Phoenix Mercury History: Owners, Championships, Stars, Drafts and the Greatest Moments
The Phoenix Mercury are one of the original franchises of the WNBA and one of the league’s most successful teams. Founded in 1997, the Mercury have built their identity around fast-paced basketball, outstanding guards and some of the greatest players in WNBA history.
Phoenix has won three WNBA championships — 2007, 2009 and 2014 — and has been home to players such as Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter, DeWanna Bonner and Michele Timms.
The Beginning of the Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury were one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises in 1997. The team was closely connected to the Phoenix Suns organization and was originally owned by Jerry Colangelo, who was also a central figure in bringing the WNBA to Phoenix.
The Mercury’s first head coach and general manager was basketball legend Cheryl Miller. The original team featured Australian star Michele Timms, Jennifer Gillom and Bridget Pettis. Pettis became the franchise’s first draft selection.
The decision to place a WNBA franchise in Phoenix was strongly supported by Colangelo. The Mercury’s own historical account describes him as the team’s president and owner during the league’s formation.
Phoenix Mercury Owners
The Mercury have had three principal ownership eras.
Jerry Colangelo — 1997–2003
Jerry Colangelo was the original owner and one of the most important figures in establishing the Mercury. He helped make Phoenix one of the WNBA’s original franchises.
Robert Sarver — 2004–2022
Robert Sarver became owner of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury in 2004. His ownership lasted through the Mercury’s 2007, 2009 and 2014 championship eras.
Mat Ishbia — 2023–present
Mat Ishbia became owner of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury in 2023. The Mercury’s current WNBA team page lists Ishbia as the franchise owner.
Phoenix Mercury Home Arenas
The Mercury have essentially had one home building throughout their existence, although the building has gone through numerous names.
America West Arena
1997–2006
This was the Mercury’s original home.
US Airways Center 2006–2015
The building changed its name from America West Arena to US Airways Center in 2006.
Talking Stick Resort Arena
2015–2020
The arena received another naming-rights change in 2015.
Phoenix Suns Arena
2020–2021
The building briefly carried the Phoenix Suns Arena name.
Footprint Center
2021–2025
The arena became Footprint Center in 2021.
PHX Arena / Mortgage Matchup Center era
2025–present
The building has undergone another naming change, but it remains the Mercury’s home in downtown Phoenix. The franchise’s current WNBA page lists the arena as its home venue.
Thus, although the name on the building has changed several times, the Mercury have remained in the same downtown Phoenix arena since the franchise began.
The Three Mercury Championships
2007 — The First Championship
The 2007 season changed the Mercury’s place in WNBA history.
Led by Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor, Phoenix finished the regular season 23–11 and reached the Finals against the Detroit Shock.
The Mercury lost the first game of the Finals but recovered to win the series 3–2.
The deciding Game 5 was played in Detroit. Phoenix won 108–92, becoming the first WNBA team to win a championship-clinching game on the road.
Cappie Pondexter was the 2007 Finals MVP, averaging 22.0 points and 5.6 assists during the series. 2007 Championship stars
Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, Penny Taylor, Tangela Smith, and Kelly Miller
2009 — The Second Championship
The 2009 Mercury were one of the most explosive offensive teams in WNBA history.
Phoenix finished 23–11 and faced the Indiana Fever in the Finals.
The opening game was extraordinary: Phoenix defeated Indiana 120–116 in overtime, at the time the highest-scoring game in WNBA history.
Indiana subsequently took a 2–1 series lead, but Phoenix won Game 4 on the road and returned home for Game 5.
The Mercury won the deciding game 94–86, capturing their second championship.
Diana Taurasi won both the WNBA MVP and Finals MVP awards in 2009. She averaged 20.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in the Finals.
2014 — The Third Championship
The 2014 Mercury produced one of the greatest regular seasons in franchise history.
Phoenix finished 29–5, then went through the playoffs and defeated the Chicago Sky 3–0 in the Finals.
The championship was particularly notable because Phoenix had Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner at the center of its lineup.
Griner won the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year award, while head coach Sandy Brondello was named Coach of the Year. Taurasi was the Finals MVP.
Phoenix swept Chicago in the Finals, winning the franchise’s third championship.
Mercury Award Winners
Phoenix has produced an unusually large collection of major WNBA individual award winners.
WNBA Most Valuable Player
Diana Taurasi — 2009
Taurasi became the first and, to date, only Mercury player to win the regular-season WNBA MVP award while playing for Phoenix.
She also won Finals MVP in 2009.
WNBA Finals MVPs
Cappie Pondexter — 2007
Pondexter led Phoenix to its first championship and averaged 22.0 points per game in the Finals.
Diana Taurasi — 2009
Taurasi won Finals MVP while also winning the regular-season MVP.
Diana Taurasi — 2014
Taurasi won her second Finals MVP after leading Phoenix to the championship.
Rookie of the Year
Diana Taurasi — 2004
Phoenix selected Taurasi first overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft. She immediately became one of the league’s leading players and was named Rookie of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year
Brittney Griner — 2014
Brittney Griner — 2015
Griner won Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.
Her combination of size, mobility and shot-blocking transformed the Mercury defense. She eventually became the franchise’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
Coach of the Year
Sandy Brondello — 2014
Brondello led Phoenix to a remarkable 29–5 regular season and the WNBA championship. She was named Coach of the Year.
Sixth Woman of the Year
DeWanna Bonner — 2009
DeWanna Bonner — 2010
DeWanna Bonner — 2011
Bonner was an unusual and extremely valuable player because she could provide major scoring production coming off the bench.
She won the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year award three consecutive times while with Phoenix.
Most Improved Player
Leilani Mitchell — 2019
Mitchell won the 2019 Most Improved Player award while playing for Phoenix.
Other Major Mercury Award Winners
The Mercury’s award history also includes numerous All-WNBA selections, All-Defensive Team selections, All-Star appearances and statistical awards.
Among the most significant:
Diana Taurasi — multiple All-WNBA First Team selections
Brittney Griner — multiple All-WNBA and All-Defensive selections
Penny Taylor — All-WNBA First Team, 2007
Jennifer Gillom — All-WNBA First Team, 1998
Skylar Diggins-Smith — All-WNBA First Team, 2021 and 2022
Kahleah Copper — All-WNBA Second Team, 2024
Alyssa Thomas — All-WNBA First Team, 2025
Natasha Cloud — All-Defensive Second Team, 2024
Brianna Turner — All-Defensive First Team, 2020 and 2021
The Best Mercury Drafts
Some of Phoenix’s most important franchise decisions came through the draft.
2004 — Diana Taurasi
No. 1 overall — Diana Taurasi
This was arguably the most consequential draft selection in Mercury history.
Taurasi became the centerpiece of the franchise for two decades. She won the 2004 Rookie of the Year award, the 2009 WNBA MVP, two Finals MVP awards and three championships with Phoenix.
She finished her Mercury career as the franchise’s all-time leader in points, assists, games, three-pointers and numerous other categories.
How she fared: Taurasi became the defining player in franchise history.
2006 — Cappie Pondexter
No. 2 overall — Cappie Pondexter
Pondexter immediately became an important part of the Mercury.
She made the All-Rookie Team and became the Finals MVP during Phoenix’s first championship season in 2007.
How she fared: Outstanding. She became one of the principal reasons Phoenix won its first championship.
2009 — DeWanna Bonner
No. 5 overall — DeWanna Bonner
Bonner developed into one of the most effective players in franchise history.
She won three consecutive Sixth Woman of the Year awards from 2009 through 2011 and became a major scorer and versatile forward.
How she fared: Excellent long-term value from a fifth overall selection.
2013 — Brittney Griner
No. 1 overall — Brittney Griner
Griner arrived with enormous expectations and quickly became one of the WNBA’s dominant defensive players.
She won Rookie of the Year recognition through her selection to the All-Rookie Team, became a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and helped Phoenix win the 2014 championship.
How she fared: Franchise-changing selection.
2004 Cleveland Dispersal Draft — Penny Taylor
Phoenix also received the first selection in the Cleveland Rockers dispersal draft in 2004 and selected Penny Taylor.
Taylor spent 10 of her 13 WNBA seasons with Phoenix and played on all three Mercury championship teams.
She finished among the franchise’s leaders in virtually every major statistical category.
How she fared: One of the most important acquisitions in franchise history.
Other Important Draft Selections
Phoenix has also found significant contributors in later rounds and lower selections.
Leilani Mitchell, selected in the second round in 2008, eventually became a key Mercury guard and won Most Improved Player in 2019.
Brianna Turner, selected in the third round in 2019, developed into one of the WNBA’s better defensive forwards and earned All-Defensive First Team honors.
The Mercury’s official draft history records the complete sequence of Phoenix selections.
MVP Players
Traded Away Before Becoming Stars
This is an interesting part of Mercury history because Phoenix has had several talented players leave the organization, but there is an important distinction:
There is not a clear case of Phoenix trading away a future WNBA regular-season MVP who subsequently won the MVP award elsewhere.
The Mercury’s major MVP winner, Diana Taurasi, was never traded away. She spent her WNBA career with Phoenix.
Likewise, players such as Brittney Griner and Penny Taylor became major stars while remaining associated with Phoenix for substantial portions of their careers.
One noteworthy draft-day transaction involved Lindsey Harding. Phoenix selected Harding No. 1 overall in 2007 but traded her selection to Minnesota. Harding became an accomplished WNBA player, but she did not subsequently win the league MVP award.
That makes Phoenix somewhat unusual: many of its biggest stars were actually players the organization drafted or acquired and then kept.
The Five Most Outstanding Mercury Players
There are many legitimate candidates, but five players stand out because of their combination of championships, awards, longevity and statistical impact.
1. Diana Taurasi
Mercury career: 2004–2024
Taurasi is the central figure in Mercury history.
She was the No. 1 pick in 2004, Rookie of the Year, a WNBA MVP, a three-time champion and a two-time Finals MVP.
She played her entire WNBA career with Phoenix and became the league’s all-time leading scorer.
The Mercury retired her No. 3 jersey in 2026.
2. Brittney Griner
Mercury career: 2013–2024, with later return
Griner was the No. 1 overall selection in 2013.
She became one of the league’s greatest defensive centers, winning Defensive Player of the Year twice and helping Phoenix win the 2014 championship.
She also became Phoenix’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
3. Penny Taylor
Mercury career: 2004–2016
Taylor was an exceptionally versatile forward and one of the key players in the franchise’s championship era.
She played on all three Mercury championship teams and finished among the franchise leaders in points, assists, steals, three-pointers and rebounds.
4. Cappie Pondexter
Mercury career: 2006–2009
Pondexter’s Phoenix career was relatively short compared with Taurasi’s and Taylor’s, but her impact was enormous.
She was the No. 2 pick in 2006 and became the 2007 Finals MVP, helping Phoenix win its first championship.
Her 2007 postseason is one of the greatest individual playoff performances in franchise history.
Most Notable Mercury Coaches
Cheryl Miller
Miller was the Mercury’s first head coach and general manager.
Her presence gave the new franchise immediate national credibility. She helped establish the team’s identity during the WNBA’s first seasons.
Paul Westhead
Westhead coached Phoenix from 2005 through part of 2007.
He became closely associated with an extremely fast offensive style. His 2007 team won the Mercury’s first championship.
Phoenix finished 23–11 that season and then went 7–2 in the playoffs.
Corey Gaines
Gaines coached the Mercury during the 2009 championship season.
His 2009 team went 23–11 and won the championship over Indiana.
Sandy Brondello
Brondello coached Phoenix from 2014 through 2017.
Her greatest achievement came in 2014, when Phoenix went 29–5 and won the WNBA championship.
She was also named Coach of the Year that season.
The Mercury’s Championship Formula
Phoenix’s three championships came with three somewhat different versions of the team.
2007
Taurasi + Pondexter + Taylor
The team combined elite perimeter scoring with a fast-paced attack.
2009
Taurasi + Pondexter + Taylor + Bonner
Phoenix became one of the league’s most explosive offensive teams.
2014
Taurasi + Griner + Taylor + Bonner
This team combined perimeter scoring with Griner’s interior defense and shot-blocking.
The Most Outstanding Play in Mercury History
There are many candidates, but one play has a particularly strong claim because of its circumstances.
Diana Taurasi’s Championship-Clinching Shot — 2014 WNBA Finals
Game 3 of the 2014 WNBA Finals was tied late between Phoenix and Chicago.
With the championship and a sweep within reach, Taurasi received the ball near midcourt.
She attacked toward the basket, created separation against Courtney Vandersloot and hit a running 14-foot shot while being fouled.
She completed the three-point play with 14.3 seconds remaining.
Phoenix won the game and swept Chicago 3–0 to capture its third WNBA championship.
The WNBA itself has highlighted this play among the most memorable game-winning shots in league playoff history.
The significance of the play goes beyond the shot itself: it simultaneously produced a championship-clinching basket, a three-point play and the final major moment of a perfect 2014 Phoenix postseason.
Why this play stands out
WNBA Finals
Championship-clinching game
Game tied late
Taurasi created her own shot
She made the basket while being fouled
She completed the three-point play
Phoenix swept the Finals
It delivered the franchise’s third championship
For those reasons, Taurasi’s 2014 Finals play is an appropriate choice for the most outstanding individual play in Mercury history.
The Mercury Legacy
The Phoenix Mercury have spent nearly three decades building one of the WNBA’s most recognizable franchises.
The organization began with Jerry Colangelo and Cheryl Miller helping establish the team in 1997. Michele Timms and Jennifer Gillom represented the early Mercury. Then came the franchise-defining generation of Taurasi, Taylor and Pondexter, followed by Griner and Bonner.
The championships came in three different eras:
2007 — First championship
2009 — Second championship
2014 — Third championship
And Diana Taurasi connected all three championship teams.
Penny Taylor was the only other player to appear on all three championship rosters.
The Mercury’s retired numbers now include Michele Timms (#7), Jennifer Gillom (#22), Bridget Pettis (#32), Penny Taylor (#13) and Diana Taurasi (#3), reflecting the franchise’s commitment to preserving its history.
From its beginnings as one of the WNBA’s original teams to its three championships and collection of legendary players, the Phoenix Mercury have become a major part of the history of women’s professional basketball.
I can also turn this into a much longer 5,000-word WordPress version with a year-by-year Mercury history from 1997 through 2026, including every head coach, playoff appearance, draft pick, All-Star, retired number, championship roster and notable trade.
Artie Fischal
