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The WNBA has an illustrious history. The league was founded on April 24, 1996. The league’s first season took place in 1997. The league started off with eight teams. The Phoenix Mercury were one of those teams.
The Mercury franchise has been around since the beginning, and they have had triumphant moments. With their success this season, now is a good time to hop in the time machine and look back at where they started.
Phoenix had a successful inaugural season. They finished with a record of 16-12. Their solid start led to them becoming the top team in the Western Conference. They were the only team in the West that finished over .500. The Los Angeles Sparks finished 14-14, which put them exactly at .500, and the Sacramento Monarchs and the Utah Starzz were significantly below .500.
The Mercury made the playoffs, where they faced the New York Liberty. With the league still in its adolescence, the playoff matchups were single-game elimination. The Liberty defeated the Mercury 59-41. The Liberty moved on to the WNBA Finals, where they faced the Houston Comets. The Comets won 65-51.
Phoenix was coached by USC Trojans legend Cheryl Miller. Miller spent time as the team’s head coach and general manager. She went on to coach the Mercury for four seasons. She helped them reach the playoffs in three of her four seasons.
When it came to their first season, the Mercury were led by Jennifer Gillom. Gillom was drafted alongside Michele Timms in the WNBA’s allocation draft. Then, they built the rest of their roster through the elite draft and the 1997 WNBA Draft.
Gillom was the team’s leading scorer, as she averaged 15.7 points and 5.4 rebounds. She played with the Mercury for six seasons, and her best year was in 1998. She averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals. The 1998 season was another special year for the Mercury, as they reached the WNBA Finals. They beat the Cleveland Rockers in the semifinals. This matchup was a best-of-3 series, and Phoenix won 2-1.
Phoenix faced the Houston Comets in the WNBA Finals, and Houston beat them 2-1.
The Mercury set the tone in their first season. They showed they were a legitimate team, and in the following season, they nearly won it all. Now, the present team has a chance to add to that legacy, and if all goes well, they will hoist the championship when it is all said and done.
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