Sep 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of a game ball on the court in a game between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx during game two of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

How A Mercury Veteran Became A Hall Of Famer

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Dec 23, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame features some of the greatest names in women's basketball, and over the years, a few names tied to the Phoenix Mercury have been inducted.

Cappie Pondexter was a part of the 2025 class, and a few years before that, Penny Taylor was inducted. The Class of 2012 featured a player with Mercury ties, as Nikki McCray was inducted.

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McCray started her WNBA career in 1998, and she joined the Washington Mystics. The WNBA introduced two new teams that season, as they added the Mystics and the Detroit Shock. McCray was one of the players involved in the allocation period, and she went to Washington.

Washington's new edition had a strong rookie season, as she averaged 17.7 points, 3.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Her second season was just as good, as she averaged 17.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals.

McCray spent two more years with Washington, and she played well during those seasons. She averaged 15.5 points in 2000 and 11.0 in 2001.

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McCray comes to Phoenix

After her seasons with the Mercury, McCray was traded to the Indiana Fever. She spent two seasons with the Fever, and in her first year, she averaged 11.5 points, three rebounds and 2.2 assists. Then, after her second season with the team, she signed a deal with the Mercury. She spent a year with them, and while she was a starter most of her career, she moved to a reserve role.

McCray played 27 games in her season with the Mercury, and she started in nine of them. The year before, she played 34 games with the Fever, and she started in all of them. It was an adjustment, and she adapted to it. She averaged 2.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in a season where the Mercury finished 17-17.

Once that season was over, McCray played for the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Chicago Sky. McCray had a nice WNBA career, and she was also a star in college. Her contributions to the game deserve recognition, and when it comes to her Hall of Fame class, she was joined by people like Pamela McGee and Dawn Staley.