.

Mercury coach Corey Gaines told the Republic that Taurasi didn't let the DUI incident affect her play on the court.

"I think all the humans on this Earth make mistakes," Gaines said. "I know I made many. But instead of saying, 'Woe is me' or worrying about it, [Taurasi] stood up and said, 'I did it. I'm wrong.' And she played through it & and took care of business [on the court]. You can go two ways with that, feel sorry for yourself or stand up and say, 'Hey, I made a mistake' and work from there."

Taurasi was the top pick in the 2004 WNBA draft after leading the Connecticut Huskies to three consecutive NCAA titles.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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