Xavier College Preparatory girls basketball head coach, Jennifer Gillom (left) watches her team play in the Monarch Sports Lady Extravaganza Tournament at Westwood High School on June 3, 2023 in Mesa, AZ. Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Mercury's Gillom Has Strong Games During College Days

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 12:00 PM ET

Jennifer Gillom was one of the Phoenix Mercury's first players, and in her time with the team, she became their first star. The Mercury acquired her during the allocation phase of the 1997 season, and right before that, they received Michele Timms.

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Both Gillom and Timms went on to have successful years with the Mercury, and they became the franchise's first All-Stars. Gillom also made the All-WNBA Second Team in her first season. She had an even better season in 1998, and she made the First Team because of it.

The Mercury forward also won the Sportsmanship Award in 2002, and in her years with the team, she was a part of Most Valuable Player (MVP) races. Gillom had a successful WNBA career, and when it came to her college years, she showed how talented she was.

Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Gillom attended Ole Miss, and she had some impressive seasons. She averaged 9.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in her first season, and after that, her stats improved. She averaged 18.2 points in her next two seasons, and in her final year, her numbers increased once again. She averaged 23.2 points, and she averaged 7.9 rebounds in the process.

Gillom has big game, helps Ole Miss advance

The Mercury All-Star had some noteworthy performances during her school's tournament runs. The one that stands out the most is her 30-point game against Southern Mississippi. She was on a tear in that game, and on top of her 30 points, she had 10 rebounds and an assist.

John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Ole Miss won that game, as Gillom and her team picked up an 81-68 victory. After that, the All-Star forward had 15 points against Tennessee, and Ole Miss won 63-60. Then, she had 19 points in her team's loss to Western Kentucky. Those games were in her third year, and after that, she played well in her school's 1985-86 run.

During that run, Gillom had 20 points and nine rebounds against Drake. Ole Miss won that game, and after that, the team faced Auburn. The forward and her teammates beat Auburn in overtime, and she had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Then, Ole Miss lost to Texas, and Gillom had 25 points and 10 rebounds in that game.

Phoenix's star was destined to shine, and when she came to the WNBA, she did just that.

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

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