Remembering Phoenix's 2001 Draft Picks

The Phoenix Mercury had five picks in the 2001 WNBA Draft, and one of them had a chance to play with them.

Jul 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A WIlson official WNBA Evo NXT basketball approaches the rim and the net at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury finished the 2001 season with a record of 13-19, and they missed the playoffs. The Mercury made the playoffs the year before, and they finished that season with a record of 20-12.

Phoenix had a poor season, but before things got going, the Mercury added five new faces. The Mercury had five draft picks, and they had one in the first round, one in the second, one in the third and two in the fourth.

Mercury select Australian guard with first of five picks

With their first pick, the Mercury selected Kristen Veal. Veal went on to play two seasons with the Mercury, and in her rookie season, she had her career high. She had 16 points against the Miami Sol, and Phoenix defeated Miami 60-47.

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

Veal was the team's leading scorer, and there was one other player who scored in double figures. Jennifer Gillom had 14 points, and she also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Jul 28, 2012; London, United Kingdom; Russia forward Ilona Korstin (10) dribbles the ball against Canada guard Kim Smith (8) during the first half at Basketball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

In the second round of that year's draft, the Mercury selected Ilona Korstin. She played with the team for a year, and she had six points in Phoenix's loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won that game 73-50, and Lisa Leslie led the way with a 23-point double-double.

Tere Williams was the Mercury's third-round pick, and she attended Virginia Tech. Williams averaged 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds during those years, and her best year was her second. She averaged 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds. While she was drafted by Phoenix, she did not suit up for them.

Then, the Mercury drafted Carolyn Moos and Megan Franza in the fourth round. Moos did not play for the Mercury but she appeared in two games with the Miami Sol the following year. Franza was next, and before being drafted she spent her college years with Washington.

Oct 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Fans cheer during the first half of game four of the 2025 WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Franza averaged 17.2 points, three rebounds and 2.6 assists in her third year. Overall, she averaged 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in her collegiate years. She did not play for the Mercury, as she was waived shortly after the draft.

The Mercury have had different experiences when it comes to the draft, and in a year they had numerous picks, they all went in different directions. Phoenix was rebuilding, and in due time, the Mercury would turn things around.

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