Why The 1998 Mercury Remain Legendary

The Phoenix Mercury had a great run in 1998, and that season remains one of the franchise's best.

Aug 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A detailed view of the Nike G.T. 3 Cut 3 shoes worn by Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) against the LA Sparks in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury's first season was a success. They finished the season with a record of 16-12, and they were one of four teams that made the playoffs. The others were the Charlotte Sting, the Houston Comets and the New York Liberty. Phoenix faced New York in the first round, and the Liberty picked up a 59-41 win. However, the Liberty lost to the Comets in the WNBA Finals.

The following year, the Mercury improved, and they finished the season with a record of 19-11, and they faced the Cleveland Rockers in their first playoff matchup. They beat the Rockers 2-1, and they did it after winning the first game and the third one.

Mercury legend Michele Timms comes on the court during the Ring of Honor ceremony at the Footprint Center on Saturday, May 18, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Phoenix beat Cleveland 78-68, and Jennifer Gillom was the leading scorer. She had 21 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Michelle Timms had 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Michelle Brogan had 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and a block.

Mercury beat Rockers, head to WNBA Finals

Cleveland won the second game, as the Rockers beat the Mercury 67-66. Then, the Mercury beat them 71-60, and Bridget Pettis led them to victory. She had 27 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.

Mercury legend Bridget Pettis comes on the court during the Ring of Honor ceremony at the Footprint Center on Saturday, May 18, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Brogan had 14 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Then, Gillom had 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

The Mercury picked up nice wins in that series, and that led to them making the WNBA Finals. That was historic, as it was the franchise's first time in the Finals. Fast forward to today, and the Mercury have made it five more times.

Phoenix faced Houston, and despite winning the first game, they lost the next two. The Comets won the series, and they won their second championship.

Overall, it was a good year for the Mercury, and when it came to the regular season, they had a winning percentage of 63.3. This is the franchise's fourth-best percentage, and the only seasons where they had a higher percentage were the ones they won championships.

Aug 30, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Mystics players shoes before the game against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The 1998 team was a special group, and Gillom and her teammates proved that Phoenix could win a title. The Mercury were on the right track, and while they went through a playoff drought a few years later, things would eventually get better.

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