Editing Michele Timms (section)

===WNBA===
At the onset of the WNBA in 1997, Timms was assigned to the [[Phoenix Mercury]] in the initial player allocation. Her debut game was played on June 22, 1997 in a 76 - 59 win over the [[Charlotte Sting]] where she recorded 8 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/199706220PHO.html | title=Charlotte Sting at Phoenix Mercury, June 22, 1997 }}</ref> Timms had a very dominant rookie season with averages of 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game. The Mercury finished with a 16 - 12 record and made the playoffs but were eliminated in the semi-finals by the [[New York Liberty]].

For the 1998 season, Timms had a drop in all of her season averages except for assists. Recording a lower average in minutes played, points, rebounds and steals than her previous season. The Mercury was still able to complete the season with a 19 - 11 record and reach the [[WNBA Finals|finals]] but lost to the [[Houston Comets]]. Timms came within inches of giving the Mercury their first title; with the Mercury up 1-0 and needing only one more win for the championship, and Game Two tied at 66 with three seconds to go, Timms took a three-point shot that bounced off the rim's back. Ultimately, the Comets won that game 74–69 in overtime, and then the championship in Game Three.

The Mercury reached the playoffs with a 20 - 12 record in the 1998 season, but Timms only played 8 games that season and sat out of the playoffs as the Mercury lost in the semi-finals to the [[Los Angeles Sparks]].

Timms bounced back and played more games in the 2001 season, playing in 21 games and averaging more points and assists than the previous season. But 2001 saw the Mercury have their worst record so far of 13 - 19. Timms' final WNBA game was played on August 14, 2001 in a 56 - 38 win over the [[Houston Comets]] where she recorded 10 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108140PHO.html|title=Houston Comets at Phoenix Mercury, August 14, 2001|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> That very same day (as it was the final game of the season and the Mercury were officially not making the playoffs), Timms announced her retirement and almost immediately joined the Mercury's [[television]] broadcasting crew, a job which she held only for that season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/mercury/archives/timms_bio.html|title=MERCURY: Michele Timms #7|website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

On August 7, 2002, her number 7 jersey became the first to be retired by the Phoenix Mercury, and only the second jersey ever retired by the WNBA (the first being [[Kim Perrot]]). Upon her retirement, she was the Mercury's career leader in assists.