Why Mercury's Westhead Had A Legendary Career

The Phoenix Mercury won their first championship, and Paul Westhead helped them get there.

February 24, 2013; Stanford, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Paul Westhead reacts at an official against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have had some great coaches over the years, and it all started with Cheryl Miller. Miller coached the team in its inaugural season, and she remained the coach until after the 2000 season.

Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cheryl Miller watches during the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Southern California Trojans at the Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Mercury finished that season with a record of 20-12, but they lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in the first round of the playoffs.

Since then, the Mercury have had numerous coaches, and some of them led the team to championships.

Westhead comes to Phoenix

Paul Westhead was the first coach to do so, and he led the Mercury to victory in 2007. Westhead joined the team in 2006. The Mercury finished the 2005 season with a record of 16-18. They were led by Carrie Graf, who became the head coach after John Shumate.

Feb 29, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, USA; The head coach for the Loyola Marymount University basketball team during the 1989-1990 season, Paul Westhead, speaks to the crowd during a ceremony to reveal a statue for the late Hank Gathers. Gathers was a college basketball star with a bright NBA future when he collapsed and died in the middle of a game while playing for Loyola Marymount University. The school will honor Gathers and mark the anniversary before Saturday's game. In addition to unveiling a / Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

The Mercury went in a different direction, and in Westhead's first season, the team finished 18-16. They missed the playoffs, but that season was a step in the right direction. After that, the Mercury made history, and they finished the season with a record of 23-11. They played well, and after a long drought, Phoenix was back in the playoffs.

Phoenix defeated the Seattle Storm and the San Antonio Silver Stars in the earlier rounds. Then, the Mercury beat the Detroit Shock to win it all. Westhead led the team to a championship, and he added another accolade to his resume.

With the Mercury winning a championship, Westhead did something unique. He is the only coach to win both a WNBA championship and an NBA one.

Westhead won his NBA championship back in 1980. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers that year, and Earvin "Magic" Johnson was the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). That was also Johnson's first championship, and he would win four more.

Nov 20, 2013; Hartford, CT, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Paul Westhead reacts during a break in the action against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at XL Center. UConn defeated the Oregon Ducks 114-68. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Lakers played well that season, as they finished with a record of 60-22. They started the season with Jack McKinney, but Westhead took over. He helped the Lakers finish the season strong, and they ended up winning a championship.

Westhead coached the Lakers in the 1980-81 season, and he started the following year, but he was fired. After that, he coached the Chicago Bulls and spent time as a college coach before returning to the NBA. Westhead's "Paul Ball" offense was ahead of its time, and it helped the Mercury win a championship.

Please follow us on X to read more about Mercury coaches like Paul Westhead when you click right here!

feed