How Mercury's Westhead Became A Coach Of The Year Candidate

The Phoenix Mercury hired Paul Westhead in 2006, and he was a part of the Coach of the Year race the following year.

February 24, 2013; Stanford, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Paul Westhead reacts at an official against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury won their first championship in 2007, and it involved a competitive series with the Detroit Shock. They beat the Shock 3-2 after getting wins in Game 2, Game 4 and Game 5.

The Mercury worked hard to get to that point, and it was their first playoff appearance since 2000. That was the year they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Sparks.

Phoenix had a hard time making the playoffs after that, and the team had different coaches during that period. Paul Westhead became the head coach in 2006, and that was the same season where the Mercury drafted Cappie Pondexter.

Nov 20, 2013; Hartford, CT, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Paul Westhead reacts during a break in the action against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at XL Center. UConn defeated the Oregon Ducks 114-68. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Pondexter had a strong rookie season, and the Mercury finished the season with a record of 18-16. Phoenix missed the playoffs, but Westhead and his team were taking a step in the right direction.

Westhead's Mercury finish strong

Westhead led the team to a record of 23-11 in 2007, and he received recognition for his efforts. Phoenix's coach was a part of the Coach of the Year race, and he finished second. He earned 14 points that year, and the most a coach could have was 51.

Jan 19, 2012, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks coach Paul Westhead reacts during the game against the Southern California Trojans at the Galen Center. USC defeated Oregon 92-73. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dan Hughes won the award that year, as he led the San Antonio Silver Stars to a record of 20-14. San Antonio finished the previous season with a record of 13-21. So, the Silver Stars improved significantly, and they jumped to second in the Western Conference.

The Mercury met the Silver Stars after Phoenix defeated Los Angeles and San Antonio defeated the Sacramento Monarchs. Phoenix swept San Antonio, and that win led to the series against Detroit.

Both coaches had legitimate cases when it came to Coach of the Year, and there were a few more coaches who received votes.

Bill Laimbeer was third in the race, as he had six points. Pat Coyle earned four points, Bo Overton had three, Tree Rollins had two and Jenny Boucek and Anne Donovan both received a point.

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

Westhead was the ideal coach for the Mercury, and his "Paul Ball" style helped them succeed. He left the Mercury after they won that championship, but one of his assistants took over. Corey Gaines became the coach, and he led the team to another championship.

The 2007 Coach of the Year had some great candidates, and Westhead was one of the leaders.

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