How Phoenix's International Talent Reached The WNBA Finals

The Phoenix Mercury reached the WNBA Finals in 1998, and some of their international players helped them get there.

Aug 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detailed view of the basketball sneakers worn by Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) against the Phoenix Mercury at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury's 1998 season remains one of their most historic, and a great group of players helped them go far. The Mercury reached the WNBA Finals for the first time that year, and since then, the franchise has had five more appearances.

June 4, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom reacts from the sidelines during the first half in at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

That was a big year, and Jennifer Gillom had the best season of her career. She averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 assists. She finished second in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race, and she played a big role in the team's playoff run.

Phoenix's roster had some talented players, and some of them came from different countries. The Mercury had players like Michele Timms, Marlies Askamp and Mikiko Hagiwara, and those players were there for the first season. Timms had a strong debut season, and she was a Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate in the WNBA's first season. She averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals.

Mercury legend Michele Timms comes on the court during the Ring of Honor ceremony at the Footprint Center on Saturday, May 18, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Timms is from Australia, and the country has ties to both the Mercury and the WNBA as a whole. Then, Askamp is from Germany and Hagiwara is from Japan.

Phoenix added more international players the following year, and some of them came from the draft. The Mercury drafted Maria Stepanova in the first round of that year's draft, and she is Russian.

Stepanova had some solid seasons with the Mercury, and in 1998, she averaged 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds. She was a Most Improved Player candidate in 2001, as she averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, two blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals. After that, she missed a few seasons, and she returned to Phoenix in 2005.

Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A Wilson EVO Nxt WNBA basketball on the court at the Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mercury find Australian talent

The Mercury drafted Andrea Kuklová, and she is from Czechoslovakia. She played for various international teams before joining the Mercury, and in her first season, she averaged 3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Phoenix also added two more Australian players as Kristi Harrower and Michelle Brogan joined the team. Harrower played 30 games in 1998, and she averaged 2.3 points. She played with them in 1999, and she missed the 2000 season due to the Olympics.

Brogan had a nice 1998 season, and she averaged 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 assists. She missed the 1999 season because of maternity leave, but she returned in 2000.

All of these international players helped the team succeed, and they chipped in during what was a historic season for Phoenix.

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