Retro Mercury Player Profile: Michele Timms

as one of the Phoenix Mercury's first players, and she is one of the few to have her jersey retired.

Oct 13, 2024; Uncasville, Conn, USA; Class of 2024 inductee Michele Timms speaks during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Symphony Hall Springfield. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have been around since the beginning. They were one of the first teams in the WNBA, and they remain one of the league's best franchises. The Mercury have an impressive history, and several players have contributed to that.

Some of their players were there from the beginning, and they helped pave the way for those who came after them. Michele Timms was one of Phoenix's original players. She was assigned to the Mercury in the WNBA's player allocation. This was the phase that took place before the Elite Draft and the official 1997 WNBA Draft.

By the time Timms joined the Mercury, she was already an established player. She spent time in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in Australia, and played for teams such as Bulleen Boomers, the Perth Breakers and the Sydney Flames.

In Timms first year with the Mercury, she averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals. The Mercury finished the season with a record of 16-12, and lost to the New York Liberty in the playoffs. From a stats standpoint, Timms' first season was her best.

In 1998, Timms averaged 6.9 points, 5.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals. This was the year that the Mercury reached the WNBA Finals for the first time in their history. They lost to the Houston Comets in the Finals.

The following year, Timms averaged 6.8 points, five assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Timms was a participant in the first-ever All-Star Game. She was a starter, and her teammate Jennifer Gillom was a reserve. Timms had three points, four assists, and a steal.

Timms played two more seasons with the Mercury. She played in eight games in 2000, and averaged 3.8 points, 2.3 assists, two rebounds and 1.9 steals. Then, in her final year, she averaged 4.7 points and 4.1 assists.

Phoenix was Timms' first and only WNBA team, as she announced her retirement in 2001. However, she stayed close to the franchise, as they retired her number in 2002, and she became an assistant coach for them in 2005.

Timms was a floor general in her time, and she could score, facilitate and defend. Her basketball IQ helped her succeed in both the WNBL and WNBA. As the first Mercury player to have her jersey retired, she will remain a part of Mercury lore.

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