Aussie superstar forward/center Lauren Jackson joined her Seattle Storm teammate Sue Bird, and fellow WNBA players Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, and Kelly Miller to bring Spartak Moscow the 2009 Euroleague title.

The star-heavy Spartak team defeated Halcon Avenida 85-70 in a heated exchange Sunday.  Jackson contributed 13 points and 5 rebounds for Moscow, who were led by MVP Diana Taurasi’s spectacular 31 points.

“It’s awesome,” said the 6-5 Jackson, when asked about being surrounded by such great players at every position.”I really love it.”

Sue Bird had a double-double for Spartak with 13 points and 10 assists.  Halcon Avenida (Salamanca, Spain) was led by Le’Coe Willingham who had a team high 25 points.

Taurasi had scored 33 points in the semi-final game, giving her an average of 32 points in her final two games.  The championship gives Spartak an unprecedented three consecutive Euroleague titles (2007, 2008, and 2009).

Jackson was the leading scorer for Spartak during the regular season, averaging 23.8 points in 15 games.

Undecided for the 2009 WNBA Season
Lauren Jackson is one of the WNBA’s best forwards; she is a two-time WNBA MVP and won a WNBA championship with the Storm in 2004.

With those credentials, it will prove to be an interesting WNBA offseason with Jackson an unrestricted free-agent this summer.

As of this writing, LJ is still undecided where she’ll end up this coming season, but has pared down her choices to two teams, the team she has spent her entire career with the Seattle Storm, and the Phoenix Mercury.  With the Mercury, Jackson can play alongside her Spratak teammate Diana Taurasi.  “Seattle and Phoenix are… the two places I’m looking at going” said Jackson.

“I don’t know much about the direction she is going to go,” said Seattle head coach Brian Angler. “There is no question she knows what I think of her, what her teammates think of her, what the franchise thinks of her and what she means to the city. Now it’s up to Lauren to make a decision.”

She is expected to make her decision soon and whatever Jackson decides, it will have implications league-wide.

Links and Resources: Lauren Jackson to decide between Storm and Phoenix Mercury (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), Jackson’s Talent In Full Bloom (FIBA Europe), Storm Stars win Historic Euroleague title for Spartak Moscow (Seattle Times)