Why The 1997 Mercury Set The Tone For Future Teams

The Phoenix Mercury made their debut in 1997, and they became a playoff team after finishing the season with a record of 16-12.

Sep 24, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; A Wilson official WNBA basketball on the court during game one of the 2023 WNBA Semifinals between the Dallas Wings and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury made their debut in 1997, and they got off to a good start. They finished the season with a record of 16-12, and they made their first playoff appearance.

Phoenix faced the New York Liberty in the postseason, and New York picked up a 59-41 win. That was a lackluster performance from the Mercury, as Jennifer Gillom and Marlies Askamp were the leading scorers. They both had nine points.

Aug 9, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Sparks coach Jennifer Gillom during the game against the Indiana Fever at the Staples Center. The Fever defeated the Sparks 82-76. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Gillom also had seven rebounds, two steals and an assist. Then, Askamp had two rebounds, an assist and a steal.

The Mercury started the season with a win over the Charlotte Sting, as they beat them 76-59. Bridget Pettis was the leading scorer in that game, as she had 17 points. She also had three rebounds, three assists and a block. She made history during that game, as she became the first player to score a basket for the Mercury.

Jul 18, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Sparks coach Carol Ross (right) and assistant coach Bridget Pettis react during the game against the Phoenix Mercury at the Staples Center. The Mercury defeated the Sparks 90-84. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Outside of Pettis, the Mercury had another player who scored in double figures, as Toni Foster had 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block.

Phoenix ended the season with a win over the Los Angeles Sparks. The Mercury beat the Sparks 73-68, and Gillom had a big game. She had 29 points, eight rebounds, three steals, an assist and a block. Then, Askamp had 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

The Mercury started off strong, and the following year, they would have an even better season. They finished that season with a record of 19-11, and they reached the WNBA Finals. Since then, the franchise has made it five more times.

May 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Wilson official basketballs with WNBA logo go through the net during the game between the LA Sparks and the Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As far as the 1997 season, their winning percentage was 57.1. That is a solid number, and it is the franchise's 11th-best percentage. They have had better seasons, such as the 2025 season, and they have had worse. The 2023 season is a great example, as they had a record of 9-31.

Phoenix's 1997 team paves the way for future rosters

The Mercury are one of WNBA's best teams, and as the first season showed, they were bound to win a championship. While it did not happen right away, it happened when the team had stars like Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter. Phoenix went through a difficult period, and when the franchise added those two, it put itself on the path towards greatness.

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