Oct 30, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats interim basketball coach Russell Pennell at the Pacific-10 Conference media day at the LAX Hilton. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

How Russ Pennell Helped Phoenix Reach The Playoffs

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Phoenix Mercury have had some great coaches over the years. Cheryl Miller was their first coach, as she coached them from 1997 to 2000. Then, once she resigned, her former teammate, Cynthia Cooper took over.

Phoenix had a few coaches after Cooper, as Linda Sharp was interim head coach after Cooper resigned during the 2002 season. Then, the Mercury had John Shumate and Carrie Graf before hiring Paul Westhead. Westhead had NBA experience, and in his second season with the Mercury, he helped them make history.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Mercury won their first championship, as they beat the Detroit Shock 3-2. Westhead left after the championship, and Corey Gaines took over. He coached them to another championship, and a few years later the Mercury parted ways with him. Gaines' firing came after a challenging 2012 season, where Phoenix finished with a record of 7-27.

Then, after the following year got off to a rocky start, the Mercury went in a different direction. Russ Pennell was named their interim head coach, and in the games that he coached the Mercury, they were 9-4.

Pennell's first game as Phoenix's head coach was a matchup against the Tulsa Shock. The Mercury won that game, as they beat the Shock 70-67.

Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Diana Taurasi was the leading scorer in that game, and she had 23 points. She also had five rebounds and four assists. Candice Dupree nearly had a double-double, as she had 20 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an assist. Briana Gilbreath-Butler had 11 points, eight rebounds and an assist.

Mercury turn things around

The Mercury were .500 after that game, and they won their next two games to improve to 13-11. They beat the Shock in another meeting and they beat the Indiana Fever.

After those wins, they lost to the San Antonio Silver Stars. The Silver Stars beat them 88-82 in what was a road game, but the Mercury bounced back in the next one. After hosting the Shock in previous two games, they were on the road for the next one. They beat the Shock 89-86 in that game, and Taurasi had a double-double of 28 points and 10 assists.

Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

The Mercury continued to the season, and in the end, they finished 19-15. They reached the playoffs, but they were knocked out by the Minnesota Lynx. Despite losing that series, it was a good year for Phoenix. They turned things around, and in what could have been a year they missed the playoffs, Pennell helped them get back on track.

Pennell's time with the team was brief, but he made the best of that time and put them on a path to success.

This article first appeared on Phoenix Mercury On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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