Mercury Miss The Playoffs, Star Still Gets Recognized

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs in 1999, but one of their players were involved with award races.

Fans cheer from the stands as the Phoenix Mercury play the Los Angeles Sparks at PHX Arena on Sept. 9, 2025. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury's 1999 season is noteworthy, but it is for the wrong reasons. The Mercury made the playoffs in their first two seasons, and their second appearance led to something special.

Phoenix reached the WNBA Finals, and the team got to that point by beating the Cleveland Rockers. The Mercury beat the Rockers 2-1, and they faced the defending champions in the Finals. The Houston Comets won four titles in a row, and their second came after they beat the Mercury.

May 27, 2010; Rosemont, IL, USA; A general shot of the basketballs prior to a game between the Chicago Sky and the Seattle Storm at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images / Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images

With the Mercury reaching the Finals, the following year was a chance to get back to the Finals and win the franchise's first championship. However, things did not go as planned. Phoenix finished the season with a record of 15-17, and the Comets, the Los Angeles Sparks and the Sacramento Monarchs had significant leads over them.

The Mercury missed the playoffs, but overall, they had a solid year. Their stars played well, and by the end of the season, they were involved in award races.

Jun 8, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Sparks coach Jennifer Gillom during the game against the Phoenix Mercury at the Staples Center. The Sparks defeated the Mercury 92-91. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For starters, Jennifer Gillom received points in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race. She was tied for 11th, as both she and Teresa Weatherspoon earned three points. Then, players like Sandy Brondello, Dawn Staley and others were ahead of them. Yolanda Griffith won the award that year, and she averaged 18.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 assists.

Griffith had an excellent season, and in what was her first season, she took home two major awards. She took home MVP, but she also won Defensive Player of the Year.

As far as Gillom, the Mercury star averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals. The best season of her career was in 1998, as she averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 assists.

Mercury star stands out

Gillom was the lone Mercury player in award races, and she also received recognition in the Sportsmanship Award race. She was tied for second, and she earned eight points. Brondello and Ticha Penicheiro had the same amount. Staley won the award, and she had 11 points in that race.

Jan 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury mascot Scorch at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Mercury's season was a setback, but Gillom and her teammates would recover the following year. They made the playoffs, won 20 games and they were tied to different awards. Phoenix was in a good space, and a few years later, things would change.

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