Houston Comets guard Cynthia Cooper was the MVP in each of the WNBA's first two seasons.

The 6-foot-4 Griffith, whose season ended Aug. 13 after she partially tore the medial meniscus in her right knee, finished with an average of 11.3 rebounds per game and 73 steals, and was second in scoring at 18.8 points per game.

The 1999 season "was the most competitive setting that women's basketball ever had," said WNBA president Val Ackerman, who presented the MVP trophy to Griffith on Wednesday.

"That's why this year's Most Valuable Player award has an added luster," Ackerman said. "Griffith is about as talented basketball player as you can find."

Griffith, the Monarchs' first-round draft pick and the second overall, won the award after receiving 397 points and 23 first-place votes from a 51-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Forward Sheryl Swoopes of the Comets finished second with 364 points and 15 first-place votes, followed by Cooper, who had 324 points and 13 first-place votes.

The Monarchs finished the season third in the Western Conference at 19-13, losing the final four games of the season they played without Griffith. The Monarchs were defeated in the playoffs by a 71-58 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Wednesday's award was the latest in a triple-whammy for Griffith.

Last week, she was named the WNBA 1999 Newcomer of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year.

Griffith acknowledged the acclaim, but said she would prefer to be out on the court.

"I would give anything to be playing right now," she told reporters. "It was a total loss when I went down. It's just good to be able to run again."