Mercury's 1998 Roster Shines, Makes History

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The Phoenix Mercury’s 1998 season was special. They finished the season with a record of 19-11, and after beating the Cleveland Rockers in their first playoff matchup, they reached the WNBA Finals.

The Mercury faced the Houston Comets in the Finals, and despite winning the first game, Phoenix lost the series. The Comets won the next two, and they won their second championship. That team made history, and they won two more championships in 1999 and 2000.

Phoenix may have lost, but it was still a great season. In a way, it was reminiscent of this year. Regardless, the Mercury’s players did well, and some of the team’s top players had notable seasons.

May 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Wilson official basketballs with WNBA logo go through the net during the game between the LA Sparks and the Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When it came to scoring, Jennifer Gillom was the team’s leading scorer. She averaged a career-high 20.9 points, and she finished second in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race. The Mercury had another player who averaged at least 10 points, as Bridget Pettis averaged 11.3.

Gillom was also the team’s top rebounder. She averaged 7.3 boards, and the Mercury were a good rebounding team overall. They had nine other players who averaged at least one board.

Facilitating can be key to a team’s success, and the team’s best playmaker was Michele Timms. She averaged 5.3 assists, and as a team, the Mercury shared the wealth. They had seven players who averaged an assist or better.

May 19, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detailed view of the basketball sneakers worn by Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) for the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Phoenix’s star led in another category. Gillom was the Mercury’s leader in steals, and she averaged 1.7. Phoenix had multiple players who did well in this area, as Umeki Webb averaged 1.6, Michelle Brogan averaged 1.5 and Timms and Pettis averaged 1.3 and one, respectively.

The Mercury were on a mission that year, and Gillom did receive recognition for her efforts. On top of receiving MVP votes, she was a member of the All-WNBA First Team. She joined Tina Thompson, Sheryl Swoopes, Suzie McConnell-Serio and Cynthia Cooper.

May 30, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Sparks coach Jennifer Gillom during the game against the Atlanta Dream at the Staples Center. The Dream defeated the Sparks 101-82. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Gillom and the Mercury made the playoffs two more times after that, and the 1998 season remained their best. The Mercury did not win a championship until 2007, and that came after a playoff drought. The 1998 season showed that the franchise can win a championship, and they set the bar for rosters that came after them.

The Mercury were a talented team in the beginning, and today’s stars are carrying on the legacy.

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