Examining Phoenix's Ties To USC

USC has had some talented players, and some of them played in the WNBA. Some of them have played for the Phoenix Mercury.

Jan 14, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cheryl Miller, left, former basketball player, olympian and NBA sideline reporter attends the game between the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have ties to USC, and it started in the inaugural season. The Mercury did not have a USC player that year, but their coach had a legendary career with the Trojans.

USC legends coach the Mercury

Cheryl Miller was Phoenix's first coach, and she helped USC win two championships. In her four years with the team, she averaged 23.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 3.2 assists and 2.5 blocks. Her best year was her third, and she averaged 26.8 points, 15.8 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 2.9 assists and 2.7 blocks.

Dec 1983; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Southern California Trojans forward Cheryl Miller (31) in action against the Oregon Ducks at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-Imagn Images / Long Photography-Imagn Images

Miller coached the Mercury in their first four seasons, and they made the playoffs three times during that period. She resigned from the position after the 2000 season, and a familiar face took over.

As far as players, USC had five players in the 1997 season. Lisa Leslie was a part of the league's allocation period, and she went to the Los Angeles Sparks. Cynthia Cooper was a part of that process as well, and she went to the Houston Comets. Cooper had a successful playing career, and she also has Mercury ties. She became their head coach after Miller left.

Dec 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke reacts against the UCLA Bruins at Galen Center. UCLA defeated USC 59-52. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tina Thompson and Pamela McGee were the first two picks of the 1997 WNBA Draft, and there was one more USC player in the league, as Kim Gessig played a game with the Sparks.

USC made an instant impact on the WNBA, and as time went on, more players entered the league.

Adrian Williams-Strong attended USC, and she was drafted by the Mercury in 2000. She was a second-round pick, and she had some solid seasons with Phoenix. She also became the franchise's fourth All-Star, as she represented the team in the 2003 All-Star Game. Williams-Strong became an All-Star after averaging 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals.

The Mercury struggled that season, but their All-Star's play was one of the positives.

Years after Williams-Strong was drafted, Shay Murphy came into the WNBA. She was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx, and she spent her rookie season with them. Later on, she was traded to the Detroit Shock, and she also spent time with the Washington Mystics, the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky. Then, she made her way to Phoenix.

Murphy won a championship in Phoenix, as she was a part of the 2014 team. The Mercury had an incredible season, and it led to the franchise's third championship. Then, after dealing with an injury, she returned to the Mercury in 2017 before being traded to the San Antonio Stars.

Sep 26, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Briana Gilbreath (15) drives to the basket in the third quarter against the Minnesota Lynx in game one of the WNBA conference finals at Target Center. The Lynx defeated the Mercury 85-62. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-Imagn Images / Marilyn Indahl-Imagn Images

After Murphy, there were other USC players with Mercury ties, as Briana Gilbreath-Butler joined them in 2012, and Kadi Sissoko was drafted by them in 2023.

USC has had some talented players, and 20 of them have played in the league. Some of them have ties to the Mercury, and in Murphy's case, she helped them make history.

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