The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

team based in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

, playing in the Western Conference in the

Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Nati ...

(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises. The team is owned by

Robert Sarver Robert Gary Sarver (born October 31, 1961) is an American businessman, co-founder of Southwest Value Partners, a real estate development company, and the former owner of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and RCD Mallorca. Early life and educat ...

, who also owns the NBA team

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...

. The Mercury have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in fifteen of its twenty-four years in Phoenix. The franchise has been home to players such as former UConn

Diana Taurasi Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has ...

, Rutgers grad

Cappie Pondexter Cappie Marie Pondexter (born January 7, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. She was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and midrange ju ...

, former

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

power forward

Candice Dupree Candice Dupree (born August 16, 1984) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. She was selected sixth in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. Dupree has won a WNBA Championship ( 2014) with the Phoenix Mercury. She has ...

, former Baylor center

Brittney Griner Brittney Yevette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's natio ...

, and Australian guard

Penny Taylor Penelope Jane Taylor (born 24 May 1981) is an Australian retired professional basketball player and assistant coach. During her 19-year career, Taylor spent the most time with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, where she won three championships. ...

. In 1998,

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

, and 2021 the Mercury went to the

WNBA Finals The WNBA Finals are the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the conclusion of the league's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002. Starting 2016 Verizon is the offici ...

; they lost to

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...

in 1998, but won the title in 2007, 2009, and 2014 over

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

, and

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

respectively.

Franchise history

Mercury heating up (1997–1998)

With a cast that included hall-of-famer Nancy Lieberman, and possible future hall-of-famers Michele Timms of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

, and

Jennifer Gillom Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom (born June 13, 1964) is an American former Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002, before finishing her playing career with the Los Angeles ...

, hyper-active star

Bridget Pettis Bridget Pettis (born January 1, 1971) was an Assistant Coach of the Chicago Sky Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional basketball team. She is an American former college and professional basketball player who was a guard in ...

, and outspoken coach Cheryl Miller, the Mercury quickly established itself as a major franchise. In the very first WNBA season, the Mercury posted a 16–12 record and reached the first WNBA playoffs. The Mercury lost to the

New York Liberty The New York Liberty are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Liberty compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was ...

, though, in those playoffs. In 1998, the Mercury again qualified for the playoffs, posting a 19–11 record. The Mercury defeated the

Cleveland Rockers The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Cleveland, that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which started in 1997. The owner was Gordon G ...

to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time. In a hard-fought series, the Mercury fell 2 games to 1 to the defending champion

Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Houston. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. They are one of two ...

Mercury in retrograde (1999–2003)

In 1999, the Mercury missed the playoffs, posting a 15–17 record. In 2000, the Mercury finished 20–12, but got swept by the

Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks (LA Sparks) are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was fou ...

. The team descended into turmoil after the season, as coach Miller left and the original core group of players broke up, via retirement or trades, and the team stopped being a playoff contender. From 2001 to 2004, the Mercury were at the bottom of the WNBA. Fielding miserable teams, the Mercury were never competitive. The Mercury went through coach after coach, and nothing worked. During the lean years, the franchise remained in the news as forward Lisa Harrison would become a sex symbol. Playboy Magazine offered her money to pose in their magazine. She would decline the offer.

Diana Taurasi joins the WNBA (2004–2005)

After a horrible 2003 season, in which the Mercury posted an 8–26 record, the Mercury won the #1 overall choice in the 2004 WNBA Draft, and select coveted former UConn star

. Taurasi went on to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award in the 2004 season, as the Mercury posted a better 17–17 record. The Mercury posted a 16–18 record in 2005, missing the playoffs again.

Bringing back "Paul Ball" (2006–2007)

Former NBA coach Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach prior to the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix. Westhead was the first WNBA coach to have won a previous NBA championship (1980 LA Lakers). The Mercury also drafted

with the #2 overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft. The addition provided Taurasi with a solid #2 player. Westhead's run and gun offense quickly became The Mercury's trademark and the franchise would soon set new league records for points scored. The 2006 season was a positive one for the Mercury, as they posted a winning record for the first time since 2000, at 18–16. The Mercury competed for the playoffs all year, but fell just short of a postseason berth. As the 2007 season came, the Mercury were poised and hungry for a deep playoff run. The Mercury would run away with the Western Conference, posting their best record in franchise history at 23–11, as well as clinching the #1 seed. The Mercury set a record by averaging 89.0 points in a season during 2007.Sports Illustrated, September 24, 2007, p. 67 In their first playoffs since 2000, the Mercury made quick work of the

Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...

in the first round, blowing them out in two games (Game 1: 101–84, Game 2: 95–89). In the Western Finals, the Mercury swept the San Antonio Silver Stars in a closer series (Game 1: 102–100, Game 2: 98–92), advancing to the WNBA Finals for the first time in nine years. In the Finals, the Mercury faced the defending 2006 champions

Detroit Shock The Detroit Shock were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006, and 2008 WNBA champions. Debuting in 1998, the Shock were one of the league's first expansion franchises. Th ...

. The two teams split the first two games in Detroit. Coming back home, the Mercury suffered a letdown in game 3, losing 88–83. Down 2–1, the Mercury had to win game 4 or lose. Game 4 came down to the final seconds, but the Mercury edged out the Shock 77–76, with Cappie Pondexter scoring 26 points, and forced a Game 5 in Detroit. In Game 5, Phoenix won by a score of 108–92.

scored a game high 30 points in Game 5, and went 18-for-18 from the line. The Mercury won the series and their first championship with a 108–92 Game 5 victory, becoming the first WNBA team to win a championship on the road.

was named the WNBA Finals MVP, and averaged 22.0 points and 5.6 assists in the series. On November 7, 2007, The Mercury announced the hiring of Corey Gaines as head coach to replace the departing Paul Westhead.

Mercury fall, Mercury rise (2008–2011)

In 2008, the Mercury started slowly and never really found a groove, finishing the season with a disappointing record of 16–18, well out of the playoff picture in a tough Western Conference. The Mercury became the first team in WNBA history with the dubious honor of failing to qualify for the playoffs after winning the WNBA Finals the year before. However, a year later, the Mercury were back to what they were two years before. The Mercury clinched the top spot in the playoffs along with the number one seed in the Western Conference. The Mercury defeated the 2008 conference champion San Antonio Silver Stars in the first round, winning the very exciting series 2–1 after losing the first game on the road. The Mercury then defeated the Los Angeles Sparks in the conference finals, winning 2–1 in a series that ended Lisa Leslie's career. The Mercury then went on to beat the Indiana Fever 3–2 in the best of 5 series to capture the second title in their franchise history.

captured the WNBA Finals MVP Award. All-star guard

was traded to the

amid some controversy in the offseason; All-Star

joined the duo of Taurasi and

as the Mercury looked to repeat in 2010. It was not easy, however, as the Mercury faced a few bad losing streaks throughout the 2010 season. The team managed to finish 15–19, good for second place in the Western Conference. Phoenix swept

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

in the first round of the Playoffs, but lost to the eventual champion

in the conference finals. After a hectic offseason for

, most of the Mercury team was rested and ready to play. The team started the 2011 season with a surprising 0–3 record, but flew back into playoff contention, entering the All-Star break with a 10–5 record. Ultimately, they recovered to gain the third seed in the

2011 WNBA Playoffs The 2011 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2011 season. Four teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs seeded 1 to 4 in a tournament bracket, with the two openin ...

, and upset the

in the opening round, closing an 18-point deficit to win on Seattle's home floor, allowing the Mercury to reach its third straight conference finals. Unfortunately, for the team, they came up short against the top-seeded

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded p ...

, losing in two games.

Brittney Griner arrives, and history is made (2013–present)

Phoenix Mercury at the White House to honor 2014 Championship

Coming off the 2012 WNBA season in which the Phoenix Mercury franchise finished with the second worst record in the WNBA, a 7–27 mark, Phoenix received the 2013 WNBA draft lottery and secured the top overall pick. Once the 2013 WNBA Draft arrived in April 2013, the Mercury used the top overall pick on two time Women's College Basketball Wooden award winner

. However, the Mercury lost to the Lynx in the Conference round of the playoffs. The following season the Mercury under the guidance of new coach Sandy Brondello went on to set an all time WNBA record for wins in a season, with 29, and breezed through the 2014 playoffs to claim their 3rd WNBA Championship. On February 3, 2015,

announced that she would sit out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg. The team offered Taurasi to pay her more than her WNBA salary to skip the 2015 WNBA season. For the 2014 WNBA season, Taurasi made just under the league maximum of $107,000. But she makes 15 times that - approximately $1.5 million - playing overseas. In 2016, the WNBA switched to a playoff format involving single elimination games in the first two rounds. The eighth-seeded Mercury upset the Indiana Fever in the First Round and

in the Second Round to reach the Semifinals. However, they lost the Semifinals to the

. In 2017, the Mercury once again sailed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, winning their games against the

and Connecticut Sun. Again, they lost in the Semifinals, this time to the

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

saw the Mercury win both single-elimination playoff games for the third year in a row with victories against the

Dallas Wings The Dallas Wings are an American basketball team based in Arlington, Texas. The Wings play in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is owned by a group which is led by chairman Bill Cameron. Greg ...

and Connecticut Sun, giving

a 13–0 record in winner-take-all elimination games in her career. In the semifinals, the Mercury came up short against the

in the decisive fifth game, giving Taurasi her first ever loss in a winner-take-all elimination game.

Uniform sponsor

In June 2009 the Mercury and WNBA announced a sponsorship agreement with

identity theft Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person's personal identifying information, like their name, identifying number, or credit card number, without their permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. The term ''identity theft'' was c ...

protection service

LifeLock LifeLock Inc. is an American identity theft protection company based in Tempe, Arizona. LifeLock's system monitors for identity theft, the use of personal information, and credit score changes. LifeLock was acquired by computer security comp ...

to place that company's logo on their jerseys through the 2013 season, making the Mercury among the first non-soccer franchises in the major leagues of North America to place a company logo on their uniforms. For the 2014 season and going forward, the Mercury will wear jerseys sponsored by Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort.

Season-by-season records

Players

Current roster

Former players

* DeWanna Bonner (2009–2019), now an member of the Connecticut Sun * Kara Braxton (2010–2011) *

Monique Currie Monique Currie (born February 25, 1983) is a former American basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She retired on February 26, 2019, and will now work for Nike. Currie was traded from ...

(2015) *

Anna DeForge Anna Louise DeForge (born April 14, 1976) is an American-Montenegrin professional female basketball player who most recently played for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA. She is the first player from the University of Nebraska to ever play in the WN ...

(2003–2005) *

(2010–2016) * Tonya Edwards (2000-2001) *

(1997–2002) * Michelle Griffiths (1998–2000) * Isabelle Harrison (2016), now a member of the

* Lisa Harrison (1999–2005) * Tamicha Jackson (2003; 2006) * Temeka Johnson (2009–2011) * Nancy Lieberman (1997) *

Kelly Mazzante Kelly Anne Mazzante (born February 2, 1982) is an American retired professional women's basketball player who last played for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. At the conclusion of her collegiate career, she was the all-time leading scorer in Big Te ...

(2007–2009) * Kelly Miller (2006–2008) * Leilani Mitchell (2015, 2017–2019), now a member of the

Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was founded pri ...

(1997–2001) * Erin Phillips (2014) *

Plenette Pierson Plenette Michelle Pierson (born August 31, 1981) is a retired American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In the 2007 season, Pierson won the first ever Si ...

(2003–2005), now an assistant coach of the

(2006–2009) * Brandy Reed (1998; 2000–2002) * Danielle Robinson (2017), now a member of the Indiana Fever * Tangela Smith (2007–2010) * Belinda Snell (2005–2007) *

Maria Stepanova Maria Alexandrovna Stepanova (russian: Мари́я Алекса́ндровна Степа́нова; born 23 February 1979) is a Russian professional and Olympic Games, Olympic basketball player. In the United States, she played fo ...

(1998–2001, 2005) *

(2004–2007; 2009–2011; 2013–2014; 2016) *

Michelle Timms Michele Margaret Timms (born 28 June 1965) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association(WNBA). Many people consider the Melbourne ...

(1997–2001) * Kamila Vodičková (2005–2006) * Adrian Williams-Strong (2000–2004) *

Le'coe Willingham Le'coe Willingham (born February 10, 1981) is an American professional basketball player. Attending Hephzibah High School, she won the 1998 AAAA Georgia State Women's state high jump title. She last played the forward position for the Atlanta Dr ...

(2009), now an assistant coach of the

Retired numbers

Hall of Famers

(from Women's Basketball Hall of Fame) *

Ann Meyers-Drysdale Ann Meyers Drysdale (born Ann Elizabeth Meyers; March 26, 1955) is an American former basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional level ...

, enshrined 1999 *

, enshrined 2009 * Nancy Lieberman, enshrined 1996 * Cheryl Miller, enshrined 1995 * Linda Sharp, enshrined 2001 * Michele Timms, enshrined 2008 *

, enshrined 2022

FIBA Hall of Famers

Coaches and staff

Owners

Jerry Colangelo Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizo ...

, owner of the

(1997–2003) *

, owner of the

(2004–present)

Head coaches

General managers

* Cheryl Miller (1997–2000) *Seth Sulka (2001–2006) *

(2007–2011) * Corey Gaines (2012–2013) * Amber Cox (2013) *Jim Pitman (2013–present)

Assistant coaches

*Steve Smith (1997) *Kathy Anderson (1998) *

Carrie Graf Carrie Ann Graf (born 23 June 1967) is an Australian basketball coach. She competed in the WNBL as a player starting during 1983–1989, after which she attended RMIT. Graf has coached teams in the WNBL, WNBA and Australia's national team, and ...

(1998–1999, 2001, 2003) *Howie Landa (1999) *Tom Lewis (2000) * Linda Sharp (2000–2002) *Vonn Read (2000) *Eric Cooper (2001–2002) * Gary Kloppenburg (2003) *

Brian Agler Brian Agler (born August 2, 1958) is an American women's professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Dallas Wings from 2019 to 2020. He also had previously been head coach of the Seattle Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks, each of whom ...

(2004) * Lisa Harrison (2004) * Cedric Ceballos (2004) * Michele Timms (2005) *

(2006–2011) * Corey Gaines (2006–2007) * Earl Cureton (2012–2013) *

Tom Hovasse Thomas Wayne Hovasse (born January 31, 1967) is an American basketball coach and former player. After growing up in Security, Colorado, he played college basketball at Penn State. After not being selected in the 1989 NBA draft, he played professi ...

(2012–2013) *Anthony Boone (2013) *Julie Hairgrove (2005–2021) *Todd Troxel (2014–2018) *

(2019) *

Chasity Melvin Chasity Melvin (born May 3, 1976) is a retired American professional basketball player, originally from Roseboro, North Carolina. A 6'3" (1.90 m) forward, Melvin entered the WNBA in 1999, and played for the Cleveland Rockers, the Washington M ...

(2020–2021) *

Nikki Blue Anitra Necole "Nikki" Blue (born March 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury. High school Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Blue played her high school career at West High School. Bl ...

(2022–Present) * Cinnamon Lister (2022–Present) *

Crystal Robinson Crystal LaTresa Robinson (born January 22, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former player, who is currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury. She grew up in Atoka, Oklahoma, and first garnered national recognition during her col ...

(2022–Present)

Statistics

, - ,

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

, J. Gillom (15.7) , T. Foster (6.1) , M. Timms (5.1) , 69.2 vs 65.2 , 32.9 vs 33.0 , .373 vs .413 , - , 1998 , J. Gillom (20.8) , J. Gillom (7.3) , M. Timms (5.3) , 73.9 vs 67.5 , 31.4 vs 31.4 , .424 vs .434 , - ,

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...

, J. Gillom (15.2) , M. Askamp (7.2) , M. Timms (5.0) , 68.0 vs 68.2 , 31.3 vs 31.6 , .399 vs .415 , - , - , 2000 , B. Reed (19.0) , B. Reed (5.8) , M. Cleary (3.2) , 70.1 vs 65.7 , 27.9 vs 30.3 , .446 vs .423 , - ,

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...

, J. Gillom (12.3) , M. Stepanova (6.3) , K. Veal (4.3) , 64.5 vs 67.8 , 29.4 vs 32.2 , .405 vs .415 , - ,

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

, J. Gillom (15.3) , A. Williams (6.9) , G. Grubin (3.3) , 65.3 vs 71.6 , 28.7 vs 31.3 , .420 vs .455 , - ,

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...

, A. DeForge (11.9) , A. Williams (7.4) , T. Jackson (4.3) , 61.7 vs 66.8 , 29.4 vs 32.8 , .382 vs .447 , - ,

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...

, D. Taurasi (17.0) , P. Taylor (4.8) , D. Taurasi (3.9) , 67.6 vs 65.7 , 26.9 vs 30.0 , .430 vs .425 , - ,

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...

, D. Taurasi (16.0) , K. Vodichkova (7.0) , D. Taurasi (4.5) , 69.4 vs 69.2 , 31.2 vs 30.1 , .414 vs .429 , - ,

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...

, D. Taurasi (25.3) , K. Vodichkova (6.7) , D. Taurasi (4.1) , 87.1 vs 84.7 , 33.7 vs 37.7 , .443 vs .433 , - ,

, D. Taurasi (19.2) , T. Smith (6.5) , K. Miller (4.6) , 89.0 vs 85.4 , 33.9 vs 40.9 , .439 vs .405 , - ,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, D. Taurasi (24.1) , T. Smith (7.0) , K. Miller (4.0) , 88.5 vs 88.5 , 36.1 vs 38.2 , .430 vs .421 , - ,

, D. Taurasi (20.4) , D. Bonner (5.8) , C. Pondexter (5.0) , 92.8 vs 89.1 , 35.0 vs 37.8 , .460 vs .424 , - , - ,

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, D. Taurasi (22.6) , C. Dupree (7.6) , P. Taylor (5.0) , 93.9 vs 93.8 , 35.7 vs 37.6 , .473 vs .455 , - ,

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...

, D. Taurasi (21.6) , C. Dupree (8.2) , P. Taylor (4.7) , 89.0 vs 86.0 , 35.1 vs 34.2 , .461 vs .440 , - ,

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

, D. Bonner (20.6) , K. Thomas (8.0) , S. Prahalis (4.5) , 74.5 vs 86.7 , 37.4 vs 36.1 , .384 vs .437 , - ,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

, D. Taurasi (20.3) , C. Dupree (6.4) , D. Taurasi (6.2) , 79.7 vs 80.3 , 35.1 vs 34.2 , .453 vs .411 , - ,

, D. Taurasi (16.2) , B. Griner (8.0) , D. Taurasi (5.6) , 83.5 vs 74.1 , 33.7 vs 34.5 , .484 vs .409 , - ,

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

, D. Bonner (15.8) , B. Griner (8.1) , D. Bonner (3.3) , 75.1 vs 72.3 , 33.4 vs 35.0 , .437 vs .396 , - , 2016 , D. Taurasi (17.8) , B. Griner (6.5) , D. Taurasi (3.9) , 84.6 vs 83.3 , 32.4 vs 34.4 , .453 vs .440 , - , 2017 , B. Griner (21.9) , B. Griner (7.6) , L. Mitchell (3.6) , 81.9 vs 81.9 , 32.1 vs 34.6 , .440 vs .438 , - ,

, D. Taurasi (20.7) , B. Griner (7.7) , D. Taurasi (5.3) , 85.8 vs 83.2 , 32.6 vs 34.4 , .457 vs .431 , - , 2019 , B. Griner (20.7) , D. Bonner (7.6) , D. Taurasi (5.3) , 76.5 vs 77.6 , 32.5 vs 37.2 , .424 vs .422 , - , - , 2020 , D. Taurasi (18.7) , B. Turner (9.0) , B. Hartley & D. Taurasi (4.5) , 86.1 vs 84.1 , 34.0 vs 36.0 , .450 vs .425 , - , 2021 , B. Griner (20.5) , B. Griner (9.5) , S. Diggins-Smith (5.3) , 82.1 vs 79.5 , 36.2 vs 34.9 , .450 vs .417 , - , 2022 , S. Diggins-Smith (19.7) , B. Turner (6.8) , S. Diggins-Smith (5.5) , 81.1 vs 84.1 , 31.2 vs 37.2 , .429 vs .441

Media coverage

Currently, some Mercury games are broadcast on Bally Sports Arizona. The broadcaster for the Mercury games is Kevin Ray. All games (excluding blackout games, which are available on

ESPN3.com ESPN3 (formerly ESPN360 and ESPN3.com) is an online streaming service owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which operates the network, through its 80% controlling ownership interest) and Hearst Communications (w ...

) are broadcast to the WNBA LiveAccess game feeds on the league website. Furthermore, some Mercury games are broadcast nationally on

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

, ESPN2, CBS,

CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American pay television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports Television also known ...

and ABC. The WNBA has reached an eight-year agreement with

, which will pay right fees to the Mercury, as well as other teams in the league.

All-time notes

Regular season attendance

*A sellout for a basketball game at Talking Stick Resort Arena is 18,422 (capacity from 1997 to 2002 was 19,023).

Draft picks

*1997 Elite: Bridget Pettis (7), Nancy Lieberman-Cline (15) *1997: Toni Foster (8), Tia Jackson (9), Umeki Webb (24),

Monique Ambers Monique Ambers (born 21 December 1970) is an American retired basketball player and coach. References External links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ambers, Monique 1970 births Living people American expatriate basketball people in China American ...

(25) *1998: Maria Stepanova (8), Andrea Kuklova (18), Brandy Reed (28), Karen Wilkins (38) *1999: Edna Campbell (10), Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil (22), Lisa Harrison (34), Amanda Wilson (46) *2000: Adrian Williams (21), Tauja Catchings (37), Shantia Owens (53) *2001: Kristen Veal (13), Ilona Korstine (29), Tere Williams (45), Carolyn Moos (53), Megan Franza (61) *2002: Tootie Shaw (25), Kayte Christensen (40), Amba Kongolo (56) *2003

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

/ Portland Dispersal Draft: Tamicha Jackson (4) *2003: Plenette Pierson (4), Petra Ujhelyi (16), Telisha Quarles (31), Marion Jones (33) *2004

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

Dispersal Draft: Penny Taylor (1) *2004: Diana Taurasi (1), Chandi Jones (8), Ashley Robinson (14), Maria Villarroel (27) *2005: Sandora Irvin (3), Angelina Williams (18), Jamie Carey (31) *2006: Cappie Pondexter (2), Liz Shimek (18), Mistie Williams (21), Crystal Smith (32) *2007

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

Dispersal Draft: selection waived *2007: Lindsey Harding (1), Tyresa Smith (18), Leah Rush (28), Chrissy Givens (31), Emily Westerbeg (37) *2008: LaToya Pringle (13), Leilani Mitchell (25), Merscilla Packer (41) *2009

Dispersal Draft: Sequoia Holmes (5) *2009: DeWanna Bonner (5), Sha Brooks (31), Jessica Adair (34) *2010

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

Dispersal Draft: selection waived *2010: Tyra Grant (24), Nyeshia Stevenson (36) *2011: Brittany Spears (19), Tahnee Robinson (31) *2012: Samantha Prahalis (6), C'eria Ricketts (24), Christine Flores (30), Amanda Johnson (33) *2013: Brittney Griner (1), Nikki Greene (26) *2014: Tiffany Bias (17), Maggie Lucas (21), Stephanie Talbot (33) *2015: Isabelle Harrison (12), Alex Harden (18), Žofia Hruščáková (24), Promise Amukamara (36) *2016: Courtney Williams (8), Jullian Alleyne (20), Nirra Fields (32) *2017: Alexis Prince (29) *2018: Marie Gülich (12), Tyler Scaife (20), Raisa Musina (21), Imani Wright (26) *2019: Alanna Smith (8), Sophie Cunningham (13), Arica Carter (32) *2020: Jocelyn Willoughby (10), Te'a Cooper (18), Stella Johnson (29) *2021: Ciera Johnson (32) *2022: Maya Dodson (26), Macee Williams (32)

Trades

*July 31, 1997: The Mercury acquired Mikiko Hagiwara from the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for future considerations. *July 6, 1998: The Mercury traded Pauline Jordan to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Tiffani Johnson. *October 27, 1999: The Mercury traded Marlies Askamp, Angela Aycock and Kristi Harrower to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Adia Barnes, Tonya Edwards and Trisha Fallon. *February 18, 2000: The Mercury acquired Brandy Reed from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for the fifth pick in the 2000 Draft. *April 25, 2000: The Mercury traded Shantia Owens to the Miami Sol in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2001 Draft. *May 27, 2001: The Mercury acquired Jaynetta Saunders from the Cleveland Rockers in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft. *June 22, 2001: The Mercury traded Tonya Edwards to the Charlotte Sting in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft. *March 4, 2002: The Mercury traded the eighth pick in the 2002 Draft to the Cleveland Rockers in exchange for Pollyana Johns-Kimborough. *March 4, 2002: The Mercury traded the 15th pick in the 2002 Draft to the Miami Sol in exchange for Tracy Reid and the 13th pick in the 2002 Draft. *March 4, 2002: The Mercury traded Bridget Pettis and the 13th pick in the 2002 Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Gordana Grubin. *May 3, 2002: The Mercury traded a fourth-round pick in the 2003 Draft to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Claudia das Neves. *May 5, 2002: The Mercury traded Claudia das Neves to the Miami Sol in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2003 Draft. *April 28, 2003: The Mercury traded Petra Ujhelyi and Telisha Quarles to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Edwina Brown and Lenae Williams. *July 31, 2003: The Mercury traded Stacey Thomas to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Tamara Moore. *June 29, 2005: The Mercury traded Plenette Pierson to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Andrea Stinson and a second-round pick in the 2006 Draft. *February 21, 2007: The Mercury traded Sandora Irvin to the San Antonio Silver Stars in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2008 Draft. *April 2, 2007: The Mercury traded a second-round pick in the 2008 Draft to the New York Liberty in exchange for Kelly Schumacher. *April 4, 2007: The Mercury traded Lindsey Harding to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Tangela Smith. *May 7, 2008: The Mercury traded Leilani Mitchell to the New York Liberty in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2009 Draft. *January 30, 2009: The Mercury traded Kelly Miller and LaToya Pringle to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Nicole Ohlde. *March 20, 2009: The Mercury traded Barbara Farris to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for A'Quonesia Franklin and Kim Smith. *March 26, 2009: The Mercury traded a first-round pick in the 2010 Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Temeka Johnson. *March 30, 2010: The Mercury traded Cappie Pondexter and Kelly Mazzante to the New York Liberty and received Candice Dupree from the Chicago Sky. Chicago received Shameka Christon and Cathrine Kraayeveld from New York as part of this trade. *July 23, 2010: The Mercury traded Nicole Ohlde and a first-round pick in the 2011 Draft in exchange for Kara Braxton. *April 11, 2011: The Mercury traded Tahnee Robinson to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2012 Draft. *August 4, 2011: The Mercury traded Kara Braxton to the New York Liberty in exchange for Sidney Spencer. *January 12, 2012: The Mercury traded Temeka Johnson to the Tulsa Shock in exchange for Andrea Riley. *February 2, 2012: The Mercury traded a second-round pick in the 2013 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Alexis Hornbuckle. *February 28, 2012: The Mercury traded the 18th pick in the 2012 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Charde Houston and the 24th pick in the 2012 Draft. *March 11, 2014: The Mercury traded Lynetta Kizer to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Erin Phillips. *March 27, 2014: The Mercury traded Charde Houston to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Ewelina Kobryn. *May 12, 2014: The Mercury traded Maggie Lucas to the Indiana Fever in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2015 Draft. *May 9, 2016: The Mercury traded Monique Currie to the San Antonio Stars in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2017 Draft. *June 25, 2016: The Mercury traded Courtney Williams, Jillian Alleyne, and San Antonio's second-round pick to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Kelsey Bone. *June 25, 2016: The Mercury traded Noelle Quinn to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Angel Robinson. *January 31, 2017: The Mercury traded Isabelle Harrison and a 2017 first round draft pick to the San Antonio Stars in exchange for Danielle Robinson. *February 21, 2017: In a three-team trade, the Mercury traded Candice Dupree and a second round pick in the 2017 Draft to the Indiana Fever and acquired Camille Little and the draft rights to Jillian Alleyne from the Connecticut Sun. *February 21, 2018: The Mercury traded Cayla George for the 21st pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. In a separate trade, the Mercury traded Kelsey Bone for 26th pick in the 2018 WNBA draft and a third round pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. *March 6, 2018: The Mercury traded the 8th pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft for Briann January. In a separate trade, the Mercury traded Danielle Robinson and a second round pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft for the 12th pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. *May 21, 2019: The Mercury traded Stephanie Talbot to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's second round pick in the 2020 Draft. *February 11, 2020: The Mercury traded DeWanna Bonner to Connecticut in exchange for the 7th and 10th pick in the 2020 Draft and Connecticut's first round pick in the 2021 Draft. *February 12, 2020: The Mercury traded the 5th and 7th pick in the 2020 Draft and Connecticut's first round pick in the 2021 Draft (acquired via Feb. 11 trade) to Dallas in exchange for Skylar Diggins-Smith. *February 19, 2020: The Mercury traded Briann January, the 17th pick in the 2020 Draft, and their second round pick in the 2021 Draft to Atlanta for Jessica Breland and Nia Coffey. *April 17, 2020: The Mercury traded the draft rights to Jocelyn Willoughby to New York in exchange for Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. *February 10, 2021: The Mercury traded the 6th overall pick in the 2021 Draft and a first round pick in the 2022 Draft to New York in exchange for Kia Nurse and Megan Walker. *February 13, 2021: The Mercury traded Yvonne Turner to Atlanta for the Dream's 2022 third round pick. *January 31, 2022: The Mercury traded Kia Vaugh to Atlanta for the Dream's 2023 third round pick. *February 3, 2022: The Mercury traded Bria Hartley, the 20th pick in the 2022 Draft and a second round pick in the 2023 Draft to Indiana and their 2023 First Round pick to Chicago in exchange for Diamond DeShields.

All-Stars

*1997: No All-Star Game *1998: No All-Star Game *1999: Michelle Timms *2000: Brandy Reed *2001: None *2002: None *2003: Adrian Williams *2004: Anna DeForge, Diana Taurasi *2005: Diana Taurasi *2006: Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi *2007: Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor *2008: No All-Star Game *2009: Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi *2010: Candice Dupree, Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor *2011: Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor *2012: No All-Star Game *2013: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi *2014: Candice Dupree, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi *2015: DeWanna Bonner, Candice Dupree, Brittney Griner *2016: No All-Star Game *2017: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi *2018: DeWanna Bonner, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi *2019: DeWanna Bonner, Brittney Griner *2020: No All-Star Game *2021: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi *2022: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner

Olympians

*2000: Maria Stepanova ( RUS) *2004: Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor ( AUS) *2008: Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, Penny Taylor ( AUS) *2012: Diana Taurasi *2016: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor ( AUS), Sonja Petrović ( SER), Lindsey Harding ( BLR), Marta Xargay (

ESP ESP most commonly refers to: * Extrasensory perception, a paranormal ability ESP may also refer to: Arts, entertainment Music * ESP Guitars, a manufacturer of electric guitars * E.S. Posthumus, an independent music group formed in 2000, ...

) *2020: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, Kia Nurse ( CAN), Alanna Smith ( AUS)

Honors and awards

*1997 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Jennifer Gillom *1998 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Jennifer Gillom *2002 ''Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award'': Jennifer Gillom *2004 ''Rookie of the Year'': Diana Taurasi *2004 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2005 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Diana Taurasi *2006 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2006 ''All-Rookie Team'': Cappie Pondexter *2006 ''Peak Performer (Scoring)'': Diana Taurasi *2007 ''Finals MVP'': Cappie Pondexter *2007 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2007 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Penny Taylor *2008 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2008 ''Peak Performer (Scoring)'': Diana Taurasi *2009 ''Most Valuable Player'': Diana Taurasi *2009 ''Finals MVP'': Diana Taurasi *2009 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2009 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Cappie Pondexter *2009 ''All-Rookie Team'': DeWanna Bonner *2009 ''Sixth Woman of the Year'': DeWanna Bonner *2009 ''Peak Performer (Scoring)'': Diana Taurasi *2010 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2010 ''Sixth Woman of the Year'': DeWanna Bonner *2010 ''Peak Performer (Scoring)'': Diana Taurasi *2011 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2011 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Penny Taylor *2011 ''Sixth Woman of the Year'': DeWanna Bonner *2011 ''Peak Performer (Scoring)'': Diana Taurasi *2012 ''All-Rookie Team'': Samantha Prahalis *2013 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2013 ''All-Rookie Team'': Brittney Griner *2014 ''Finals MVP'': Diana Taurasi *2014 ''Defensive Player of the Year'': Brittney Griner *2014 ''Peak Performer (Assists)'': Diana Taurasi *2014 ''Coach of the Year'': Sandy Brondello *2014 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Brittney Griner *2014 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2014 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Brittney Griner *2015 ''Defensive Player of the Year'': Brittney Griner *2015 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Brittney Griner *2015 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': DeWanna Bonner *2015 ''All-WNBA First Team'': DeWanna Bonner *2015 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2016 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2017 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Diana Taurasi *2017 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2018 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Diana Taurasi *2018 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2019 ''Most Improved Player'': Leilani Mitchell *2019 ''Peak Performer (Points)'': Brittney Griner *2019 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Brittney Griner *2019 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2019 ''All-Rookie Team'': Brianna Turner *2020 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Brianna Turner *2020 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Diana Taurasi *2020 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Skylar Diggins-Smith *2021 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Brianna Turner *2021 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Brittney Griner *2021 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Skylar Diggins-Smith *2021 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Brittney Griner *2022 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Skylar Diggins-Smith

Notes

References

External links

Gaines announced as Head Coach of the Mercury

Phoenix Mercury coverage from The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com
{{Phoenix, Arizona Women's National Basketball Association teams Basketball teams established in 1997 1997 establishments in Arizona Sports in Phoenix, Arizona Basketball teams in Arizona Women's sports in Arizona