How Many Games Did Jennifer Gillom Play For The Mercury?

Jennifer Gillom was one of the Phoenix Mercury's first players, and in her time with the team, she became an All-Star.

June 4, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom reacts from the bench against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half at US Airways Center. The Mercury defeated the Sparks 90-89. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

When it comes to the Phoenix Mercury, names like Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, Penny Taylor and others come to mind. There are also the players that started it all like, Michele Timms or Jennifer Gillom, who helped shaped the franchise into what it is today. They set the tone, and players that came after them added to that legacy.

Gillom had a successful career with the Mercury, and she played with them from 1997 to 2002. She was one of the first players on the Mercury roster, as she and Timms were allocated to Phoenix.

July 24, 2010; Uncasville, CT, USA; Los Angeles Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom talks with guard Andrea Riley (10) during a break as they take on the Connecticut Sun during the first half at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Phoenix build the rest of their roster through drafts, and the rest was history. Gillom averaged 15.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in her first season, and she played in 28 games.

The following year, she averaged a career-high 20.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 assists. Gillom and the Mercury had a strong season that year, and they reached the WNBA Finals for the first time. They lost to the Houston Comets, who beat them 2-1. Gillom played a total of 30 games.

In 1999, Gillom was named an All-Star in the WNBA's first All-Star Game. The Mercury were well-represented in that game, as Timms made it as well. Gillom had a good year overall, and averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 rebound, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals. She played in 32 games that season.

Gillom remained an important player for the Mercury in her remaining seasons. She left the team in 2003, as she played for the Los Angeles Sparks. She averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds, and played an average of 12 minutes with the Sparks.

Gillom gets into coaching

After her playing career, she got into coaching, and at one point, she was the coach for the Sparks. However, she ended up returning to Xavier College Preparatory, where she started her coaching career.

Gillom played a total of 183 games with the Mercury. In that time, she averaged 15.2 points, five rebounds and 1.3 assists. She made a significant impact in her time with the Mercury, and she received the honor of having her jersey retired. With the amount of games she played, Gillom is seventh on the franchise's games played list. Lisa Harrison played four more games than her.

The Mercury have had some great talents, and as her stats show, Gillom was one of them.

Please follow us on X for more stories around Jennifer Gillom and other Mercury players of the past when you click right here!

feed