Best player in WNBA?

October 31, 1:18 PMIndiana Fever ExaminerJustin Albers

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The Fever lost in the WNBA Finals last month.
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The Phoenix Mercury won this year's WNBA title and Mercury guard Diana Taurasi was named league MVP.

We get it.

But did Taurasi really deserve the award?

Phoenix has been good in the past and has won championships. The Indiana Fever, on the other hand, have not. Taurasi has a great group of scorers and shooters around her - Tamika Catchings has one (Katie Douglas).

So, after what we saw in the WNBA Finals, should Taurasi really have been awarded the MVP trophy?

My answer is no.

Catchings had a tremendous season -- not scoring so much, but just all around tremendous. A typical line for Catchings would be 12 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and five steals. She was Miss Everything for the Fever all year long.

Catchings was the MVP, no question about it. Yes, Douglas was outstanding all year, but she struggled in the playoffs.

If you take Catchings away from Indiana, the Fever are a mediocre Eastern Conference team. They don't beat Connecticut in the first round of the playoffs and they certainly don't beat Detroit in the second round.

So yes, Taurasi had a great year and played for the league's best team, but Catchings is the league's most valuable player. No questions asked.