Jun. 10, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Detailed view of the Nike shoes worn by Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner during a team practice at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Looking At The First Time Phoenix Missed The Playoffs

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 7:00 AM ET

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs for the first time in 1999, and they finished the season with a record of 15-17. There were three teams in the Western Conference with that record, and the Minnesota Lynx and the Utah Starzz were the others.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Houston Comets were the best team in the West, and they finished the season with a record of 26-6. The Los Angeles Sparks were behind them, and they had a record of 20-12. Then, the Sacramento Monarchs were 19-13.

Mercury begin the season with losses to West rival

Phoenix started the 1999 season with two losses against the Monarchs. The Monarchs beat them 96-85 in the first game, and 74-64 in the second. The Mercury picked up their first win after that, as they beat the Cleveland Rockers 76-67.

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Mercury had some nice performances in that game, and their rookie Edna Campbell was the leading scorer. She had 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Marlies Askamp was the second-leading scorer, and she had 17 points, 15 rebounds, five steals, an assist and a block. Jennifer Gillom had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Phoenix continued the season, and in the final game, the Mercury lost to the Starzz. The Starzz beat them 70-62, and the Mercury had two players who scored 17 points. Maria Stepanova and Gillom were the leading scorers, and on top of her 17 points, Stepanova had 11 rebounds. She also had three blocks and an assist.

Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Gillom had five rebounds, three assists and a steal. She had a good year, and she ended the season on a solid note. Michele Timms played well in the final game, and she had 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Mercury ended the season with a losing streak, but they had some decent performances during that time.

Phoenix's win percentage was around 47 percent. While this was not one of their best seasons, it was not the worst. It was a middle-of-the-pack kind of season, and the Mercury have had seasons like their 2001 season, where they missed the playoffs by a significant margin.

The Mercury made the WNBA Finals in 1998, and while they regressed in 1999, they managed to bounce back the following year.

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

More must-reads: