Editing Phoenix Mercury (section)

==History==

===Mercury heating up (1997–1998)===
With a cast that included hall-of-famer [[Nancy Lieberman]], and future hall-of-famers [[Michele Timms]] of [[Australia]], and [[Jennifer Gillom]],  hyper-active star [[Bridget Pettis]], and outspoken coach [[Cheryl Miller]], the Mercury quickly established itself as a major franchise. In the first WNBA season, the Mercury posted a 16–12 record and reached the first WNBA playoffs. The Mercury lost to the [[New York Liberty]], though, in those playoffs.

In 1998, the Mercury again qualified for the playoffs, posting a 19–11 record. The Mercury defeated the [[Cleveland Rockers]] to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time. In a hard-fought series, the Mercury fell 2 games to 1 to the defending champion [[Houston Comets]].

===Mercury in retrograde (1999–2003)===
In 1999, the Mercury missed the playoffs, posting a 15–17 record. In 2000, the Mercury finished 20–12, but got swept by the [[Los Angeles Sparks]]. The team descended into turmoil after the season, as coach Miller left and the original core group of players broke up, via retirement or trades, and the team stopped being a playoff contender.

From 2001 to 2004, the Mercury were at the bottom of the WNBA. Fielding miserable teams, the Mercury were never competitive. The Mercury went through coach after coach, and nothing worked. During the lean years, the franchise remained in the news as [[Forward (basketball)|forward]] [[Lisa Harrison]] would become a sex symbol. [[Playboy (magazine)|Playboy Magazine]] offered her money to pose in their magazine. She would decline the offer.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=WNBA Player to Decide on Playboy|url=https://apnews.com/article/36cecf3080a31e5545c59c633cfa5beb|access-date=2021-03-25|website=The Associated Press|language=en}}</ref>

===Diana Taurasi joins the WNBA (2004–2005)===
After a horrible 2003 season, in which the Mercury posted an 8–26 record, the Mercury won the #1 overall choice in the 2004 WNBA Draft, and select coveted former [[University of Connecticut|UConn]] star [[Diana Taurasi]]. Taurasi went on to win the [[WNBA Rookie of the Year Award]] in the 2004 season, as the Mercury posted a better 17–17 record. The Mercury posted a 16–18 record in 2005, missing the playoffs again.

===Bringing back "Paul Ball" (2006–2007)===
Former [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] coach [[Paul Westhead]] became the Mercury's head coach prior to the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix.  Westhead was the first WNBA coach to have won a previous NBA championship (with [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in [[1980 NBA Finals|1980]]). The Mercury also drafted [[Cappie Pondexter]] with the #2 overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft. The addition provided Taurasi with a solid #2 player.  Westhead's run and gun offense quickly became The Mercury's trademark and the franchise would soon set new league records for points scored.

The 2006 season was a positive one for the Mercury, as they posted a winning record for the first time since 2000, at 18–16. The Mercury competed for the playoffs all year, but fell just short of a postseason berth.

As the 2007 season came, the Mercury were poised and hungry for a deep playoff run. The Mercury would run away with the Western Conference, posting their best record in franchise history at 23–11, as well as clinching the #1 seed. The Mercury set a record by averaging 89.0 points in a season during 2007.<ref name=p67>Sports Illustrated, September 24, 2007, p. 67</ref> In their first playoffs since 2000, the Mercury made quick work of the [[Seattle Storm]] in the first round, blowing them out in two games (Game 1: 101–84, Game 2: 95–89). In the Western Finals, the Mercury swept the [[San Antonio Silver Stars]] in a closer series (Game 1: 102–100, Game 2: 98–92), advancing to the WNBA Finals for the first time in nine years. In the Finals, the Mercury faced the defending 2006 champions [[Detroit Shock]]. The two teams split the first two games in Detroit. Coming back home, the Mercury suffered a letdown in game 3, losing 88–83. Down 2–1, the Mercury had to win game 4 or lose. Game 4 came down to the final seconds, but the Mercury edged out the Shock 77–76, with Cappie Pondexter scoring 26 points, and forced a Game 5 in Detroit. In Game 5, Phoenix won by a score of 108–92.<ref name=p67/> [[Penny Taylor]] scored a game high 30 points in Game 5, and went 18-for-18 from the line.<ref name=p67/> The Mercury won the series and their first championship with a 108–92 Game 5 victory, becoming the first WNBA team to win a championship on the road. [[Cappie Pondexter]] was named the WNBA Finals MVP, and averaged 22.0 points and 5.6 assists in the series.<ref name=p67/> On November 7, 2007, The Mercury announced the hiring of [[Corey Gaines]] as head coach to replace the departing [[Paul Westhead]].

===Mercury fall, Mercury rise (2008–2011)===
In 2008, the Mercury started slowly and never really found a groove, finishing the season with a disappointing record of 16–18, well out of the playoff picture in a tough Western Conference.  The Mercury became the first team in WNBA history with the dubious honor of failing to qualify for the playoffs after winning the WNBA Finals the year before.

However, a year later, the Mercury were back to what they were two years before. The Mercury clinched the top spot in the playoffs along with the number one seed in the Western Conference. The Mercury defeated the 2008 conference champion San Antonio Silver Stars in the first round, winning the very exciting series 2–1 after losing the first game on the road. The Mercury then defeated the Los Angeles Sparks in the conference finals, winning 2–1 in a series that ended Lisa Leslie's career. The Mercury then went on to beat the [[Indiana Fever]] 3–2 in the best of 5 series to capture the second title in their franchise history. Diana Taurasi captured the [[WNBA Finals MVP Award]]. All-star guard Cappie Pondexter was traded to the [[New York Liberty]] amid some controversy in the offseason; All-Star [[Candice Dupree]] joined the duo of Taurasi and Penny Taylor as the Mercury looked to repeat in 2010.

It was not easy, however, as the Mercury faced a few bad losing streaks throughout the 2010 season. The team managed to finish 15–19, good for second place in the Western Conference. Phoenix swept San Antonio in the first round of the Playoffs, but lost to the eventual champion [[Seattle Storm]] in the conference finals.

After a hectic offseason for Diana Taurasi, most of the Mercury team was rested and ready to play. The team started the 2011 season with a surprising 0–3 record, but flew back into playoff contention, entering the [[2011 WNBA All-Star Game|All-Star break]] with a 10–5 record. Ultimately, they recovered to gain the third seed in the [[2011 WNBA Playoffs]], and upset the Seattle Storm in the opening round, closing an 18-point deficit to win on Seattle's home floor, allowing the Mercury to reach its third straight conference finals. Unfortunately, for the team, they came up short against the top-seeded [[Minnesota Lynx]], losing in two games.

===Brittney Griner arrives (2013–2019)===
[[File:Phoenix Mercury at the White House to honor 2014 Championship.JPG|thumb|300px|Phoenix Mercury at the White House to honor 2014 Championship]]
Coming off the 2012 WNBA season in which the Phoenix Mercury franchise finished with the second worst record in the WNBA, a 7–27 mark, Phoenix received the 2013 WNBA draft lottery and secured the top overall pick. Once the [[2013 WNBA draft]] arrived in April 2013, the Mercury used the top overall pick on two time Women's College Basketball Wooden award winner [[Brittney Griner]]. However, the Mercury lost to the Lynx in the Conference round of the playoffs.
The following season the Mercury under the guidance of new coach [[Sandy Brondello]] went on to set an all time WNBA record for wins in a season, with 29, and breezed through the 2014 playoffs to claim their 3rd WNBA Championship.

On February 3, 2015, Diana Taurasi announced that she would sit out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg.  The team offered Taurasi to pay her more than her WNBA salary to skip the 2015 WNBA season.  For the 2014 WNBA season, Taurasi made just under the league maximum of $107,000. But she makes 15 times that - approximately $1.5&nbsp;million - playing overseas.

In [[2016 WNBA Playoffs|2016]], the WNBA switched to a playoff format involving single elimination games in the first two rounds.  The eighth-seeded Mercury upset the Indiana Fever in the First Round and New York Liberty in the Second Round to reach the Semifinals.  However, they lost the Semifinals to the [[Minnesota Lynx]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mercury.wnba.com/schedule/#?season=2016&seasontype=04 |title=2016 WNBA playoff results |website=[[WNBA.com]] |access-date=3 October 2016}}</ref>

In [[2017 WNBA Playoffs|2017]], the Mercury once again sailed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, winning their games against the Seattle Storm and [[Connecticut Sun]].  Again, they lost in the Semifinals, this time to the Los Angeles Sparks.

[[2018 WNBA Playoffs|2018]] saw the Mercury win both single-elimination playoff games for the third year in a row with victories against the [[Dallas Wings]] and Connecticut Sun, giving Diana Taurasi a 13–0 record in winner-take-all elimination games in her career.  In the semifinals, the Mercury came up short against the Seattle Storm in the decisive fifth game, giving Taurasi her first ever loss in a winner-take-all elimination game.

The Mercury had to play most of the [[2019 Phoenix Mercury season|2019 season]] without Taurasi, who was struggling with back and hamstring injuries. The Mercury barely made the playoffs as the number eight seed with a 15–19 record and were eliminated in the first-round elimination game 105–76 by the [[Chicago Sky]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ariail |first=Cat |date=2019-09-13 |title=How injuries have influenced the 2019 WNBA playoffs, and may also influence future playoffs |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/9/13/20863525/wnba-playoffs-injuries-impact-load-management-brittney-griner-breanna-stewart-sue-bird-diana-taurasi |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Swish Appeal |language=en}}</ref>

=== A new big three (2020–2021) ===
Before the [[2020 Phoenix Mercury season|2020 season]], the Mercury traded Bonner to the Sun for draft picks, which they then used to acquire [[Skylar Diggins-Smith]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-12 |title=Is Mercury's new big 3 best of all time? Comets would like a word |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/is-mercurys-new-big-3-diggins-smith-taurasi-griner-best-of-all-time-houston-comets-would-like-a-word-210947357.html |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> The season was played in the [[Wubble (WNBA 2020 season)|Wubble]] and Griner left after 12 games due to personal reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metcalfe |first=Jeff |title=Brittney Griner: Mental health counseling 'does wonders' for Phoenix Mercury star |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2021/02/04/brittney-griner-mental-health-counseling-does-wonders-wnba-star/4373481001/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> Without her, the Mercury finished 13–9 as the number 5 seed and made it to the second round of the playoffs, where they lost to the Lynx.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metcalfe |first=Jeff |title=Minnesota Lynx edge Phoenix Mercury in WNBA playoff second round |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2020/09/17/minnesota-lynx-edge-phoenix-mercury-wnba-playoff-second-round/3482004001/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref>

During the [[2021 Phoenix Mercury season|2021 season]], Taurasi once again struggled with injuries, playing in only 16 games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-10 |title=Why the Mercury's Diana Taurasi might be closer to retiring than you think |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/32370738/2021-wnba-finals-why-phoenix-mercury-diana-taurasi-closer-retiring-think |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> The Mercury finished with a 19–13 record and, after defeating the Liberty, Storm, and Aces, advanced to the finals for the first time since 2014. They lost the series 1–3 to the Sky.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-17 |title=Sky capture 1st WNBA title; Copper named MVP |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/32419158/chicago-rallies-phoenix-win-first-wnba-crown-sky-kahleah-copper-named-mvp |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> After the season, the Mercury did not renew Brondello's contract.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-06 |title=Brondello out as Mercury coach after Finals loss |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/32806907/sandy-brondello-phoenix-mercury-coach-wnba-finals-appearance |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Struggles in final Taurasi years (2022–2024) ===
In January 2022, [[Vanessa Nygaard]] was named the new head coach.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-26 |title=44 days and 20 candidates: Inside the Mercury's quest to find a new coach |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/33141283/inside-phoenix-mercury-decision-hire-new-coach-vanessa-nygaard |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> The Mercury signed [[Tina Charles (basketball)|Tina Charles]], the leading scorer of the 2021 season, in free agency.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-04 |title=Mercury reach deal with leading scorer Charles |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/33216587/phoenix-mercury-sign-wnba-leading-scorer-tina-charles |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> However, in February, Griner was detained in Russia and missed the enitre [[2022 Phoenix Mercury season|2022 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-27 |title=Brittney Griner: From Russian detainment to playing basketball, again |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/34877115/brittney-griner-russia-drug-case-line-prison-trial-more |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> The Mercury's season was marred by other issues, including an on-court alternation between Diggins-Smith and Taurasi early in the season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cilley |first=Hayden |date=2022-05-20 |title=Questions from Taurasi, Diggins-Smith hover over Mercury in loss |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/questions-from-taurasi-diggins-smith-argument-hover-over-phoenix-mercury/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=The Next |language=en-US}}</ref> and Charles leaving the team after 18 games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-25 |title=Mercury, former MVP Charles part after 18 games |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/34148342/phoenix-mercury-former-wnba-mvp-tina-charles-part-18-games |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> They made the playoffs as the eighth seed with a 15–21 record. However, playing without both Diggins-Smith and Taurasi, they were swept in the first round by the Aces.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Jenna |title=Phoenix Mercury season in review: Year of constant obstacles ends with playoff appearance |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2022/08/22/phoenix-mercury-2022-review-tumultuous-season-no-brittney-griner-playoff-appearance/7862167001/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref>

Griner returned for the [[2023 Phoenix Mercury season|2023 season]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-19 |title=Brittney Griner is back: What to expect as the Phoenix Mercury center returns to the court |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/37682165/brittney-griner-wnba-phoenix-mercury-center-returns-court |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> but Diggins-Smith skipped the season due to maternity leave.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Jesse |date=2023-09-12 |title=Still no end to Skylar Diggins-Smith saga with Phoenix Mercury |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/news/still-no-definitive-end-to-skylar-diggins-smith-saga-with-the-phoenix-mercury/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Next |language=en-US}}</ref> The Mercury started the season 2–10 and fired Nygaard.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=What went wrong with the Mercury under coach Vanessa Nygaard? |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/37914164/phoenix-mercury-went-wrong-coach-vanessa-nygaard |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Nikki Blue]] became the interim head coach and finished the season, but the Mercury ended last in the league with a 9–31 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Jesse |date=2023-09-24 |title=Nikki Blue in running for permanent Phoenix Mercury head coach |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/phoenix-mercury/nikki-blue-in-the-running-for-permanent-phoenix-mercury-head-coach/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Next |language=en-US}}</ref> In October, [[Nate Tibbetts]] was named the new head coach.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-16 |title=Tibbetts takes over as new coach of Mercury |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38675219/magic-nate-tibbetts-becomes-new-mercury-coach |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> In December, the Mercury were awarded the third overall pick in the [[2024 WNBA draft]] lottery.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PHOENIX MERCURY WINS THIRD OVERALL PICK IN 2024 WNBA DRAFT LOTTERY |url=https://mercury.wnba.com/news/phoenix-mercury-wins-third-overall-pick-in-2024-wnba-draft-lottery |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=mercury.wnba.com |language=en}}</ref>

Before the [[2024 Phoenix Mercury season|2024 season]], Diggins-Smith left in free agency, and the Mercury traded the third overall pick along with other assets to acquire [[Kahleah Copper]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-06 |title=Mercury get Copper from Sky for 4 picks, players |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/39471363/sky-trades-kahleah-copper-mercury-wnba-draft-picks-players |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> The Mercury once again struggled to stay healthy, with their projected starting lineup only playing 11 games together. They finished with a 19–21 record and made the playoffs as the seventh seed, where they were swept in the first round by the Lynx.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Tia |date=2024-10-01 |title=Phoenix Mercury look to build on Nate Tibbetts' first year |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/phoenix-mercury-look-to-build-on-foundation-from-nate-tibbetts-first-year/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Next |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Post-Taurasi era (2025–present) ===
Before the [[2025 Phoenix Mercury season|2025 season]], Taurasi announced her retirement,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Sean |date=2025-02-25 |title=Exclusive: WNBA Star Diana Taurasi Announces Her Retirement |url=https://time.com/7261375/diana-taurasi-wnba-retirement-interview/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=TIME |language=en}}</ref> and Griner left in free agency.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Greg |title=Brittney Griner, joining Atlanta Dream, leaves Phoenix Mercury as WNBA's most visible star |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2025/01/29/brittney-griner-departs-phoenix-mercury-atlanta-dream-wnba-biggest-most-visible-star/78023539007/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> In a big four-team trade, the Mercury acquired [[Alyssa Thomas]] and [[Satou Sabally]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PHOENIX MERCURY ACQUIRE ALL-WNBA FIRST TEAM FORWARDS SATOU SABALLY AND ALYSSA THOMAS, VETERAN CENTER KALANI BROWN AND GUARD SEVGI UZUN IN FOUR-TEAM TRADE |url=https://mercury.wnba.com/news/mercury-acquire-sabally-thomas-brown-uzun |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=mercury.wnba.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Uniform sponsor===
In June 2009 the Mercury and WNBA announced a [[Sponsor (commercial)|sponsorship]] agreement with [[identity theft]] protection service [[LifeLock]] to place that company's logo on their jerseys through the 2013 season, making the Mercury among the first non-soccer franchises in the major leagues of North America to place a company logo on their uniforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/lifelock_release_090601.html |title=MERCURY: Mercury, LifeLock Break New Ground with Partnership |publisher=Wnba.com |access-date=2013-03-22}}</ref> For the 2014 season and going forward, the Mercury will wear jerseys sponsored by [[Casino Arizona]] and [[Talking Stick Resort]].