How the Mercury Landed Key Talent in the 1999 WNBA Draft

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs in 1999, but they brought in some good talent before the season.

Jul 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A WIlson official WNBA Evo NXT basketball approaches the rim and the net at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury are one of the WNBA's original teams, and early on, they had some success. They finished their first season with a record of 16-12, and they reached the playoffs. The following year, they reached the playoffs once again, and after beating the Cleveland Rockers, they faced the Houston Comets in the WNBA Finals.

Houston beat them 2-1 in that series, and the Comets won their second championship. They went on to win two more, and as far as the Mercury that was the last time they made the WNBA Finals until 2007. That year, the Mercury beat the Detroit Shock to win it all.

The Phoenix Mercury win their first WNBA championship, defeating the Detroit Shock, 3-2 in the WNBA Finals on Sept. 16, 2007. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mercury bring in new talent

After reaching the WNBA Finals in 1998, the Mercury missed the playoffs the following season. However, they added some talent before that season, as they had four draft picks. Phoenix had a pick in every round, and that year, and their first was towards the end of the first round.

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Phoenix drafted Edna Campbell with that pick, and she spent a year with the team. She had a nice rookie season, as she averaged 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

After that season, Campbell played for the Seattle Storm. They were coming into the league, and Campbell was one of the players they drafted in an expansion draft. She had a strong season for the Storm, as she averaged 13.9 points, 2.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

Eventually, Seattle moved her to the Sacramento Monarchs, and she played with them for four seasons. Then, she spent some time with the San Antonio Silver Stars.

With their second round pick, the Mercury selected Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil. She played for Texas in college, and she averaged 26.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals and an assist. She played a season with the Mercury, and she averaged 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

In the third round, the Mercury selected Lisa Harrison. She had some nice years with the team, and she played with them from 1999 to 2003. Her best season was in 2002, and she averaged 8.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and a steal. Harrison retired in 2003, but she returned for a season in 2005.

Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert during the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Then, with their final pick, they selected Amanda Wilson. Wilson played with them in 1999 and 2000. She played 15 games total, and the Mercury later waived her.

Phoenix added some solid talent that year, and they find themselves a part of Mercury history.

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