Penny Taylor-Gil
Encyclopedia
Penny Taylor is an Australian professional basketball player. She currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury
in the WNBA
and Turkish
team Fenerbahçe Istanbul in the EuroLeague Women
. In September 2006, she led the Australian Women's Basketball team (the Opals) to a gold medal at the World Championships, winning tournament MVP honours ahead of teammate Lauren Jackson
.
Taylor posed nude in an Australian magazine, Black+White
, that featured Olympic athletes who were set to compete in Athens in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The expensively printed magazine/book has been produced for the last three Olympic Games and, by the 2004 edition, was considered relatively uncontroversial in Australia with its "artistic" approach to nude photography and its equal coverage of male and female athletes.
She also holds English passport due to her parents' origin.
(WNBL) from 1998 to 2002. She led the league in scoring with 25.5 points per game and steals with 2.5 steals per game during the 2000–01 season
in the first round (11th overall) during the annual WNBA Draft
on 20 April 2001. She starred for the Rockers for three seasons.
In January 2004, the WNBA held a dispersal draft
, where the league's existing teams selected former players from the Rockers team. Taylor was selected as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury
.
In July 2007 she was chosen as a reserve for the WNBA All Star game, her 2nd and 3rd appearance
On 16 September 2007, Penny Taylor along with Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship defeating the Detroit Shock in the final game 5 of the finals, 108 – 92, they became the first team to end out a finals series at an away venue in the WNBA.
Taylor sat out most of the 2009 season after having ankle surgery but returned to the Mercury mid-season and averaged 10.7 points off the bench. The Mercury went on to win the WNBA Championship that year, beating the Indiana Fever 3 games to 2, with Taylor making 2 clutch free throws down the stretch to help clinch the decisive game 94–86.
) during 1997–98.
She was named the WNBL's "Most Valuable Player" during the 2000–01 season and was selected to the WNBL All-Star Five team. She was also a member of the 1999 WNBL championship team.
In the 2004 Summer Olympics
, Taylor was a member of the Australian women's basketball team that won the silver medal
.
On 23 September 2006, Taylor was a member of the Australian women's basketball team
that won the title of 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
, and was again named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship.
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
and Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
team Fenerbahçe Istanbul in the EuroLeague Women
EuroLeague Women
The EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
. In September 2006, she led the Australian Women's Basketball team (the Opals) to a gold medal at the World Championships, winning tournament MVP honours ahead of teammate Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
.
Personal
Taylor was born to English parents Michael Taylor and Denna Noble. She has a younger brother named Phillip and an older sister named Heather. Penny attended Upwey High School in Victoria.Taylor posed nude in an Australian magazine, Black+White
Black+White
Black+White was a bimonthly Australian magazine published by Studio Magazines that debuted in the summer of 1992. For a period it was also known as Black+White magazine....
, that featured Olympic athletes who were set to compete in Athens in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The expensively printed magazine/book has been produced for the last three Olympic Games and, by the 2004 edition, was considered relatively uncontroversial in Australia with its "artistic" approach to nude photography and its equal coverage of male and female athletes.
She also holds English passport due to her parents' origin.
WNBL career
Taylor played for Dandenong Rangers in the Women's National Basketball LeagueWomen's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...
(WNBL) from 1998 to 2002. She led the league in scoring with 25.5 points per game and steals with 2.5 steals per game during the 2000–01 season
WNBA career
She was selected by the Cleveland RockersCleveland Rockers
This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which...
in the first round (11th overall) during the annual WNBA Draft
WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the WNBA through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. The first WNBA draft was held in 1997...
on 20 April 2001. She starred for the Rockers for three seasons.
In January 2004, the WNBA held a dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
, where the league's existing teams selected former players from the Rockers team. Taylor was selected as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
.
In July 2007 she was chosen as a reserve for the WNBA All Star game, her 2nd and 3rd appearance
On 16 September 2007, Penny Taylor along with Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship defeating the Detroit Shock in the final game 5 of the finals, 108 – 92, they became the first team to end out a finals series at an away venue in the WNBA.
Taylor sat out most of the 2009 season after having ankle surgery but returned to the Mercury mid-season and averaged 10.7 points off the bench. The Mercury went on to win the WNBA Championship that year, beating the Indiana Fever 3 games to 2, with Taylor making 2 clutch free throws down the stretch to help clinch the decisive game 94–86.
International basketball
Taylor played for the AIS (Australian Institute of SportAustralian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
) during 1997–98.
She was named the WNBL's "Most Valuable Player" during the 2000–01 season and was selected to the WNBL All-Star Five team. She was also a member of the 1999 WNBL championship team.
In the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Taylor was a member of the Australian women's basketball team that won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
.
On 23 September 2006, Taylor was a member of the Australian women's basketball team
Australia women's national basketball team
The Australia Women's National Basketball Team is the women's National Basketball team for Australia. They won Gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006 defeating New Zealand's Tall Ferns in the final match with a score of 77–39. They then followed it up with a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA...
that won the title of 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
The 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women took place in Brazil from September 12 to September 23, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation and Confederação Brasileira de Basketball, the Brazilian national federation....
, and was again named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship.
Vital statistics
- Current WNBA Team: Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
,- Former WNBA Team(s): Cleveland RockersCleveland RockersThis article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which...
(WNBA)
- Former WNBA Team(s): Cleveland Rockers
- Current European Team: Fenerbahçe IstanbulFenerbahçe IstanbulFenerbahçe Women's Basketball is the women's basketball department of Fenerbahçe S.K., a major sports club based in Istanbul, Turkey.Fenerbahçe play their matches in the 1.500-seated Caferağa Sport Hall...
, (Turkish Women's Basketball LeagueTurkish Women's Basketball LeagueThe Turkish Women’s Basketball League is the top women’s professional basketball league in Turkey organized by the Turkish Basketball Federation. The women’s league started in 1980...
, EuroLeague WomenEuroLeague WomenThe EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
)- Former European Team(s): Famila Schio, La Spezia (Italian A-League), UMMC EkaterinburgUMMC EkaterinburgUMMC Ekaterinburg is a women's basketball team based in Yekaterinburg, Russia that plays in Russia's domestic league and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women. It is a highly successful team in recent years.-External links:* *...
, (Russian Superleague, EuroLeague WomenEuroLeague WomenThe EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
)
- Former European Team(s): Famila Schio, La Spezia (Italian A-League), UMMC Ekaterinburg
- Position: Forward
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
- Weight: 75 kg
- Number: 13