Phoenix's New Stars Get Teammates Involved

The Phoenix Mercury struggled in 2003, and things started to turn around the following year. They added an All-Star veteran before the start of the season, as they drafted Penny Taylor in a dispersal draft. Taylor was drafted by the Cleveland Rockers in 2001, and she spent the first three years of her career with them. She averaged 7.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a steal in her first season, and her stats improved the following year. The forward took on a bigger role, as she was a reserve in the first year, and she started in most of her games in the second season. Cleveland folded after the 2003 season, and that led to a dispersal draft. The Mercury had a record of 8-26 that year, and they received the first pick of that draft. Taylor came to Phoenix, and the rest was history. A few months later, the Mercury selected Diana Taurasi , and she became the team's go-to scorer. Taurasi also had the ability to get her teammates involved, and with the Mercury trying to get back on track, they needed contr