Looking At The Mercury’s History Of No. 31

The Phoenix Mercury are a historic franchise, and they have had so many players over the years. Some of the WNBA’s greatest players have been on their roster, and whether it was through drafting them, acquiring them in a trade or signing them during free agency, those players spent time in Phoenix.

With so many players suiting up for the Mercury, there have been a slew of jersey numbers tied to this franchise. Players wore specific numbers for different reasons, and in some cases, the numbers return years later. For example, Temeka Johnson wore No. 2 in her time with the Mercury.

Once Johnson was gone, the number remained vacant until 2020. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough wore it during that season. Today, Kahleah Copper wears the number.

The last number that was discussed was No. 30. Six players wore it, and Anna DeForge was one of the players who wore it.

Now, No. 31 is next up, and this number dates back to the Mercury’s first season. The first player to wear No. 31 was Tara Wiliams. Williams was a player they signed after allocation, the elite draft and the 1997 WNBA Draft. They also signed Marlies Askamp at the same time they brought in Williams.

Williams spent a year with the Mercury, and she averaged 3.1 points. Later on, she played for the Portland Fire, which was her last stop in the WNBA.

After that, the number was vacant for some years. Then, in 2006, Jennifer Lacy was the next player to wear it. She signed a deal with the Mercury, and in that season, she averaged 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds. The following year, she appeared in 20 games, and played less minutes than the did in 2006. Despite her decreased role, with the Mercury having a special year, she won a championship.

In 2014, Erin Phillips became the next player to wear it. The Mercury acquired her in a trade, and she averaged 5.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 rebounds. She was a member of the dominant 2014 team, which means she won a championship. That was the second of her career, as she won one with the Indiana Fever back in 2012.

A few years later, Sancho Lyttle wore the number. She spent years with the Houston Comets and the Atlanta Dream before spending her last two years with the Mercury. She averaged 7.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in her first year.

There is one more player who wore No. 31, and she is still going strong today. Tina Charles wore it in 2022, as she signed with the team during the offseason. She did well while playing for them, but her time was brief. Charles and the Mercury agreed to a buyout after the team was underperforming at that time.

Charles joined the Seattle Storm right after that, and fast forward to this season, she played for the Connecticut Sun.

There have been five players who wore this number, and as time goes on, more players may be added to the list

Please follow us on X to read more about the Mercury’s history and players who represented them when you click right here!